We had the pleasure of visiting What Plastics for a company tour and to make our own recycled plastic panel. For those who don't know, What Plastics are transforming discarded materials into high-quality, 100% recycled surface sheets, giving plastic a second chance and making it something to be proud of. Their mission is to rescue plastic from waste, to show the world exactly where it comes from, and to prove that sustainability doesn't have to be boring or hide behind vague claims.
The first stop on our visit was to understand where the plastic came from. The majority came from either a national white goods company or car manufacturers. The Plastic pellets used are reclaimed from fridge freezers and other large appliances. This traceability is incredible, and What Plastics can narrow down where each bag comes from within a five-mile radius! Car manufacturers provide black pellets primarily made from car interiors, such as door panels and dashboards. Although traceability is a little harder, they are working to be able to trace the plastic back to the car registration! Amazing!
They also add any plastic they find, including old food containers and items recycled by local schools and businesses.
Now, the fun part! We were invited to get hands-on and create our plastic design. Starting with a tray of black pellets, the team mixed in an array of other plastics, including yoghurt pots, edging and food containers - think of it like making a pizza, adding different layers and textures. Once we were advised we had added enough (we may have got a little carried away), everything was mixed by hand and carefully loaded into the hot press. Over time, the plastics melt and mould together, and the machine needs to be manually wound tighter as time goes on.
Once the hot press process is over, the plastic is immediately transferred to the cold compress to cool it and ensure it hardens at an equal rate throughout. The cold compress also prevents warping and bowing.
We left there with a wealth of new knowledge and a newfound respect for their innovative solution of turning plastic waste into a beautiful, functional building material.
A few days later, we received the panels, and we were able to cut them to size to use them in our new product. For those of you who managed to see us at Clerkenwell Design Week, you will have noticed the new Henry Bench and Table set outside - those gorgeous recycled plastic tops? Yep, that's what the guys created, and we couldn't be happier with the result. It is durable, waterproof, easy to work with, and looks fantastic. To top it off, it's made from waste! No new material was used to create it, and that's a massive step in our mission to reduce our waste as much as possible.
Those who haven't seen our new products can view them on our website. You can also check out What Plastics' website at https://www.whatplastics.com/. It's a really exciting time at JDD Furniture, and we can't wait for you to continue the journey with us.
