How Is Recycled Plastic Street Furniture Made?

With NeoTimber’s recycled plastic street furniture, one of the things we are proudest of is our remanufacturing of waste plastic, crafting it into something exciting and new for both residential and business applications. After years of sorting through cardboard and washing out jam jars, we all have a loose, vague understanding of how recycling works. But what does the process actually entail when repurposing these materials into usable products, and how does this benefit the environment? In this article, we will explain the entire process, showing you how NeoTimber’s recycled plastic street furniture is repurposed from waste plastic. Let’s take a look.

NeoTimber’s plastic furniture is made with recycled plastic material, keeping it from ending up in a landfill and instead redistributing it so that it contributes to a circular economy. Plastic is an incredibly long-lasting material, being non-biodegradable. By reusing it this way, it prevents new “virgin” plastic materials from being made, making it a greener, more sustainable option.

All the plastic we use for our recycled street furniture is carefully checked before being shredded, washed, melted, and then blended together. The plastic is dyed with our black and brown tones, then extruded and cooled into shape before it is ready to use. Throughout the entire process, the plastic is quality-controlled to ensure that only the best material is used for NeoTimber furniture. By breaking plastic down in this manner and allowing it to be reused, we are encouraging a product that may once have been disregarded to the planet’s detriment to find a new purpose. As a result, our loungers or table sets may be on their third or fourth “life!” What’s more, should you choose to replace your furniture in the future, you may be eligible for our buyback scheme, ensuring the plastic can be recycled once more, beginning the entire process again. You can find more information about our buyback scheme here. 

Recycled plastic has the advantage of being able to be poured into a broad selection of interesting moulds, shapes, and styles. The completed extruded and cooled recycled plastic is turned into “planks” that can then be used to create a versatile range of different plastic furniture products, including planters, picnic benches, loungers, bollards, signage, as well as compost and litter bins. The look of the thick, sturdy, compacted plastic planks gives the material a naturalistic, rustic look, elevating it from the artificial aesthetic of thin, flimsy, lower-quality plastic.

If you want to upgrade your traditional timber tables and benches, we have designs that can effectively match this look, such as our standard A-Frame table set or Round Backless picnic table. Alternatively, we have more modern designs, such as our Curved, Straight Edge, or Planter Seat benches. With many timber or metal furniture alternatives, it can often be a “one size fits all” approach to the final product. By instead opting for recycled plastic street furniture, you can find something more in line with the design of your location.