Sustainability has moved from a peripheral consideration to a central one in manufacturing procurement decisions. Clients across all sectors are seeking to reduce the environmental impact of their supply chains, and material selection is one of the most impactful levers available. At Jabro Games, we are actively engaged with the growing range of recycled and sustainably sourced thermoplastics available for vacuum forming.
Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Materials
Post-consumer recycled content is derived from plastic that has been used by consumers, collected, processed, and returned to the manufacturing stream. PCR versions of common vacuum forming materials — including PETG and HIPS — are now commercially available at viable cost levels. Using PCR content reduces the demand for virgin plastic production and keeps material out of landfill or the ocean.
Performance Considerations
PCR materials can exhibit some variation in consistency compared to virgin materials, which requires careful process management during forming. Sheet colour may be slightly less consistent, and mechanical properties can vary slightly between batches. For applications where colour consistency and tight tolerances are critical, these factors need to be considered. For many packaging and tray applications, however, PCR materials perform entirely satisfactorily.
Recyclability by Design
Beyond using recycled content, designing for recyclability at end of life is increasingly important. Using a single material throughout a part, avoiding composite laminates where possible, and selecting materials with good recycling infrastructure (such as PETG and PET) all contribute to improved end-of-life outcomes.
Communicating Sustainability Credentials
Using recycled content provides a genuine, verifiable sustainability credential that many brands wish to communicate to their customers. We can provide documentation of recycled content percentages to support environmental claims. Discuss your sustainability requirements with our team at jabrogames.com.