Recycled PET Labels
The use of Recycled Polyethelate Tripethalate (PET) instead of polyester has the potential to save 50,000 tonnes of plastic drink bottles, 30,000 tonnes of milk cartons and 10,000 tonnes of detergent/shampoo per annum. Should these products not be recycled, all of this would otherwise end up in landfill. Additionally, recycling PET bottles for use in the yarn industry uses 84% less energy than the traditionally manufactured equivalent.
The steps that are involved to produce Recycled PET are as follows:
- Sorting: Plastics are separated by colour group and plastic type (e.g. PVC, drink bottles and plastic bags)
- Melting: There are different processes for different types of plastic. PET bottles are sterilised and crushed into flakes. These tiny flakes are melted in large vats transforming them into liquid plastic
- Processing: The liquid plastic is passed through tiny nozzles creating a round polyester strand that is five times finer than a human hair. The individual strands are suspended until completely dry and are then twisted together to form the yarn
- Polishing: The yarn is pulled over heated rubber rollers that stretch, polish and align the molecules so the yarn is smoother and stronger
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