In a world of excessive plastic waste, finding an alternative use for discarded plastic bottles is vital. Many businesses are incorporating recycled plastics, or rPET, into their products. We’ve chosen rPET webbing for all our leads because it’s good for the environment and good for you and your pup. In this post we’ll define the word rPET, explain why it’s a great material and why you should look for it every time you shop for dog accessories.
What does rPET mean?
rPET stands for recycled polyethylene terephthalate, or recycled PET. PET is a strong, durable, and recyclable material commonly used in single use soft drink bottles. Made from 100% recycled plastic, rPET transforms existing plastic (usually PET bottles) into tiny plastic flakes. These PET flakes can be used to make anything from yoga pants and dog leashes to new plastic bottles.
Benefits of recycled PET
Plastic bottles that aren’t recycled either end up as landfill or make their way into our oceans. It’s impossible to know how many plastic bottles currently inhibit our oceans, but it’s estimated that every year, 8 million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean. By turning old PET bottles into rPET fabric and webbing, plastic bottles are kept out of landfill.
Polyester vs rPET
Most traditional dog leads are made from polyester. Polyester is a type of plastic derived from petroleum. At ziippup, all our leashes are made from rPET, also known as recycled polyester. The recycled polyester webbing we use has the same benefits as regular polyester webbing but with the added benefit of being sustainable!
Our rPET webbing is soft on the fur and skin yet strong, durable and doesn’t easily absorb water. Perfect for water loving pups, our leads don’t stretch when wet and, when left to dry properly, won’t get mouldy.
Why use rPET?
Although using recycled polyester as an alternative to regular polyester comes with a higher price tag, using a sustainable material was a no-brainer for us when launching ziippup. Every business, irrespective of size, has a responsibility to work towards a cleaner future.
When choosing to buy a product made from recycled materials, you’re sending a strong message to companies such as ours that you’re valuing our sustainability efforts and we truly appreciate this. Thank you!
Now that you know a bit more about rPET and understand why it’s such a great material we hope you make the switch to sustainable dog accessories. You have so much power as a consumer and by creating awareness and demand for recycled products the industry can only grow – resulting in a cleaner and more sustainable future for all of us.
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