Materials

HDPE (high density polyethylene) is a common plastic used in milk jugs, detergent bottles, etc.  It has a well developed recycling infrastructure (it's the #2 inside those recycling arrows) and can be used to make very durable, high quality products.

Aluminum is a strong, lightweight metal suitable for many consumer product applications.  While the eco-impact of virgin aluminum is quite high, it is one of the worlds most recycled metals, and recycled aluminum is widely and cheaply available in recycled form.

Steel is the most recycled material on the planet, and is used in countless applications.  In 2005, 43% of the steel produced in the world was recycled.  While it is quite heavy, its strength combined with clever design can lead to relatively light, yet very strong geometry.

Based on cellulose, a product of the paper industry, BIOGRADE has been especially designed for injection moulding applications. BIOGRADE is predominantly composed of natural resource materials (European Soft Wood from sustainable forests) and does not contain starch or starch derivatives.

Renew-a-Pak is a line of packaging from Biosphere Industries made from renewable and yearly harvested tapioca, potato, and grass starches.  It's not a starch based plastic, it's a baked starch material with a manufacturing process similar to ice cream cones.  The kicker?  It's freezer, microwave and oven safe, so you can by your food in it, heat your food up in it, store the leftovers in it, and even compost it with any scraps that don't make it to your stomach.  In addition to being compostable, it can also be recycled with paper.  Look for it on the shelves at Wholefoods.

PLA (polylactic acid) is a bio-based plastic usually made from corn or sugarcane.  It's most common applications to date are in food packaging (clam shell containers and liquid bottles), table ware (cups, plates and cutlery), and even in medical devices.  While there is some controversy over the trade-offs of using a material primarily derived from food, and over the potential of PLA to compromise material streams in the existing plastics recycling infrastructure, PLA is generally considered a good sustainable substitute for conventional plastics.

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) is a plastic commonly used in water and soda bottles, clam-shell food containers, fleece clothing, chip bags (most commonly in its thin form "Mylar" and metalized), blister packaging, etc.  It has a well developed recycling infrastructure (it's the #1 inside those recycling arrows) and can be used to make very durable, high quality products.

We all know that cardboard (corrugated paper board) is a great material for packaging, but reliable old cardboard can be good for other things, too.  Especially when made from post consumer recycled paper, cardboard can be a sturdy, clean, compostable material for disposable items of all sorts, and even some durable ones as well.

PaperFoam it a great foam-like material made from paper fibers, cellulose, potato or tapioca starch and water.  It has a very appealing high end feel, good shock attenuation qualities, can be molded with crisp features and is available in custom colors.  It can be composted or recycled with paper. Notable uses include packaging for Motorola RAZR, the iPod Video and iPod Nano.  PaperFoam even provides carbon footprint data comparing some of their standard packaging, like CD and DVD cases, to current standard packaging materials.

PC/ABS is one of the most commonly used materials in consumer electronics.  It combines the excellent molding performance of ABS with the heat resistance and toughness of Polycarbonate.  Unfortunately, PC/ABS is a blended material that can't be easily recycled because it doesn't exist in consistent forms in the materials market.  In Cradle to Cradle terminology, this type of material is called a monstrous hybrid.  It is listed at number 7 (or "other") in recycling circles, essentially rendering it unrecyclable.

Verterra plates, bowls and serving dishes are made only from two products: fallen leaves and water. They're non-toxic, biodegradable, compostable, durable, lightweight, convenient and downright stylish.