Switching to recycled ocean plastic requires an additional round of due diligence.
Hi, I’m Mike Ryan the CEO of RSP in Brookfield Wisconsin.
Are you considering using recycled ocean material in your product or packaging?
Whether you have a contract manufacturer, handle your own manufacturing, or maybe you are on the hunt for a new manufacturing partner — considering switching to recycled ocean plastic requires an additional round of due diligence.
Here are five questions you need to ask a manufacturer before diving into recycled marine material.
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Have you worked with recycled plastic before?
There is a learning curve to working with this material, you should find a partner with experience. RSP has worked with over 20 different varieties of recycled ocean plastic and we have compounded hundreds of custom blends to meet specific requirements.
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Are you willing to run high-quality recycled ocean plastics through your equipment?
Some molders are not! They might have machines set up to only run one material or they aren’t willing to try something new.
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What is your experience using imported materials?
Many recycled ocean plastics originate outside the USA including in Asia and Europe. It’s likely the material you need will need to be shipped internationally and imported.
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Do you offer prototype tools or single cavity options to lower the upfront investment?
If time allows, it’s good to move slowly to make sure the right material and tooling design is utilized.
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Do you have experience with blending or compounding custom materials?
Often, to get certain aesthetics, function, and clarity of other characteristics you will have to make custom material blends.
A manufacturer needs in-house capabilities, if not, they need to have a close partner willing to work on custom blends quickly, efficiently, and in small volume during testing.
Of course, if you had called RSP we would have answered a resounding YES to each question!
RSP started working with recycled plastics over 10 years ago and we have processed thousands of tons of recycled material, recycled ocean plastic, and bio-composite materials.
RSP works with clients around the world and we have the experience and knowledge to handle even the most challenging projects.
If you have questions or want to learn more about RSP or recycled ocean plastics, call or contact us today!