Bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can be used to make lower grade products, such as carpets. To make a food grade plastic, the bottles need to be hydrolyzed down to monomers, which are purified and then re-polymerized to make new PET. In many countries, PET plastics are coded with the resin identification code number "1" inside the universal recycling symbol, usually located on the bottom of the container.
Hot washed PET Flakes
These are used for several purposes such as:
- Staple Fiber: You can use this raw material in producing household products such as carpets and filler for stuffed toys, pillows and cushions. These are also used in textile industry such as in making apparel, upholstery and fabrics. You can even use in producing fishing nets.
- PET Strapping Tape: The tape is primarily used for industrial packaging and cotton baling but there are other uses too.
- PET Sheet for Thermoforming: You can use the sheets at least four ways such as roof insulation materials, packaging for toys and articles, PET films, containers for grocery and food items.
- PET Preforms: You can use to produce not only bottles for automotive fluids but also multi-layer bottles for food applications.
- Other uses: These are also used in recycled PET resin, mono filaments and injection molding.
Cold washed PET Flakes
Manufacturers may include labels and caps. These may have a thin PVC layer such as 88% PET, 4% PVC and the rest are multi-layer. Some manufacturers offer PET Flakes that contains less than 0.05% PVC. It is important that the manufacturer should be careful of contamination. Some manufacturers ensure that there is no PVC or any other contamination in the material whilst removing caps, rings and labels. Moisture (Humidity) is a common feature in cold washed PET Flakes. You may typically expect around 1% moisture. They can come as transparent as well as dark, green, blue or in other colors.
Unwashed PET Flakes
These Flakes are produced by crushing used PET bottles and may come with or without labels and caps. These flakes are widely used in industries for numerous purposes such as manufacturing of new PET bottles, preparation of resin, and production of bristles in tooth brushes. Grinding PET bottles and maintaining quality at the same time is not easy. These Flakes can be hazardous too. So, some manufacturers offer features such as flawless quality and non-hazardous. These can be sold or exported as transparent, one color or mixed colors.