13th Apr 2022
Creating Recycled Foam With Foam Offcuts
One of the biggest problems for foam manufacturers is the amount of waste that can potentially end up in landfills. From product packaging after gifting, to furniture cushions once they’ve seen better days, a lot of foam blocks and sheets are thrown away, which impacts the environment.
That’s why we’re taking action to move towards a more sustainable and better tomorrow by using recycled and reconstituted foam to extend the lifetime of our foam products in different industries and applications.
Generally, foam is manufactured in blocks that are then split into sheets and used for various purposes depending on the market. That means that there can be an excess of foam of varying sizes and shapes that don’t fit the requirements of other standard applications, even when bonded to form larger foam blocks or foam sheets. When that occurs, our foam offcuts create recycled foam and reconstituted foam to develop practical, recycled (and recyclable) foam applications to avoid waste from foam cut to size.
In our range of recycled foam, we have our ZOUCH eFoam 3R and a reconstituted foam ZOUCHrecon 6/8/10/12.
Recycled ZOUCH eFoam 3R
Our recycled cross-linked foam is an environmentally friendly solution and lightweight substitute for outdoor surfaces. Made from 100% recycled post-industrial cross-linked polyethylene foam, it's ideal for energy and shock absorption, offers excellent insulation, provides drainage against wet weather conditions and is durable and hard-wearing.
Typical applications for this type of recycled foam are playgrounds and play area surfaces, rooftop gardens, patios and balconies and sports and leisure facilities.
Reconstituted Foam ZOUCHrecon 6/8/10/12
Our reconstituted polyurethane foam (also known as chip foam and recon foam) is a practical, low-cost packaging foam that protects products during transit and storage. It is made from offcuts of polyurethane foam, which is tightly compressed and creates a recycled, multi-coloured foam material. Structurally stable, lightweight, insulating, sound-absorbent, hypoallergenic and durable, recon foam has a range of great benefits. Reconstituted foam is for applications that have heavy wear and high usage.
Typical applications for this type of recycled foam are protective packaging, noise control in fans & blowers, gym mats, church kneeling mats, and cushioning in furnishings such as sofas, caravans, mattresses, bar stools, chairs and more.
As so much plastic product ends up in landfills, we're producing more and more foam products that we redevelop using recycled foam materials. That means that foam is reused multiple times throughout its life cycle to benefit its protective properties fully. We’re finding that more and more of our customers are turning their ethos towards sustainability and requesting recycled foam for their products and projects.
We’ve seen reconstituted foam in retail for their upholstery and padding, often used for seating blocks for trying on footwear or for changing rooms. Due to its quirky aesthetic—more and more merchandisers are leaving the foam material bare to add an element of fun or to match terrazzo chip counter spaces, which have had a recent rise in popularity.
Recycled cross-linked foam is becoming increasingly common for outdoor spaces because it is highly resistant to wear and tear. It also has a pleasant texture and is available in different densities and colours.
No matter what you need to achieve, our expert team can work with you to design and develop products and components, choosing and using the very best recycled foam materials for the project.
Get in touch to talk to us about your latest challenge, and our unbiased team will be on hand to offer advice about the best foam options to get you from concept to completion.
