Did you know that millions of horticultural plastic pots go to landfill every year in Australia? According to a 2021 article in The Guardian, Australians managed to recycle only 16% of plastic packaging in the previous year. That other 84% sadly includes plastic plant pots which landed in a dump.
One way to help reduce plastic waste in your gardening efforts is to use plant containers made from recycled materials! Designer Plants™ has long been passionate about creating a range of pots and plants that is environmentally friendly and supports our favourite 3 Rs: Reduce, Recycle, Reuse.
We love developing our designer pot range, with beautiful pieces made from various recycled materials. And that’s not all of it either! Many of our pots and plants are recyclable, made of highly durable materials – AND they also look really good. Who says recycled products have to look mushy green or muddy camouflaged?
We’ve got a massive variety of pot colours and sizes to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a hip new container for a family of small fake succulent plants or a modern planter for your Philodendron, you’re bound to find exactly the right size and look.
So let’s delve deeper into the many benefits of recycled and recyclable pots and find that perfect container for you!
Recycled pots reduce waste in landfills
Taking plastic out of our daily lives does not feel achievable at this point – on the contrary, the use of plastic products and packaging continues to rise. However, we can all change or adjust some of our habits to make every day just that little bit greener.
One of Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets is for all packaging to be 100% compostable, recyclable or reusable. It is a huge step in the right direction.
For the horticulture industry, that means a step away from single-use plastic packaging for one and extending the initiative to collect re-use horticultural plastic containers.
All of these steps will contribute to a significant reduction in the waste that goes to landfill!
At Designer Plants™, we’ve already spent years perfecting our products made of recycled materials. The result is pots made of reused materials AND that are incredibly durable. They will brighten a space for a very long time.
What do you think of our range of modern tall planters? We love their hand-crafted, textured design, the fact that they’re made in Australia, and are environmentally friendly. Best of all, you can place them indoors or outdoors!
We reckon this one might be the perfect pot for our artificial Bird Of Paradise plant or a lush-looking Fiddle Fig Tree.
Recycling uses less energy
How can recycling pots save energy, you might ask? Fair question.
By reusing existing materials, we don’t use up Mother Earth’s limited and precious resources as much.
We don’t waste energy or impact negatively on natural environments to source and drill for raw materials, ship them, turn them into plastic, and then ship them to your nearest garden centre or distribution depot.
It’s taken us a long time to source suitable materials for our pots, hanging baskets, planters and faux greenery, ensuring they are earth-friendly and durable, thus using less energy to produce and certainly to replace.
Nationally and globally, the horticulture industry uses polypropylene (PP5) for much of its packaging, pots, bowls, labels, tubs and plant trays. PP5 can actually be recycled and is relatively easy to reuse and remould.
Still, only 13.5% or 21 tonnes of PP5 have been recovered from recycling in 2018/2019 in Australia. However, initiatives are underway to collect and reuse these materials more reliably to save energy and precious resources.
Recycled pots are made from durable materials
Because recycled pots and bowls are sturdy, they are an excellent investment. You won’t need to buy a replacement for a long time. Made in Australia, they’re designed to withstand our harsh sun and sea breezes if you choose to spruce up your outdoors.
Not all our recycled pots are made from abandoned plastic, either. We’ve got some stunning planters and various containers made from recycled concrete as well.
So rather than discard construction materials, we’ve created fab imitation stone pots and planter boxes. We reckon they’ll look the part in a stone garden or on a Mediterranean-inspired patio.
Or how about our designer pots adding colour and funk to a space? They can add that happy pop of colour to any indoor or outdoor area.
Whichever pot you choose, you can be sure that you’ll be able to enjoy it for many years. Our containers are strong and durable, so they will also be a great investment.
Our pots are recyclable too!
Yup, we don’t just use recycled materials; our pots are also recyclable at the end of their lifecycle! None of our products include any harmful chemicals and toxins. They are ROHS compliant. That is one major reason why recycling is possible and practical.
At Designer Plants™ we’re also proud of the fact that we are the first and only artificial greenery supplier globally to offer 100% recyclable green walls and a recycling program.
And if you are interested in comparing the carbon footprint of living and artificial green walls, we’ve done the math – and they look decidedly positive!
Reuse, recycle and reduce
You can easily do something every day to help with the Three Rs. Our recycled pots are our small contribution to this effort and an investment into the future.
Using discarded material to create something new and beautiful is a means to slow down the depletion of natural resources.
Because our pots are also strong and long-lasting, you won’t need to replace them with a new container any time soon.
Best of all, though, they will make your plants look good and bring out the interior designer and happy weekend gardener in you! Which one is your favourite pot, or pot and plant combo?
And if you can’t decide which pot to pick, get in touch with us and let’s discuss options.
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