Our world is overrun by plastic.
And sometimes, every effort to recycle and reduce can feel like a drop in the ocean. Nothing to celebrate, right? Nothing to write home about?
But when those drops make a tidal wave of change, then that effort is worth much, much more.
As artificial greenery manufacturers, we sometimes get chastizing comments about polluting the earth with plastic. But what many don’t know is that we’ve been spearheading sustainable practices from the very beginning.
How?
Let’s talk about it.
Why Do We Recycle?
It’s rare for someone to accuse us of contributing to plastic production and environmental pollution. But, when it does happen, we’re compelled to clarify our stance and explain why this is not the case.
Our journey into creating artificial plants was born out of a deep love and admiration for natural greenery. We wanted to make nature more accessible to those unable or unwilling to care for real plants, but still want to be surrounded by greenery. Usually, this includes people with allergies, those leading busy lives, or households with lively children or pets that might be harmed by real plants.
From the very start of our business, we knew we would recycle. But, this commitment isn’t for show. This is a daily practice ingrained in our ethos and is evident in our manufacturing plant. This is something we emphasize through our recycling program and our use of recycled materials.
We aim to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainable practices for others in the industry with everything we do. Nature is our muse, and harming it goes against the very foundation upon which our business stands. If there is no nature, there is no Designer Plants.
While we may not significantly impact the USA’s measly recycling rate of 32%, we’re dedicated to reducing the waste our operations contribute to landfills. In the end, every effort counts, and we’re doing our part in safeguarding our planet so that future generations witness its beauty, too.
How Do We Recycle Our Artificial Greenery?
At Designer Plants, we’re not satisfied with just one method of recycling - we want more. At the moment, we recycle in 4 ways:
1. The Designer Plants Recycling Program
Our recycling program was the first of its kind. It set a new standard for environmental stewardship in the artificial greenery industry.
Our artificial green walls aren’t just a beautiful addition to your space; they’re also 100% recyclable. Our signature recycling program is simple and accessible. It also ensures we’re making a positive impact on the environment without complicating our customers’ lives.
Here’s how it works: if you ever need to part ways with your faux vertical garden, our program will give you a straightforward, sustainable solution. It goes as follows:
Bring Your Panels
If you’re near Miami, you can bring your wall panels to our warehouse. If not, you can mail them to us and we’ll pick them up. If you do decide to mail the panels back to us, we ask for you to cover the postage. Luckily, our artificial green wall panels are lightweight, so this won’t cost you much.
We Do the Work
Once your panels arrive, our team gets straight to work. We begin by separating the materials to ensure every part is ready for recycling. Then, we recycle the leaves, stems, and grids separately so that we don’t mix different recyclable materials.
A New Product
Finally, your retired fauxliege gets a second chance at life. We usually transform each product into a new one, which reduces waste and benefits the well-being of the planet. After this new product gets a new home, the process may start all over again in a few years.
2. The Use of Environmentally Friendly Materials
Aside from our recycling program, Designer Plants guarantees responsible manufacturing processes that don’t threaten the planet.
As a company, we’ve also earned our GRS Certification. GRS stands for Global Recycle Standard and ensures the traceability of materials within the supply chain. But, it also attests that our production team adheres to strict social and environmental standards.
Through extensive research, we’ve identified recyclable plastics that meet our standards for quality. This also led us to acquire our ISO, REACH, and RoHS certificates and drop the following materials from our products:
- Lead
- Mercury
- Boric acid
- Hexavalent chromium
- Polybrominated biphenyls
- Polybrominated diphenyl ether
3. The 3Rs
Designer Plants also fully embraces the principles of the 3Rs - reduce, reuse, and recycle - to guide our practices and offerings to customers.
Reduce
We respect the first R by creating artificial greenery that’s environmentally friendly in the long run. In other words, faux plants don’t need water, fertilizers, or pesticides. This reduces the resources and effort needed to maintain a lush vertical garden. Artificial plants are vibrant year-round, so you won’t need any replacements. These features will save you a few trips to the nursery and headaches from ill-fated real plants.
Reuse
Our faux green walls are versatile and lightweight. This make them easy to customize and move. While average homeowners may put little emphasis on this, interior designers, home stagers, and event planners can use fauxliege panels without buying new plants each time. Essentially, you can use an artificial green wall disc a limitless amount of times in different locations before you send it in for recycling.
Recycle
The last R pertains to recycling - a factor we’ve already talked about in great detail. We’ve put too much effort into each one of our products to let them go straight to landfills. By giving the products a new life, we reduce plastic waste, look for ways to modernize our production, and cement our commitment to sustainability.
4. The Durability of Our Panels
Last but not least, while our faux green wall panels are recyclable, you won’t need this recycling program often, even if you have multiple panels.
Why?
Well, at Designer Plants, we engineer our products to be durable and of the highest quality. With this, we ensure each piece of fauxliege lasts for years. You can count on your artificial vertical garden to “thrive” for up to 15 years indoors and up to 5 years outdoors.
Of course, we’re not paying lip service - we back up our durability with warranties and rigorous testing in extreme conditions and beachside properties. After being in the business for a while, we’re confident our products can withstand whatever nature throws their way.
Plus, since many of our products (especially those tagged “outdoor-friendly”) are UV-resistant, you have a guarantee they won’t fade or crack even under the harshest sun.
Finishing Thoughts
We understand the concern about plastic polluting our planet. As a result, we’re still focused on clarifying how our company is doing its due diligence and reducing its environmental impact.
After achieving our GRS Certification and implementing a well-rounded recycling program, our products can positively impact the planet and our clients’ lives.
We want to help create a more sustainable future. And we’ll achieve this by doing, not just talking.