PET products can be recycled to make carpet, fiberfill, or other products.
Polyethylene terephthalate is a polyester material most often used to make fibers, injection molded parts, and containers for food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and makeup. This material can also be recycled to make carpet or fiberfill. The name is often shortened to PET or PETE and was previously called PETP or PET-P.
Technically speaking, PET is a linear thermoplastic resin created by the condensation of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. There are several advantages to using this material, especially when used for packaging. PET does not break down easily and food stored in it is tasty because it is pure. The substance also offers a long shelf life because it acts as a good barrier to elements outside the packaging.
Containers made from PET are also very light and transparent. Products look clean and pure due to crystal clear appearance. Since PET is only 10% of the weight of an identical glass container, it allows for cheaper transport and handling, saving companies around the world a significant amount of money.
PET is still preferred by many companies because it offers great design flexibility and is recyclable. Companies that choose to use it for packaging have different options when it comes to shape, size, neck finish and color. Some of the designs are thick enough to be refilled, but most containers are flaked and made into new bottles or other products. PET is made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, just like paper, so when burned it produces carbon dioxide and water and leaves no toxic residue.
Although PET is very popular for use in packaging, most of its production in the world is synthetic fibers. Since PET is part of the polyester family, synthetic fibers made from it are often simply referred to as “polyester.” Even recycled PET packaging is used to make synthetic fibers like polar fleece.
While PET production is an important segment of polymer production worldwide, it should not be confused with polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), which are the most widely produced worldwide. PE is widely used throughout the world, especially in the production of plastic shopping bags. Recyclable, fatigue-resistant PP is used for a variety of uses, including packaging, textiles, stationery, plastic parts, laboratory equipment, and automotive parts.