What is plastic made of?
The word "plastic" comes from the Latin "plasticus," which in turn comes from the Greek "πλαστικός" (plastikos), meaning "able to be moulded. It's no secret that plastic is part of our lives, wherever we look, and in many ways, it makes our lives easier.
It is an organic material like wood or paper since the raw materials used to obtain it are natural products. Additionally, it is synthetic, obtained from polymerization reactions of petroleum derivatives. Thanks to its properties, it can be moulded and has countless different applications. We see it in packaging, clothing, mobile phones, or cars.
The amount of waste we generate has reached worrying levels, highlighting the need to reduce the use of single-use plastics and the importance of recycling. Hence, the incorporation of recycled materials into final products is gradually increasing. All plastics share common characteristics: they are lightweight, good electrical and heat insulators, and have resistance to chemicals. But there is a wide variety of plastic types that differ in their uses and properties. They can be opaque or transparent, very strong or weak, some are more flexible while others are more rigid.
What types of plastics can you find according to their numerical classification?
It's hard to believe that something so prevalent in our daily lives has only been produced on an industrial scale for a few decades. The generic term used encompasses a multitude of substances. We will now carry out a classification based on their numbers.
The most common ones are identified by a number from 1 to 7, a figure that is usually printed inside a triangle on the product to provide information about its composition. Although we're talking about these, there are many more types.
PET PLASTIC
Characterised by its transparency and acceptance of colourants. It is easily recycled, its most common use is for personalised water bottles or single-use containers, although we can also find garments made from it.
HDPE PLASTIC
For milk bottles or cleaning products.
PVC
It is usually quite flexible, and depending on the thickness, it will be more or less transparent. Present in everyday items such as cling film or shopping bags.
LDPE PLASTIC
Depending on the production process, it will be rigid or flexible. It has high resistance and low density, making it ideal for pipes or cable insulation.
PP PLASTIC
Stands out for its resistance and easy moulding. Some products made from it are cool bags, customised lunch boxes, or bottle caps.
PS PLASTIC
It is difficult to recycle, although technically possible. It is commonly used in snack bowls, insulators, or yoghurt containers.
Other plastics, when the number seven is found, result from the mixture of different materials, making their recycling more complicated.
Where does plastic come from? What is its history and origin?
The origin of plastic dates back to the late 19th century, in the United States. During those years, a contest was created with the aim of finding a substitute for ivory in billiard balls.
John Weasley presented a solution by synthesising celluloid, dissolving plant cellulose in camphor and ethanol. In 1907, Leo Baekeland created "bakelite," considered the first synthetic plastic. It was already insulating and had moderate resistance to heat and water.
These resins revolutionised modern technology and marked the beginning of the "plastic era." Over the next century, this material continued to gain popularity, even replacing materials in both domestic and industrial use.
What are the uses and properties of plastic ?
One of the main properties of plastic is its great versatility, as it is practically present everywhere, and it's hard to find something around you that doesn't contain it.
This material gained popularity after World War II and currently has a wide variety of uses in different sectors. Among some of the uses of plastic, packaging stands out, thanks to its lightweight, non-transmission of odour or taste, and its long life, making it perfect for carrying food.
It is very useful in construction, due to its resistance, insulation capacity, and price, which allows production costs to be reduced. In the healthcare sector, it also has a significant presence, as many products are made from this material, such as gloves or prosthetics.
In technology, it contributes to protection due to its insulating capacity; this sector has always been accompanied by this component. In agriculture, for the protection of crops from external agents, one of its uses is for creating pipes and greenhouses. Even in the textile world, virtually all the clothes we wear now have used this material.
And in the world of promotional gifts, plastic plays a significant role, and after all the applications we've seen, it's not surprising. Many promotional items are made from this component, items as diverse as customised keychains or sports equipment like footballs.
What benefits does the use of plastic bring?
Its low density makes it lightweight, becoming the ideal alternative for different applications. It has a high capacity to be easily manipulated, offering the possibility of developing complex elements, which is why it is considered a malleable material.
It is very useful for all types of packaging, as it is highly resistant to the corrosion of chemical agents. It is an electrical and thermal insulator, but even so, if exposed to very high temperatures, it can be damaged. On the downside, most plastics are not biodegradable, and their recycling can be complicated, making them a source of pollution.
Although its high resistance has made it widely used for human consumption, for example, for food packaging, its greatest advantage is undoubtedly its versatility, allowing it to be applied in numerous very different sectors. So, it is a great invention because it is resistant while being lightweight, waterproof, as well as hard or soft, rigid or flexible.
What products can we find made of plastic?
There is a wide range of products made from plastic, but we will focus on some options that you can find in the world of promotional gifts. The range of gifts you can find made from it is extensive and very varied. So, regardless of your company's field of activity or your audience, we're sure there will be an object that fits perfectly.
There are personalised cups, plastic keychains, piggy banks, and there are even options for the little ones, such as customised balls. The sector also adapts to its environment, and products made from recycled plastic are beginning to appear, such as engraved pens, coasters, or rules.
What is the price of plastic?
What makes it so popular and has so many applications in so many sectors, in addition to its beneficial properties, is its cost. Plastic has a low price, which reduces manufacturing costs, and it has a long life.
