Project Inspire

A sunset over a mountain range with the words "Project Inspire"

The Truth about Plastic Waste 

With the creation of the recycling system, the public was introduced to the seven classifications of plastic resin. This then led to the label requirement of all plastics being given a numerical code between one and seven, designating their classification. The perception was that all of these plastic were recyclable. The reality is that only two of the seven plastics (#1 and #2) are easily recyclable.

The misconception that all labelled plastics are recyclable is why most residential recycling bins are never actually recycled. Consistent contamination of non-recyclable plastics making their way into Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) can cause damage. Processors can be forced to scrap a whole lot of waste due to the difficulty of sorting through trash effectively.

"The challenge of recycling" infographic, demonstrating the different types of plastic used in products and the level of difficulty in recycling it

The Motive 

behind the plastic recycling movement was to create public perception that wide use of plastics was green because of it’s ability to recycled. The reality is that most plastics are in fact NOT recyclable.

rPET Explained Why Recycled & What It Means

Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (rPET) is the process by which previously recycled packaging materials are collected, sorted, cleaned and transformed into a usable material. This new material can be used for packaging, apparel, and in our case, plush fabrics. This recycled product is usually made from #1 and #2 plastics which can include water bottles, textile waste, and even old fishing nets.

Taking plastics that have an ability to be recycled, supports a Circular Economy model of reusing items opposed to the use of virgin materials. The main downside of rPET are the added costs that can be attributed to the processing of these materials into a usable medium.

The Great Green Wash Biodegradable vs Compostable Biodegradable - Adjective: (of a substance of object) capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms. Compostable - Adjective: (of organic matter, especially kitchen waste) able to be made into compost. Commercial Compostable: A waste management process involving a controlled environment of heat, moisture, and oxygen to break down organic material
Only 4.7% of plastic was recycled in the US in 2021
100% of plush are pre-filled with recycled polyester fiber
over 80,000 total pounds of plastic avoided landfills in 2022
The equivalent of over 1.1 million plastic water bottles were reused as product materials
1 Recycled Plush is the equivalent to 9.5 plastic bottles
Our Journey to Sustainability What you can do to make an impact

The journey to sustainability can appear to be daunting, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. There are small steps you can make to start your path down implementing sustainable business practices. We don’t expect you to start a picket line over recycling regulations or hunt down green washing businesses on Twitter. What we do hope you do is, make small changes within your daily routine that has a simple question in mind:

How does this impact my home, planet Earth?

  • Be aware of greenwashing

  • check your recycling

  • take the initiative to learn 

Helpful Links

European Bioplastics
Food Fix
Plastic Ocean Documentary