Tag: Sustainability

From Bottle to Breakthrough

PolyCore™ PETG-1000 R85 — 85% PCR Pellets for Sustainable LFAM

Plastic bottles drifting in the ocean, packaging buried in landfills, containers tossed on the streets - these are the consequences of nearly 400 million tons of plastics produced every year, almost half of which are single-use[1]. The call to reduce the use of virgin plastics and embrace circular solutions has never been louder.

Polymaker’s PolyCore™ PETG-1000 R85 answers this call. Made with 85% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, this pellet-based material turns discarded plastics into premium feedstock for LFAM/FGF. It delivers a practical path to circular manufacturing—combining reliability in printing with a unique visual character.

Figure 1 | PETG-1000 R85 Pellets and Printed Parts

________________________________________

What is PCR?

Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) plastics come from everyday items that have already been used — such as beverage bottles, food packaging, and household containers. Once collected, cleaned, and reprocessed, they are transformed into high-quality raw materials — turning waste into resources and reducing dependence on virgin plastics.

Figure 2 | PETG-1000 R85’s Full Lifecycle: From Recycling to Printing

________________________________________

Bottles Reborn, Carbon Reduced

PolyCore™ PETG 1000 R85 is formulated with 85% PCR content from single-use, consumer PET beverage bottles sourced from municipality waste. By using advanced chemical recycling, the bottles are broken down and rebuilt into consistent, high-performance 3D printing pellets.

What does this mean for the environment?

A typical 500 ml PET bottle weighs about 20–25 g, so each kilogram of PETG-1000 R85 brings approximately 40 single use plastics bottles back into circulation and out of the landfill

The material is also certified under the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) — the leading international benchmark for recycled content, traceability, and responsible production. Since 2008, GRS has set the global framework for credible sustainability claims. For PETG-1000 R85, this means every stage—from sourcing recycled raw materials to final manufacturing—meets strict standards for transparency, environmental performance, and social responsibility.

Figure 3 | Global Recycled Standard (GRS) Certificate[2]

_______________________________________

Reliable Printing × Expressive Design

In practice, PETG-1000 R85 offers smooth extrusion and consistent melt flow, making is suitable for a variety of pellet printer sizes and screw types / dimensions.

Figure 4 | Smooth Extrusion and Printing with PETG-1000 R85

Beyond performance, the material’s semi-transparent pale green hue shifts naturally with varying thicknesses flowing from airy translucence to rich, vibrant tones. This dynamic character makes it especially powerful in artistic and architectural applications: the fluid curves of custom furniture, the shifting glow of façades, or the layered translucency of installations all gain a sense of vitality and movement through this material.

________________________________________

Partners Voices

“PETG-1000 R85 brings a sense of breath to sustainable design. Its translucent quality and natural tone create an organic rhythm in our installations.” — TRASHAUS

Figure 5 | Indoor Designs Series by TRASHUAS

“This material has reshaped how we think about recycled plastics. It’s not only sustainable but also visually captivating—the subtle green glow instantly transforms a space.” — Argenta

Figure 6 | Installation Art ‘Spine’ by Argenta

________________________________________

A Step Toward Sustainable Manufacturing

With PolyCore™ PETG-1000 R85, Polymaker proves that recycled materials can deliver both reliable printing performance and distinctive aesthetics. More than just a product, it represents a step forward in our sustainability journey. Looking ahead, we will continue expanding the role of PCR content across more materials, guided by global standards like GRS, to unlock new circular possibilities within Large format additive manufacturing.

________________________________________