Plastic Upcycling

Plastic waste like bottles and lids made from either LDPE or HDPE which commonly contain kitchen or laundry products can be safely melted partially or fully and reused for many new uses.

Commercial light shades are made from these same materials and some additional plastic types.

Plastic Types

Plastics used in Commercial Lamp Shades

from Foter magazine foter.com/plastic-lamp-shades#what-types-of-plastics-are-used-in-lamp-shades

  • High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) – Very durable and resistant to strong chemicals. It’s also easy to recycle, which is something to take note if you want something eco-friendly.
  • Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) – A plastic that can resist temperatures nearing 100 degrees Celsius. It’s an excellent plastic type if you’re worried about the heat generated by the bulb or simply worried about fire hazards.
  • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) – Less durable compared to other types of plastics, but very economical.
  • Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) – A very versatile plastic that can be very soft or very hard. The costs depend on how hard or soft it’s made.
  • Polypropylene (PP) – A plastic that is also very durable and comes with very low toxicity levels. It’s even considered as a “food safe” material.

Other Info

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