PET and PCR plastic bottles battle it out in the boxing ring of packaging

Introducing Patrick and Portland 
The crowd is deafening. It's hot and stuffy in a space far-over capacity. There's something inherently uncomfortable about inhaling the same dank, moist air that was released from the lungs of a neighbor just moments ago. It's gritty, but once the resin competitors enter the ring, everything else fades away.

Patrick Elijah Tanner, often referred to as P.E.T. (his initials), comes from a very famous family within the packaging industry, known for greatness throughout generations. Portland Carlise Radcliffe, or P.C.R. to his friends, has a different tale. First off, no he's not related to the kid that played Harry Potter. Yet, like the boy wizard, PCR has had a rough life, only introduced to the limelight recently, due to his previously unrealized super-human power to keep the earth green through the creation of sustainable plastic bottles. Being the new kid on the block offers PCR some unique advantages and challenges. 

People know PET and where he's from, so their faith and comfort in him can't be easily shaken. On the other hand, PCR must fight his way into consideration, demonstrate the advantages of sustainability, and overcome the world's presuppositions about how packaging should look. Can PCR come out ahead or will he fall to the reigning champion PET? 

Trends in plastic bottles
PCR plastic is rising in popularity due to customer demand and the necessity of some state laws. Though PCR plastic bottles made from recycled PET offer the best of both worlds - in that they provide the trust and dependability of PET mixed with the sustainability of Post-consumer recycled material - PCR remains a novelty for most products and industries. This begs the question, is PCR just a trend, or does the eco-friendly resin actually have a fighting chance at sticking around? To predict the outcome of this match, we'll need to consider a few variables: 

Price
Money, it's the first thing people want to talk about. The recycled material that makes up PCR containers has to go through several channels before it's ready to be formed into plastic bottles or jars again. These steps and processes cost money, which leads to the conclusion that the plastic bottles made from used material will cost you more than virgin plastic bottles. Typically, that's true. Plastic bottles made from PCR can run as high as 10% more expensive than their virgin counterparts. Don't let nightmares of mounting debt keep you from greening up your product line with PCR plastic bottles and jars, currently available at the same price as PET plastic bottles. 

Appearance 
PET plastic bottles are known for their striking clarity. Clear PCR plastic bottles tend to be a bit hazy and sometimes slightly discolored. We don't carry clear PCR plastic bottles, but we're always open to challenge the bounds of what makes packaging appealing. A bold product color, snazzy closure and killer design and decoration packaged in a clear PCR plastic bottle could promote any green-minded product to great heights. If you have a brighter vision in mind, colored PCR plastic bottles (amber and cobalt) appear nearly identical to their PET friends, not to mention that they perform the same way as PET and are FDA, food-grade approved!

Product line 
We admit our PCR product line isn't our most stacked category. We carry plastic bottles and jars in specific sizes (8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz) and colors (white, amber, cobalt) and that's about it. But don't let our inventory discourage you. If you're interested in large enough quantities of PCR plastic bottles or jars generated from PET (or other resin types) we're always happy to source the specific product for you.

What the story about plastic bottles really means
I'm sure you've followed along with our shenanigans knowing that PET and PCR are names referring to resin types and the plastic bottles that are made from them. Patrick and Portland don't exist, not outside our imaginations at least. Yet, the lesson they teach us is clear and as important to real life business as anything else you will read on this blog. Sure PET and PCR plastic bottles are different, but it's the combination of Patrick and Portland's attributes (dependability and eco-friendly innovation) that make plastic bottles great.

Have you considered purchasing PCR plastic bottles?