In Newport Beach, California, Jason Stanson and Bret Ritter, developed a 100% recyclable material along with a pre- and post-consumer circular economy system to go with it. They wanted to create something to counter the low recycling rates for some of the materials used in the textile industry, such as ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyurethane (PU), and rubber. Not to mention, most of the material scraps end up in landfills (or worse still, in the ocean) during the manufacturing process. They found that very unnecessary.
That’s why the pair founded the company PLUSfoam – a 100% recyclable materials company and pioneer in the closed-loop manufacturing movement. PLUSfoam is a commitment to not only do what they do but to do it in a way that is also good for the world. “Our commitment to the environment has been a core value at PLUSfoam since we founded the company in 2009,” said Brett Ritter.
The company wrote in a press release:
The PLUSfoam team believes deeply that business has a higher social purpose beyond maximizing profit, and on a daily basis PLUSfoam works diligently to make the world a better place. PLUSfoam was established to do things differently, to put an end to manufacturing waste and prevent post-consumer goods from ending up in landfills, waterways and incinerators around the world. PLUSfoam, often used to replace traditional foams, plastics and rubber, is a proprietary compound that allows customers to create sustainable products without having to sacrifice performance characteristics.
There are two components to the company’s environmental mission:
- The first component occurs at the factory level. When other companies decide to use the material, PLUSfoam works with their factories to turn post-manufacturing scrap (which would typically be discarded and sent to a landfill) into valuable materials once again. This is possible because PLUSfoam’s unique chemistry and process allow the material to be recycled continuously with nominal degradation and without adding any additional agents. Bret Ritter compares his material to cookie dough: “You make cookies, you cut them out, you mix what’s left in with the dough, and you make more cookies.”
- The second component occurs at the consumer level. This one is the cornerstone of PLUSfoam’s business model. They make it easy for end-users to send post-consumer goods back for recycling once they’ve served their purpose. They do this by incentivizing their consumers to recycle their used products with PLUSfoam by offering them a discount off of their next purchase. All you have to do is go to the dedicated platform, fill out a short form, and send them the end-of-life product. Furthermore, the company is continuously expanding its network of recycling centers to make it easier and more convenient to recycle a product regardless of global location.
PLUSfoam is well known for working with enterprising companies that share a like-minded vision for reducing waste and doing what is right for our planet for many years already. Big brands such as Manduka, Vans, Roxy, Telic, Patagonia, Speedo, and Sperry have all launched products “Powered by PLUSfoam™.” One of the reasons so many companies are eager to do business with PLUSfoam is that they ensure their materials’ compounds are designed to outperform other materials. They are intended to be lighter, stronger, and more weather resistant, meaning the products will last longer.
In 2017, they calculated that 5 million products made from its material were on the market – from flip-flops, backpacks, and yoga mats to dog toys and bike saddles. Also, more than 165 tons of manufacturing waste was diverted from landfills because it has been immediately recycled in one of the ten PLUSfoam plants around the world.
