Did you know the world produces 141 million tonnes of plastic packaging a year, and that plastic production, use and disposal contributes about 1.8 billion tonnes of carbon emissions annually?* We all understand that urgent action is required globally to reduce the impact of plastic packaging and other waste on our natural environment, and that its end of life needs redressing. What better opportunity, then, than Global Recycling Day to redress our habits at home and in the workplace.
At Nikwax, our goal has always been to manufacture reliable cleaning and proofing products that boost the performance of peoples’ trusted outdoor gear whilst extending its life, and so avoiding the likelihood of it ending up in landfill. Ultimately, we want to help keep you dry and comfortable on as many adventures as possible – not only for your benefit, but also for the planet’s.
© Naja Bertolt-Jensen, Unsplash
Our products support a circular economy:
- Nikwax products support a circular economy by helping your outdoor gear last longer.
- Our bottles and caps are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic.
- Our bottles are made from r-HDPE, which is widely recycled in at-home recycling bins in the UK.
- By recycling our packaging, you can help to keep it in the loop and reduce waste.
Our plastic use:
- We’re eliminating single use plastic in our operations.
- In 2023, 98% of the plastic we used was recyclable and we increased the use of recycled plastic to over 80% of total plastic purchased.
- We’re continuing to work on increasing the amount of recycled plastic we use.
- If you’d like to know more about our plastic use, click here.
But this is not just our Nikwax brand ethos. We are fortunate to have a wonderful team of global Partners who fully support our environmental stance both in and out of work. With Global Recycling Day just around the corner, we’d like to share some of their recycling and upcycling tips with you…
We use our daily coffee grounds as fertiliser in the garden. And we drink a lot of coffee, so we have a very fertile garden! I also recycle old bicycle inner tubes as chainstay protectors on my mountain bike. It’s a common thing to do and stops the bike chain from slapping the chainstay, which apart from being noisy, chips the paint off. I also used to make small mudguards from old 5 litre liquid containers – but now I have purpose designed Broken Riders mudguards made from recycled plastic. Finally, we keep all our old food takeaway containers to keep leftovers fresh for a few days. Even the cheapest containers can last for a few months before they need to be condemned to the recycling bin.All small things, but everything helps! Tom Redfern, Creative Director
© Nick Fewings, Unsplash
I focus on reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill by putting anything that might be useful to others on Facebook market for free. A Nikwax colleague ended up upcycling an old desk of mine and did an amazing job! The Nikwax marketing team are always sharing our latest finds on second hand sites like eBay and Vinted. Second hand is now my first choice! Zoe Hewitt, Head of Marketing
We use old food containers as plant and seed pots to help us grow our veggies! I also use Vinted to sell and buy clothes, and anything that’s too old to sell we keep as cleaning rags. My partner also upcycles our big blue Ikea bags into bike packaging bags for weekend camping trips on our bikes. Georgie McLoughlin Sustainability Manager
Do you have any recycling or upcycling tips you’d like to share with us? Message us on social media to let us know!
* wrap.org.uk/taking-action/plastic-packaging
