Acrylic manufacturer Floreeda has partnered with the University of Manchester and Manchester School of Architecture to repurpose plastic waste through REFLO.
Floreeda
Struggling to find ways to utilise the acrylic offcuts produced from model-making workshops, the university reached out to Floreeda, looking for a sustainable solution. By using REFLO, its in-house non-toxic recycling process, Floreeda has produced new sheets of colourful acrylic for students' use.
The REFLO process is a low-impact procedure that generates acrylic granules from waste displays and off-cuts. It levels, heats and presses the granules to produce new high-quality sheet material. The first-of-the-kind system enables acrylic to be reused multiple times without damaging its quality or appearance, supporting purpose-driven organisations with sustainability goals.
Lara Gerrard, Workshop Technician at the University of Manchester, commented: “At the University of Manchester, sustainability is embedded across both teaching and research. Partnering with REFLO has enabled us to find an innovative way to recycle acrylic offcuts that would otherwise go to waste, while also educating our students on the importance of circular design and responsible resource use.”
The creative, Stockport-based acrylic manufacturer Floreeda has worked with the University of Manchester for over 15 years, producing displays and supporting its design students. Since launching REFLO, Floreeda has worked with multiple high-profile clients, including the retailers schuh and Selfridges, to increase their circularity.
Paul Jones, Managing Director at Floreeda, commented: "Working with the University of Manchester and their talented students is always a pleasure. By transforming waste into valuable resources, we’re not only supporting the university’s sustainability goals but also inspiring the next generation of designers to think about circularity from the outset. I’m looking forward to seeing what the students can make with their new bespoke acrylic sheets!”
