MATERIAL GUIDE / CORE POLYMER FAMILY

Polyethylene terephthalate

A polyester used in bottles, packaging and fibres, with application-specific quality requirements.

UNDERSTANDING PET

Start with the material.
Build the specification.

PET is used in bottles, packaging and polyester fibres. Its original application matters: bottle and tray streams have different characteristics and should be identified separately. Colour, coatings and other plastics are important parts of a material description. PET also absorbs moisture, making grade-appropriate drying and processing controls significant. These are general characteristics of the polymer; suitability for a specific application depends on the selected material and the relevant supporting information.

Typical applications

Bottles
Trays and packaging
Packaging films
Polyester fibres

Points to consider

Bottle, tray, film or fibre origin
Clear, coloured or mixed presentation
Other polymers, coatings and residual contamination
Moisture and grade-specific processing requirements
Intended application and supporting documentation

Applications describe general uses of this polymer family. A particular recycled grade still needs to be assessed against the intended process and end use. Material acceptance and supply availability are confirmed for each enquiry.

Further material reading

PETCORE Europe: PET and quality control ↗Plastics Recyclers Europe: PET tray recycling ↗British Plastics Federation: drying polymers ↗

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