PlaSTiEK Breda

When we talk about circularity, we definitely need to talk about PlaSTiEK Breda's sustainable beams. But what are beams and where do they come from? Jilles Verspoor from PlaSTiEK reveals: “Beams are a unique product made from waste plastic. Plastic is a wonderful product with a long lifespan, as long as you use it sustainably.”

From waste to building material

Beams saw the light of day through circular creativity from PlaSTiEk Breda. PLaSTiEk Breda began processing plastic waste into plastic tiles. During this process, they soon found out that not all hard plastics are useful for the production of plastic tiles. No chemical bonding can be made with so-called polypropylene, which makes gluing impossible. What to do next, with containers full of plastic garden chairs and storage bins that were delivered non-stop from both the Breda environmental site and locally recycling centres?

Experimenting

So, the experimental phase at PlaSTiEk started. Not only did they build a large 3D Printer that turned old CD covers into artistic vases and lamps. PlaSTiEK also made steel moulds to fill with liquified plastic. By heating the hard plastic to 200 degrees and injecting it into the mould with high pressure, a building block was created. IT SHALL BE NAMED: Beams! With the standardisation of size and fixing nuts and bolts, even the assembly is circular.

Local circularity

With a place like STEK, right in the middle of the creative breeding ground in the Havenkwartier, PlaSTiEk is completely in its circular environment. Local waste plastic is processed locally and marketed locally by local people. Once the plastic is in Breda, PlaSTiEk keeps it here. Beams are reused and new tiles are produced from residual tile waste.

Reused plastic is an interior eye-catcher

After just under two years of research and experimentation, PlaSTiEk Breda is ready to enter the market! ‘Inferior for tomorrow’, a design studio from Breda for sustainable and circular interiors, already knew the way to PlaSTiEK Breda for furnishing LOYA! A sustainable clothing shop, which recently opened its doors on Wilhelminastraat in Breda. Be sure to walk in there: the tile wall with tiles from PlaSTiEk and the application of the beams in the interior are a durable image for the eye!