Sustainability

Manufacturing with Purpose

At Gravity Plastics, sustainability isn't a marketing buzzword — it's built into every step of our process. From sourcing recycled materials to designing products for circularity, we're committed to reducing our environmental footprint while delivering world-class products.

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Less Carbon Emissions
vs. virgin plastic manufacturing
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Recycled Content
across our product range
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Less Water Used
compared to virgin material
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Recyclable Products
full circular lifecycle

South Africa's Plastic Revolution

South Africa's plastics recycling industry is growing at an unprecedented rate. In 2023, 431,800 tonnes of plastics were recycled — a 17% year-on-year increase — with an input recycling rate reaching 52%.

The industry supports approximately 95,900 income-generating opportunities, including waste pickers and informal collectors, injecting R4.7 billion into the supply chain. Gravity Plastics is proud to be part of this growing ecosystem.

Under South Africa's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations — mandatory since May 2021 — all producers must contribute to the collection and recycling of plastic packaging. By using recycled materials, we help our B2B customers meet their own compliance obligations.

Why Recycled Plastic?

Up to 71%

reduction in carbon emissions compared to virgin HDPE manufacturing

Up to 90%

less energy consumed during the production process

~16.3 barrels

of oil saved for every tonne of plastic recycled

~5,774 kWh

of energy saved per tonne — enough to power a home for 6 months

~1.5 tonnes

of CO₂ avoided per tonne recycled — like removing a car from the road for a year

From Waste to Product

Our closed-loop manufacturing process transforms post-consumer plastic waste into durable, industry-grade products — keeping material value in the economy.

01

Collection

Post-consumer plastics are collected through buy-back centres, municipal systems, and waste pickers across South Africa — supporting nearly 96,000 income-generating opportunities.

02

Sorting & Shredding

Materials are sorted by resin code using near-infrared (NIR) technology, then mechanically shredded into clean flakes ready for processing.

03

Washing & Drying

Friction washers remove labels, adhesives, and contaminants. The clean flakes are dried to ensure optimal quality for the next stage.

04

Pelletising

Clean flakes are melted, filtered, and formed into uniform recycled pellets — our raw material for injection moulding.

05

Injection Moulding

Recycled HDPE and polypropylene pellets are heated and injected into precision steel moulds, producing durable finished products ready for industry.

06

Full Circle

At end of life, our products can be collected and recycled again — closing the loop in a true circular economy.

Materials We Use

HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

The workhorse of our product range. Recycled HDPE is sourced from post-consumer bottles, drums, and crates. It offers excellent impact resistance, chemical resistance, and UV stability — perfect for agricultural and outdoor applications.

Food-gradeUV-resistantChemical-resistantRecyclable

Polypropylene (PP)

Used in our meat crates and industrial products. Recycled PP comes from industrial scrap and post-consumer waste. It withstands extreme temperatures (-40°C to +80°C), making it ideal for cold chain and food processing environments.

Temperature-resistantHACCP compliantImpact-resistantRecyclable

Our Commitments

ISO 9001:2015

Our quality management system is independently certified, ensuring consistent product quality across every production run.

EPR Compliant

We fully comply with South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility regulations, supporting national recycling targets.

SA Plastics Pact Aligned

Our operations align with the SA Plastics Pact’s 2025 targets: 100% recyclable products and increasing recycled content year on year.

Partner with a Sustainable Manufacturer

Choosing Gravity Plastics means choosing products that are good for your business and good for the planet. Let's build something together.