bottlederived

Bottlederived is a term used to describe materials, products, and processes that originate from plastic bottles, most commonly polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The concept covers both mechanical recovery of bottle waste and chemical recycling that breaks bottles down to feedstocks for new materials.

Mechanical recycling converts bottle waste into sorted flakes or pellets, which can be re-melted to produce new PET items such as packaging or textiles. Chemical recycling, also called feedstock recycling, depolymerizes PET into monomers like terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, which can be purified and repolymerized into virgin-quality polymer or other chemicals. Some bottle-derived materials are upcycled into high-value products such as synthetic fibers for clothing, insulation, or automotive components.

Applications include textiles (recycled PET fibers), packaging, construction materials, and consumer goods. Bottlederived materials are central to the broader circular economy, aiming to reduce landfill waste and conserve resources. Benefits depend on process efficiency and energy use; challenges include contamination, downcycling, and the need for effective sorting streams.

Related terms include plastic recycling, PET, upcycling, and circular economy. The term is used in industry discussions and some sustainability reporting to distinguish products and materials that can be traced back to bottle feedstocks.