Sustainable Coated Fabrics: Genuine Sustainability Without Greenwashing

Renegade is doing plastics differently and we don’t greenwash. We tell you how we’re good, how we’re bad, and how we plan to fix the bad.

Renegade Plastics
Sustainability

The Good

Industrial Fabrics

Our fabrics are a polypropylene-based non-toxic and recyclable alternative to PVC-coated fabrics, even better than an allegedly sustainable PVC fabric with a lower carbon footprint to boot.

Recyclable

Renegade offers the only fully recyclable coated fabric in the industry

Cleaner

Our fabrics are free of lead, dioxin and phthalates, eliminating toxicity issues commonly associated with sustainable PVC fabric producers

Low Carbon

Our fabrics have a significantly lower carbon footprint than PVC coated and laminated fabrics

Agricultural Plastics

Our fabrics also serve as a long life alternative to agricultural polyethylene (PE) films. PE films last only a few years when exposed to the elements, degrading quickly when exposed to UV, heat and wind. This degradation increases the deposition of micro and nano plastics into our agricultural soils and environment:

Longevity

Our fabrics’ high UV, thermal and chemical resistance gives a 2-10x usable life vs. PE films. This means less virgin plastic used over the same time period, less money spent on short-life products and fewer plastic particles freely floating in the environment.

Durability

While PE is recyclable, it is often too contaminated to be recycled after use in the field. Our higher quality material is more resistant to contamination, increasing the probability that it is recycled at the end of its life

Less Waste, More Crop

Weather events like hail or windstorms can shred PE film, rendering it useless and exposing crops to the elements. The flood of damaged farm plastic after a weather event can overwhelm the recycling supply chain, forcing tons of plastic to landfills or incineration. Our more resilient material can withstand increasingly severe weather events, reducing plastic waste and protecting crops.

Carbon Emissions

Because our fabrics are long lived, less total plastic is used in agricultural operations. Therefore, our materials have a lower carbon footprint compared to PE films over their usable life.

Recycling

Just because our products are recyclable, doesn’t mean you can toss them in your curbside bin. But industrial recyclers are eager to recycle our high quality fabrics. Because there’s an extra step involved, we’re committed to helping our customers recycle their scrap and waste fabrics. Long-term, our mission is to eventually make our new products out of our recycled materials, closing the loop on our supply chain.

The Bad

We’re sorry.

Our products are plastic, and they are currently made with virgin resin. It's not where we want to be, but it's how we start.

How We Fix the Bad

Renegade is evolving towards a more sustainable plastics economy

We’re focused on replacing toxic and non-recyclable materials first. Then we will focus on incorporating recycled content into our products. We are open to bio-based plastics once the technology is appropriate for demanding industrial and agricultural applications, but we’re not there yet. We’re heading in the right direction, one step at a time. By partnering with us, you are reducing the production of toxic PVC and ensuring that society as a whole produces less plastic waste.