According to Plastics News, total demand for plastics products is on track to expand by 3.5 percent in 2018.1 But what plastics trends will be feeding that growth? Below we have compiled a list of current trending plastic applications, some you’ve read about here in the Knowledge Center. But we’ll start with perhaps a surprising market…
Fashion
Designers like Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Phillip Lim, and Calvin Klein are using plastic polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in their designs, as reported by Harper’s Bazaar, W Magazine, Allure, Vogue, and Pinterest. Spring/summer 2018 collections include plastic items such as hats, thigh-high boots, jewelry, and handbags.2,3,4
Sustainability
This plastics trend continues to grow as more and more consumers and governments demand accountability in plastic manufacturing. Part of this process also includes increased use of bioplastics, such as those derived from soybeans, corn, flax, and other materials.5 Coherent Market Insights reports that the global green packaging market will reach USD $238 billion by 2025.6 Related articles:
- Sustainability efforts reshaping some brands’ food packaging
- Thai Company Launches Novel Plastic Offset Program
- Europe clarifies its position on bioplastics
Automotive
The use of plastic materials in innovative automotive design is on the rise, as manufacturers strive to optimize performance and fuel economy, while reducing emissions. We will see innovations in plastic vehicle interiors such as smart surfaces and 3D-printed tooling, as well as external autonomous driving sensors. Related articles:
- Harsh underhood conditions raise the stakes for car engine plastics
- Honeycombs form the key to biocomposite cars
- Local Motors Unveils Olli, the Self-Driving Urban Minibus
Medical
As medical technology advances, so does the use of plastics in the medical field. Doctors use micro injection molded bioabsorbable products such as stents, staples, and polymer drug-eluting implants.7 Polymers are also being used as the foundation for “scaffolds” to guide the regrowth of new tissue. Related articles:
- Spin to Win: Polymers in Regenerative Medicine
- Wireless thermometer patch taps into feverish wearables market
- K Show Recap: Medical Polymers in the Spotlight
Composites
Already at work in the marketplace, designers and engineers continue to innovate plastic composite applications, such as fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), which includes glass, carbon, aramid, and other fibers. The Freedonia Group reports growth for these materials in the construction, wind energy, and aerospace markets.8 Related articles:
- Innovation continues to push carbon fiber forward
- Near breakthrough for thermoplastic composites in the automotive industry
- Advancing Composites – Adding Carbon Fiber to the Designer’s Palette
What trends are you seeing in your work in the plastics industry? Is there anything you’d like to hear more about in a future article? Share in your thoughts with a comment below!
References:
- Plastics News: Data points to stronger 2018 for the industry (registration required)
- The Guardian: From pastels to plastic: 18 trends for 2018
- Harper’s Bazaar: Chanel has designed next season’s It-boots, but would you wear them?
- WWD: Spring 2018 Accessories Trend: Fantastic Plastic
- Nicolet Plastics: 6 Plastic Injection Molding Trends to Watch in 2018
- Plastics Today: Global green packaging market to surpass $238 billion by 2025
- MTD Micro Molding
- Freedonia Group: Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Composites Market by Fiber, Product and Market in the US
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