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As a company with a focus on sustainability and our own carbon footprint, it should come as no surprise that here at Entwistle’s we use planet friendly products wherever possible.

In this post, we look at recycled and recyclable alternatives for display and signage purposes.

It wasn’t too long ago, if your business needed signs then PVCs, metals and plastics were the only go-to options.

For signage, we had foam PVC and rigid PVCs, along with foam-core and display cards for internal. 

Many of these products have always been difficult to dispose of after the campaign has ended.

Then, the manufacturers started to realise that there are other options available which are much more friendly on the environment.

Recycled display board

For internal use, we have Katz display board. 

As an alternative to foam PVC for point of sale use and shop signage, it’s a wood-pulp board that is fully recyclable and can be disposed of as normal waste paper. 

Similar to a standard display board but thicker (3mm and 5mm), it stays incredibly flat, prints great and is light enough for hanging.

There’s even a version that will work outdoors for short term promotions – clever stuff for a paper product.

Dispa board - made from paper with FSC® Certification

Dispa is made from 100% FSC certified paper giving it first-rate eco-credentials. 

As a side note, FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council. It’s an organisation that started in 1993 to promote the use and management of the world’s forests. If a product is approved by the FSC, the wood used in its construction has been sourced responsibly and the forests are being replenished.

It’s not just sign and display products that can show the FSC logo - look around the next time you’re at the DIY store and you’ll see it on wallpaper, flooring, and even furniture. If it’s constructed from wood, it should show the label.

As a ’built-up’ sheet with a number of layers utilising the same paper for the core, the manufacturer 3A claims Dispa will stay rigid, stable and flat through production and in whatever final application it finds itself used for.

With a construction using only paper stock, Dispa stays lightweight and manageable even in the bigger sheet sizes. 
The core of the material as shown in the image below is built up in a ‘laminated structure constructed from embossed formed paper.’

It’s like a cardboard Correx with all the paper ‘waves’ in the middle of the media giving it this strength and durability. 

Thickness wise, Dispa is only available at 3.8mm. Thick enough to keep warp-free and still sturdy for hanging signs, POS units and displays. 

As a bright white and smooth board, its ideal for short term and lightweight promotional campaigns.

Recycled composite boards for POS & POP

Another two composite paper boards we use are Falconboard and Xanita.

Both are made from re-usable and renewable recyclable kraft and both use an innovative honeycomb or closed cell structure centre.

Bright white printable sides make it perfect for print and with the cell centre, both are incredibly strong and ideal for point of sale, shop-fit and exhibition design. I’ve even seen a whole exhibition stand built from these boards!

Not only suitable for flat displays, Xanita can also be v-cut and folded making it an option for 3D modelling and constructing prototypes.

Recyclable sheets for external signage

Moving away from paper products, we have Triaprint. 

Instead of being manufactured from PVC, Triaprint is constructed totally from polypropylene making it 100% recyclable.

It’s made up of three layers – two smooth sides and a cell structured core – ensuring super rigidity and ideal for use where a foam PVC or similar would be used.

With both smooth sides specially pre-treated for printing, we can create double sided signs, point of sale, hoardings and more.

Having an internal cell structure instead of flutes, Triaprint is a real alternative to a product like Correx with the cells helping make the board super solid in use.
Perfect for external signs and estate agent boards.  

Smart-X - a recyclable board

Lastly in this round up, we have Smart-X.

Again, manufactured by 3A, Smart-X  is composed of 100% polystyrene giving it the right tick in the recyclable box.

It’s also UV stable and weather resistant so with Smart-X we have another eco-friendly board that can be used outdoors as well as in.
Lighter than the equivalent solid foam board, its fine for all types of signage, free standing structures and all sorts of displays.

Being UV stable, it’s also perfect for window signage – where other boards may warp or distort in the sun, Smart-X stays flat and won’t deform.

That covers this collection of recycled and recyclable display boards but we know it won’t end with these.

As the major manufacturers (and others) recognise the need for a greener and more sustainable product selection, we’ll keep our range updated with the media they bring to market.

To find out how we can help switch your displays and signage to environmentally friendly alternatives, just get in touch.