bio plastics

Bio plastics

A sign explaining where the material comes from.

Signage for a garden, a park, a nursery or a construction site.

A panel for a client who has specifically requested an alternative to the standard plastic.

In brief

Placement
Our own team, on site
Implementation
Made to measure, according to your design and your measurements
Design
Designed by Creafor, or we can bring your own design to life
Production
In-house production in Lokeren
Delivery
Belgium and Europe, every weekday
Price
Based on a proposal, your plan or your measurements

Frequently asked questions about bio-plastics

What exactly are bioplastics?

Plastics produced wholly or partly from renewable raw materials, such as maize waste, potato starch, elephant grass or hemp. They are available in both compostable and non-compostable varieties. What you plan to do with the plate after use therefore helps to determine which type you need.

Is a bioplastic always biodegradable?

No, and that is the most common misconception. Bio-based plastics are made from natural raw materials, but that does not make them biodegradable. Biodegradable plastics are broken down by micro-organisms under certain conditions, regardless of whether they are of biological or fossil origin.

Can I say that my plate is compostable?

Only if this applies to the chosen material. In this range, the lactic acid film is cold-compostable, and bioplastics may be industrially compostable in certain cases. Please ask us for the data sheet for your material before you mention it in your own communications.

Can bioplastics be left outdoors?

Yes, with the right materials. We use elephant grass, potato starch, maize waste and hemp for indoor use or short-term outdoor use. For outdoor use or longer-term applications, you should use organic hemp, lactic acid or sugar cane.

How big can a panel be?

The sheets and films are available in sizes up to 1200 x 2000 mm. If you need to cover a larger wall, we can fit several panels side by side. Thicknesses range from 0.7 to 6 mm, depending on the raw material.

Which plates am I replacing with these?

Bioplastics are usually used as an alternative to Forex panels, PVC films, Priplak films and Dibond panels. Examples include plant labels, tree guards, signposts, site hoardings and car park signs. Tell us which sign you’re using today, and we’ll find the closest equivalent.

Do you install the panels as well?

Creafor can arrange delivery and installation, but this is not essential. We drill holes to the diameter you specify and supply fitting materials such as a frame, a plinth, spacers or a concealed hanging system, so that you can get started yourself.

What does the eco-score mean for these materials?

The Ecoscore is Creafor’s own scale, ranging from 1 to 5, and is not an official quality mark or recognised label. No score has yet been established for the bioplastics themselves. Please feel free to ask for the specification sheet for the material you are considering.

Description Bio plastics

If you’re looking for a sign or panel that tells a story through its materials, bioplastics are the answer – plastics produced wholly or partly from renewable raw materials. Creafor prints these sheets and films in-house in Lokeren and keeps a close eye on the latest printing substrates. For a nameplate, a signpost or a plant label, the raw material makes all the difference to the appearance: elephant grass and hemp give a grainy, visibly natural look, whilst maize waste and lactic acid remain smooth and white. For outdoor use or long-term applications, it is better to choose one of the heavier sheets. Please note the distinction, as bio-based does not automatically mean biodegradable, and we’d rather explain this beforehand than afterwards. If you’re looking for a sticker rather than a sheet, take a look at ecological stickers. For cardboard displays, there is reboard.

Images of Bio plastics

bioplastics, Zespri kiwi bioplastics, vibers bioplastics, Vibers granules plant labels by Creafor Creafor’s bio-plastics

Are bioplastics on the agenda?

Please provide us with the plan or the dimensions, and tell us what needs to be included. We will assess the best options from a technical and budgetary perspective, and draw up a proposal covering design, production and installation.

Request a quotePlease discuss this with us

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Materials for Bio plastics

Bioplastics in sheet and film form

  • For indoor use or short-term outdoor use: elephant grass, a biodegradable film or sheet with a light brown eco-look, 0.7, 1, 2 or 3 mm thick.
  • Potato starch, a biodegradable white film with a grainy, matt texture, 1 or 2 mm thick.
  • Maize waste, a biodegradable white film or sheet, smooth on both sides, 1, 2 or 3 mm thick.
  • Hemp, a biodegradable brown-grey sheet with a grained, matt finish, 2 or 3 mm thick.
  • For outdoor use or long-term applications: organic hemp, a biodegradable sheet with a dark brown appearance, 2, 3 or 6 mm thick, and lactic acid, a cold-compostable white film with a smooth texture, 1 mm thick.
  • Sugar cane, a bio-based grey sheet with a smooth surface on both sides, 2 or 3 mm thick.
  • All sheets and films are available in sizes up to 1200 x 2000 mm and are printed in full colour using digital printing, or colour by colour using screen printing for large print runs. Coloured or white films on the sheet are also possible, ranging from reflective and fluorescent to glow-in-the-dark, mirror film, carbon film and sandblast film with a print.
  • Finish: protective laminate in matt, satin or gloss for short- or long-term use; rectangular, with rounded corners or a milled shape; drill holes in the desired diameter; and fitting materials such as a frame, a plinth, spacers or a concealed hanging system.

Applications of Bio plastics

What bioplastics are used for

  • A nameplate on a building for which the client does not want fossil-based plastic.
  • Plant labels and tree guards for a nursery, a landscaping contractor or a local authority.
  • Signposts and directional signs in a park, on private land or in a nature reserve.
  • A site hoarding for a client who is promoting sustainable building.
  • Parking signs and road signs on a business premises.
  • A photo display for an exhibition or a visitor centre.
  • An advertising panel that allows you to tell the story of the material.
  • An alternative to Forex panels, PVC films, Priplak films or Dibond panels in a project with environmental criteria.