Design innovation for recycled plastic product leads to health growth for Easy-Do Products

Easy-Do Products is a privately-owned, family run business first established in 1968 and now run by two brothers – Daniel and Paul Neumann. They design and manufacture the EcoForce range of eco-friendly household products made from recycled materials, the range includes recycled clothes pegs and scourers (see image). All design and manufacture takes place in Wellingborough, Northants using pre and post consumer waste from EU sources.

The company deals with 200 tonnes of pre and post consumer plastic waste per year, purchased from an accredited UK waste recycler, and employs 34 staff.  Their award-winning recycled clothes peg is their contribution to over 150 years of innovation by countless other designers.  The unique spring system used in the pegs was a winner of the Design Council Millenium Products Awards.  This innovative, new design ensures that everything is made from a single piece of 93% recycled plastic, making the pegs stronger, safer and more energy efficient to produce.

The one piece design is made from a revolutionary moulding process meaning there are no springs or separate parts to fly off and cause injury (there were over 400 recorded hospital cases related specifically to conventional clothes in one year alone).   The pegs have no metal parts to rust and no wood to stain clothes. They are frost proof, UV stable and extremely tough and durable.  They can also be recycled themselves after use. The latest launch from the company is a recycled peg basket, made in the EU from 94% recycled plastic, that has a unique ‘stackable’ design comprising through carton packaging that can be stacked to give more effective and varied merchandising options. Daniel Neumann, managing director of Easy-Do Products, comments: "It seems crazy that so many everyday items are manufactured using virgin plastic at great cost to the environment when in most cases it is entirely unnecessary.   Making recycled plastic uses 70% less energy than making virgin plastic and products such as EcoForce perform just as well, if not better, than alternatives made from virgin plastic." He explains: "I’ve always been interested in environmental issues and using recycled materials instead of virgin plastic just seems the obvious solution.  As a nation we are being asked to recycle more and more of our waste and I believe consumers are genuinely interested in knowing what happens to their recycled waste materials. I want to show the general public what can be done with waste and return innovative and effective recycled products into the marketplace that are just as good, if not better, than those made from virgin materials."

Their scourer is another example of a recycled plastic product - the abrasive material used to make item originates from PET plastic bottles.  There are two variants – a heavy duty shaped scouring pad containing a polyester/nylon abrasive made from 50% recycled content and a non-scratch scouring pad that uses a polyester abrasive made from 100% recycled content.  The scourers are made in Europe and packaged in the UK, in 97% recyclable paper sleeves. They have recently been awarded a Grant for Business Investment of £95,000 from the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA).    The grant will support Easy-Do’s purchase of new plant and machinery to increase their range of products manufactured using recycled materials. Over the last three years, the company has invested over £900,000 leasing additional premises in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire and purchasing new injection moulding lines and other equipment that will increase productive capacity and efficiency. The grant will support Easy-Do to purchase the new plant and machinery and increase their range of products manufactured using recycled materials.   

Neumann continues: "The grant comes at a fortuitous time as demand for the EcoForce range continues to grow.  Sales are up by 47% year on year to 2009, after growing 52% the previous year and the range is anticipated to grow by 60% during 2010.  The success of EcoForce is testimony to increasing consumer concerns about the environment and a willingness to purchase recycled products that perform as well, if not better, than everyday items made from virgin plastic."