Paint buckets made from 100% Post Consumer Recyclate

Koninklijke Van Wijhe Verf is an independent Dutch family business that has been producing paints successfully since 1916. With over a century of experience under their belt, innovation is one of the core values of this company. Traditional craftsmanship is combined with the latest techniques and insights.

Wijzonol is one of the paint brands developed by them, allowing professional painters and critical DIYers to deliver a sustainable and professional finish that will withstand typical Dutch weather circumstances.

Royal Van Wijhe is always looking for ways to improve its performance in the field of sustainability. In 2016, for example, they were the first chemical company to be B-Corp-certified. For many years already, the paint buckets were made from Post Industrial Recyclate, i.e. unused plastic that remained from the production processes. This was a first step to reduce the environmental impact to a minimum, but Koninklijke Van Wijhe Verf wanted more. They wanted a paint bucket made from recycled plastics that could be recycled again and reused after use.

Consumers who use a paint bucket take it to a civic disposal site after use. Here, these buckets end up in a waste stream of plastics in which it is converted into a new raw material (recycled PP) following a process of sorting, separating and cleaning. Through the raw material supplier Veolia, a search was started for the right quality of recycled plastic that would enable the production of paint buckets again. This prompted the successful start of this circular production. By applying IML labels, the buckets and lids were decorated, giving it an extremely attractive appearance.