Our Plastics
While we utilize several different types of plastic for different parts or products, the majority of our products are made from PETG. PETG is great because it offers impact resistance, weather resistance, heat resistance and chemical resistance for a reasonable price. PETG is similar to what plastic bottles are made of, but a glycol polymer is added to make the PET more capable of being printed in 3D printers.
Weather and PETG
PETG will last a long time in most environments. The plastic will take years to deform or crack. High heat and freezing winters will not be a problem, although the pot may become 10% - 15% more brittle in sub-freezing conditions like nearly all plastics. The biggest disadvantage to PETG and the weather is color fade. Some colors do not hold up as well as others. Black is normally the best to maintain it's color because it has the most resistance to UV rays. Color fade is greatly dependent upon the environment and the placement of the tree.
PETG Safety
PETG is actually a non-toxic and food safe material. That being said, PETG printed items are not safe for food use. This is due to the cracks and crevices left behind from the layers of plastic. Bacteria can easily hide between the cracks, making 3D printed products extremely difficult to clean/sanitize. In theory they could be used for food one time. But we don't do food, we do Bonsai. PETG will not leach chemicals or toxins into your soil or yard. It is actually one of the safest and most commonly used plastics on earth.
PETG Environmental Impact
PETG is a fully recyclable material. We recycle nearly all of our waste and do much more to benefit the environment. Please check out our Environmental Impact page for more info.