In JELUPLAST®, the German company JELU-WERK presents a novel and versatile material for furniture making. Like plastic, JELUPLAST® can be moulded three-dimensionally and offers wide scope for design, yet it possesses the positive attributes of wood. JELUPLAST® thus attains higher rigidity and flexural strength than plastics. In its appearance, feel and smell, the new material closely resembles wood, delivering creative design and usage opportunities for designers and the furniture industry.
Due to its special properties, this versatile material is suitable both for outdoor and indoor use. JELUPLAST® is free from formaldehyde, chlorine, phenol, plasticisers and PVC. It can be processed, for instance, to make high-quality seating shells, decorative elements or feet for shelves and cabinets using injection moulding. By means of compression moulding, the bioplastic can be processed to produce stable boards for the substructure of upholstered furniture, for example, and for shelving, side and back walls as well as for cabinet doors. Panels and injection moulded parts from JELUPLAST® can be glued, bolted, dyed, coated and welded.
JELUPLAST® is especially suitable for furniture making. The bioplastic can be formed three-dimensionally by injection moulding or compressed to form stable boards by compression moulding. Shown in the picture: adjustable shelving feet.
Furniture made from JELUPLAST® is also suitable for damp interiors, such as bathrooms, kitchens and saunas, because it is resistant to moisture. The bioplastic’s weather resistance makes it an attractive material for outdoor applications too. It is suitable for garden furniture, exterior railings, fences, wall cladding and decking boards.
Bioplastic with consistent running properties
JELUPLAST® consists of food-safe thermoplastic and natural fibres. The proportion of natural fibres can be set individually between 50 and 70 percent. Depending on the type of plastic, JELUPLAST® consists up to 100 percent of sustainable materials. The properties of the plastic used determine whether the end product is long-lasting or biodegradable. The properties can be further adjusted by means of additives. Flame retardants can be added as well as additives that make the material more resistant to moisture.
The adjustable furniture legs were manufactured from JELUPLAST® by injection moulding. The WPC granulate on PP basis has a wood fibre content of 50%.
JELU-WERK offers biocomposites based on polyethylene, polypropylene, thermoplastic starch (TPS), polylactides (PLA) and other plastics. The fibres used are wood fibres and cellulose fibres. Compounding helps the WPC granulates from JELU to achieve higher compression and to be processed better. The bioplastic has consistent running properties on the machine, facilitating a higher output. JELUPLAST® can be processed by injection moulding, extrusion, compression moulding, blow moulding or foaming.
The company
JELU-WERK was founded in 1908. With 65 employees, the company generated a turnover of 27 million euros in 2014. The company produces 45,000 tons of plant fibres per year from the raw materials wood, wheat, oats and bamboo. About 7,000 tons of fibres are processed annually by JELU-WERK to produce bioplastic.