Repurposing plastic waste with Floreeda
The University of Manchester and Manchester School of Architecture have partnered with acrylic manufacturer Floreeda to repurpose plastic waste through REFLO, a circular recycling process that transforms student modelmaking offcuts into new acrylic sheets.
Managing waste is a challenge in design workshops, particularly when quantities are too small for commercial recyclers. In the B15 Modelmaking Workshop, staff stored acrylic plastic offcuts for several years while seeking a sustainable alternative, as acrylic (PMMA) cannot be recycled with general plastics and most local services cannot process it.
Floreeda’s REFLO process converts end-of-life acrylic into granules, which are levelled, heated, and pressed into new sheets that maintain performance and appearance. This enables multiple reuses and supports a closed-loop, circular economy.
The B15 Modelmaking Workshop received its first batch of recycled sheets, some of which were used to produce the B15 Modelmaking Award trophies at the Degree Show, demonstrating how circularity can be embedded into teaching and making.
Lara Gerrard, Workshop Technician at the University of Manchester, said: “At the University of Manchester, sustainability is embedded across both teaching and research. Partnering with REFLO has enabled us to find an innovative way to recycle acrylic offcuts that would otherwise go to waste, while also educating our students on the importance of circular design and responsible resource use.”
Paul Jones, Managing Director at Floreeda, added: “Working with the University of Manchester and their talented students is always a pleasure. By transforming waste into valuable resources, we’re not only supporting the University’s sustainability goals but also inspiring the next generation of designers to think about circularity from the outset.”
This partnership goes beyond waste reduction, showing how education and industry can collaborate sustainably and how even small-scale recycling can make a meaningful impact.