What is a PET or PETE plastic? Find it on your favorite bottled beverage.

Introduction

There’s no reason to be intimidated by PET, or PETE as it’s known in the industry. This plastic is lightweight, shatter-resistant and used to make beverage, food and other liquid containers as well as some packaging. The number 1 inside the chasing arrows found on the bottom of your water bottle stands for PET or PETE. You may see another number inside those arrows as well – that denotes a resin identification code for recycled plastics. Not all plastics marked with a 1 in the recycling triangle are made with PET. Some might contain HDPE (#2) or PVC (#3). Plastic bottles marked with a 1 also tend to be more recyclable than other types of plastic

Most single use plastic bottles used for drinks are made from PET, or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate), as it’s known in the industry.

Most single-use bottles used for drinks are made from PET, or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate), as it’s known in the industry. The material is lightweight and shatter-resistant, making it ideal for use in beverage containers.

You may also see plastic bottles labeled with “PET” on their labels—this is another way of saying that they are made from this type of plastic.

PET plastic is lightweight and shatter-resistant, and it’s used to make beverage, food and other liquid containers, as well as some packaging.

PETE is a variation on PET that has been accepted by the FDA for direct food contact. It has slightly different properties than PET, but they are similar enough that you probably won’t notice much of a difference between them in your everyday use of plastic bottles and containers.

The number 1 inside the chasing arrows found on the bottom of your water bottle stands for PET or PETE. You may see another number inside those arrows as well – that denotes a resin identification code for recycled plastics.

PET, or polyethylene terephthalate, is a type of plastic used to make water bottles. PET is often used for other beverage containers as well and can be found on the bottom of most bottles. The number 1 inside the chasing arrows found on the bottom of your bottled water bottle stands for PET or PETE. You may see another number inside those arrows as well – that denotes a resin identification code for recycled plastics. If your bottle has this code printed on it, it means that at least 25% recycled material was used in making that particular bottle. This is good news if you’re concerned about environmental friendliness and sustainability!

Not all plastics marked with a 1 in the recycling triangle are made with PET. Some might contain HDPE (#2) or PVC (#3).

PET is a type of plastic commonly used in single-use plastic bottles. PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate, which is recyclable and often marked with a 1 in the recycling triangle. However, not all plastics marked with a 1 are made with PET. Some might contain HDPE (#2) or PVC (#3).

The resin identification code indicates what kind of material it’s made from: numbers indicate different categories of plastic while letters indicate additives that can be added to the resin during manufacturing (such as dyes, antistatic agents and fillers). The most common number codes include:

Plastic bottles marked with a 1 also tend to be more recyclable than other types of plastic.

You can also look for the number 1 on your plastic container. While many plastics are not recyclable, those marked with a 1 tend to be more recyclable than other types of plastic. In fact, PET is the most recycled plastic in the world and is commonly found in single-use bottles like water bottles and soda bottles.

Many items can be made from recycled plastics like #1 PET or PETE including new plastic bottles and fiberfill insulation.

You probably have a few items in your home made from recycled plastics like #1 PET or PETE. Here are some examples:

Plastic bottles, including juice and water bottles, soft drink and beer bottles, ketchup and mustard bottles and more. Many of these containers can be recycled again to make new containers that look just like the old ones.
Fiberfill insulation (the kind used in sleeping bags) is often made from recycled plastic #1 PET or PETE. Fiberfill insulation made with recycled plastic helps save energy by reducing heat loss through the walls of homes and buildings that use it for insulation against cold winters and hot summers alike!

Conclusion

PET is a type of plastic that can be recycled and reused, so it’s not all bad news. In fact, PET plastics are used in many products like clothing, carpets and even automotive parts because they are lightweight and shatter-resistant. PETE (or polyethylene terephthalate) is another name for PET plastic used by the beverage industry to make bottles for water and other drinks.