They did it again. Tuffy Brands, the pioneer in 100% recycled refuse bags, just made the strongest standard black bags in the South African market even tougher.
The company developed an additive that strengthens plastic to become impact and tear resistant. “The additive reinforces the plastic at molecular level and Tuffy is the first company in South Africa to use this technology to manufacture standard black bags, says Rory Murray, Head of Marketing at Tuffy Brands.
According to a Millward Brown study commissioned by Tuffy Brands, the most important drivers for consumers are a mix of convenience, emotional and functional benefits. “We deliver on all these aspects. Consumers want strong, functional refuse bags that get the job done without causing any inconvenience. This is just what our products do, and without any tears.
“We deliver while being environmentally responsible. Tuffy is the only certified 100% recycled refuse bag in the country and all our products are recyclable,” Murray says.
When developing the innovative Tuffmax technology that makes the bag impact and tear resistant, it was very important for Tuffy Brands that the product’s recyclability was not compromised.
“Tuffy bags are still entirely recyclable. The bags can be recycled and reused to manufacture new products, instead of ending up as single-use plastics in landfills.”
Murray says there is still some confusion among consumers as to what the difference between ‘recycled’ and ‘recyclable’ is. A product can be made from recycled material, but it doesn’t mean it is recyclable.
To help consumers making conscious decisions and knowing that they are contributing to removing waste from the environment when purchasing refuse bags, Tuffy added an easy to understand infographic to explain these concepts on its packaging.
South Africans are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental benefits of recycling and reusing plastics. In 2017 a total of 334 727 tons of plastics were recycled back into raw materials, statistics from Plastics SA shows.
Because recycling decreases the amount of waste that goes to landfills, it simultaneously helps to reduce land and water pollution. Last year 5.2 % less plastics were sent to landfills as a result of plastics recycling, compared to 2016.
“In fact, enough landfill space was saved to fill 714 Olympic sized swimming pools because of plastics recycling. By choosing Tuffy bags consumers contribute to help reduce the problem of single-use plastic ruining the environment,” Murray adds.
Available from retailers nationwide, the Tuffy refuse bag range includes Budget, Clear, Drawstrings, Green, Heavy Duty, Steel and black, and the actual packaging has also changed to make it more appealing/distinctive on shelf with its striking red and white packaging.