Sustainable minigardens
for life in the city
Plant joy for (big) city dwellers: LEONHARD KURZ and Greenling jointly design a ‘green’ product that is a whole lot more sustainable.
Challenge
Greenling has set itself the task of making life in our cities greener and closer to nature. With high-quality minigardens that fit perfectly on the balcony or terrace, the Munich-based start-up brings more moments of nature into the lives of city dwellers. The Greenling system consists of a planter with an integrated water tank and inner plant pots filled with regionally and sustainably grown plants of the customer's choice.
Since environmental protection is a particularly high priority for the young company, Greenling was on the lookout for new solutions that would enable it to design and implement every aspect of its projects as sustainably as possible. LEONHARD KURZ was the ideal partner. Because sustainability also plays an immensely important role for the thin-film specialist.
Goal
From the start, the Greenling ‘Bigfoot’ was made from durable, recyclable plastic (acrylonitrile styrene acrylic ester) right from the start. However, the next product generation Greenling 'Kobold’ - a smaller minigarden with three inner pots instead of nine - was to be produced in an even more resource-efficient way, taking a big step towards the circular economy.
Solution
Greenling first turned to injection molding and mold making expert DECKERFORM, who in turn put them in touch with LEONHARD KURZ. As a leading innovator in the plastics industry, the surface finishing expert has developed RECOSYS®, a take-back and recycling system for surplus PET transfer materials, which are produced during the decoration of packaging, among other things. The resulting post-industrial recycled compound RECOPOUND® is particularly suitable for manufacturing robust products via injection molding. It can also be decorated in the same way as virgin material, for example by hot stamping.
With RECOPOUND®, Greenling has found a suitable solution for the new three-plant minigarden that can save up to 40 percent CO2 compared to virgin material. Thanks to its stable mechanical properties, the compound ensures that the ‘Kobold’ can be used in a variety of ways, both outdoors and indoors.
RECOPOUND® - PET-based recycling compound
With RECOSYS®, KURZ recovers the PET transfer carrier residues of its customers in the graphic arts industry and processes them in a specially developed procedure into granules designed for use in injection molding. RECOPOUND® can be used for stable, durable products and decorated to a high standard, whereby the decoration does not impair the recyclability of the recyclate.
The advantages of RECOPOUND® at a glance:
- Lifecycle thinking: Sustainability along the entire value chain, i.e., production with renewable energy from own resources
- Wide range of applications: Suitable for sturdy transport and storage boxes, household goods, garden furniture and much more
- High-quality decoration: The entire range of plastic decoration can be implemented for visual enhancement, with unchanged recyclability
- Everything from a single source: Material supply and decoration in one complete package
- Comprehensive service: Competent advice from recycling experts, tailored to each customer's needs
For more information on RECOSYS® and RECOPOUND®, please visit RECOPOUND®.
Greenling: Pre-planted minigardens for balconies and terraces
Greenling was founded in 2021 by Johanna Leisch in Munich, who now runs the start-up together with co-managing director Megan Douglas. Greenling's products combine functionality, sustainability, and high-quality design. The company relies on close cooperation with regional partner nurseries. Tried-and-tested plant arrangements can be selected online and ordered from home to match the season - optionally including a subscription model.
The highlight: All Greenling minigarden designs convince in different ways by giving maximum garden joy in a minimum area. The integrated irrigation system protects the plants from drying out or becoming waterlogged.
Conclusion
Start-ups as well as established companies, which appear on the market with uncompromising ecological credibility, can profit decisively from the industrial partnership with LEONHARD KURZ. The pioneering work carried out by KURZ for the development and applicability of the post-industrial recycling compound RECOPOUND® is the best example of this. Innovative Greenling products made from this material are winning over environmentally conscious consumers. The eco-balance is just as impressive as the specific product: the new Greenling KOBOLD minigarden for 3 plants from particularly sustainable production has been on the market since March 2023.
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