Plastic Trade Name: Your Guide to Plastic Brand

Plastic trade names explained for clarity. Gain a deeper understanding of plastic products and their brands for smarter choices.

What are Plastic Trade Names?

Plastic trade names are unique identifiers given to various types of plastic materials. Essentially, they function as brand names for specific types of plastic. Manufacturers and suppliers use these names to differentiate between different products and grades of plastic.

For example, Nylon 6 and Nylon 66 represent different formulations of nylon, each with unique properties. Similarly, Duraflex is a trade name suggesting a flexible and durable plastic ideal for automotive applications. These trade names can be based on a variety of factors, such as the type of polymer, the additives used, and the performance characteristics of the material.

Importance of Understanding Trade Names

Understanding the difference between a brand name and the actual material is a huge part of material selection. It’s like having a special key that unlocks a world of knowledge in industries that are heavily involved with plastics. It goes beyond just recognizing brand names; it’s about truly understanding the essence of plastics.

Trade names provide a standardized way to identify specific types of plastics. They are like labels that help us figure out what kind of plastic we are dealing with.
Each type of plastic has its own strengths, like how strong it is, how flexible, and how well it handles chemicals and heat. Understanding trade names helps us choose the right plastic for the job.
Understanding trade names allows engineers and designers to select the most appropriate materials for a new product, considering factors like cost, performance, and environmental impact.
Some industries and applications have strict regulations regarding the types of plastics that can be used. Understanding trade names helps businesses comply with these regulations, avoiding potential legal issues.
Trade names are associated with recycling codes (e.g., #1 for PET, #2 for HDPE). Knowing these codes is crucial for proper recycling and waste management, as different plastics require different processes for recycling.
For businesses that make plastic products, understanding trade names helps in managing the supply chain effectively. It ensures that the right materials are sourced from suppliers.
Different plastics have varying costs associated with their production and processing. Understanding trade names allows for cost-effective decision-making in material selection.
Properly understanding trade names facilitates effective communication within the industry. When you’re ordering a plastic product, mentioning the trade name ensures you get exactly what you want. Similarly, if you have a question about a plastic product, knowing its trade name helps you get the right answer. It’s like speaking the industry’s language.
Some trade names are associated with biodegradable or environmentally friendly plastics. Understanding these names is crucial for businesses aiming to adopt sustainable practices.

Common Plastic Trade Names

Here are some of the common and most used plastic names and their trade names:

Material Name	Trade Names
Polyethylene (PE)	High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE)
Polypropylene (PP)	Propylene, Polypro
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)	Vinyl, PVC-U (unplasticized PVC)
Polystyrene (PS)	Styrofoam (for expanded polystyrene, EPS)
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)	PETE (often used for recycling symbol #1)
Polycarbonate (PC)	Lexan, Makrolon
Polyurethane (PU)	TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)
Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG)	Vivak
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)	Cycolac, Magnum
Nylon (Polyamide)	Zytel, Nylon

Plastic Material Name Vs Trade Names

Plastic Material Names and Trade Names are essential concepts in plastics. They both hold significant importance. Here are some key differences between them:

Plastic Material Name	Trade Name
A plastic material name is the generic term used to describe a specific type or composition of plastic based on its chemical structure.	A plastic trade name is a specific brand or proprietary label given to a particular formulation or grade of plastic material by a manufacturer.
Examples – Polyethylene and polypropylene.	Example – Nylon 6 and Nylon 66.
Important for understanding material properties and behavior.	Important for material selection, branding, marketing, and applications.
Plastic material names are universal.	Trade names can vary depending on the manufacturer or supplier.
Commonly used in technical and scientific contexts.	Commonly used in commercial and industry-specific applications.

All plastic trade names

Trade Name	Material	Manufacturer
Alcryn	TP Elastomer	DuPont
Acrylite	Acrylic	Cyro
Acrysteel	Acrylic	Aristech
Akulon	PA – Nylon	Akzo/Wilson
Alathon	HDPE	Occidental
Anwidur	PVC	Anwil
Apex	PVC	Teknor
Ardel	Polyarylate	Amoco
Aristech	Acrylic	Aristech
Arpak	Expandable PP bead	JSP
Ashlene	Nulon 6, 66, 6/12	Ashley Polymers
Astavin	PVC	Marplex
Attane	ULDPE	Dow Plastics
Aurum	TP Polyimide	Mitsui Toatsu
Azdel	Thermoplastic Resin	Azdel
Bakelite	Phenolic Laminate	Union Carbide
Calibre	Polycarbonate	Dow
Celanese	PA – Nylon 6/6	Ticona
Celanex	Polyester – PET/PBT	Ticona
Celcon	Acetal	Ticona
Corzan	CPVC	Quadrant
Cryolite	Acrylic	Cyro
Cycolac	ABS	SABIC (former GE)
Cytop	Acetal	Dupont
Diakon	Acrylic	ICI
Dowlex	LDPE	Dow
Duracon	Acetal	Ticona
Duranex	Polyester – PBT	Ticona
Dyneon	PTFE	3M
Ektar	PETG	Eastman Chemical
Ensicar	Polycarbonate	Ensinger
Ensifide	PPS	Ensinger
Ensifone	Polysulfone	Ensinger
Foraflon	PVDF	Atochem
Forar	HDPE	Amoco
Fortiflex	HDPE	Solvay
Geon	PVC	Geon
Grilamid	PA – Nylon	Emser
Hostaform	Acetal	Ticona
Hydex 4101	Polyester – PBT	Ensinger
Hyzod	Polycarbonate	Bayer
Impet	Hoechst	Celanese
Kamax	Acrylic	Rohm & Haas
Kel-F	PCTFE	3M
Ketron 1000	PEEK	Quadrant
Lubital	Acetal	Mitsubishi
Lucite	Acrylic	Dupont
Lustrex	Polystyrene	Novacor
Magnum	ABS	Dow
Makrolon	Polycarbonate	Bayer
Marlex	HDPE	Phillips
Merlon	Polycarbonate	Bayer
Micarta	Phenolic Laminate	Norplex
Neoflon	PTFE	Daikin
Norylux	PPO	Westlake
Nydur	PA – Nylon	Mobay
Novodur	ABS	Bayer
Oleplate	Polypropylene	Amoco
Olevac	Polypropylene	Amoco
Palvinyl	PVC	Pal Plastics
Paxon	HDPE	Paxon Polymer
Petrothene	Polyethylene	Quantum
Plexiglas	Acrylic	AtoHaas
Polystrol	Polystyrene	BASF
Propylux	Polypropylene	Westlake
Proteus	Polypropylene	Quadrant
Radel	Polyethersulfone	Solvay
Rilsan	PA – Nylon	Atochem
Royalite	ABS	Spartech Uniroyal
Sanalite (cutting board)	Polyethylene	Quadrant
Sintimid	Polyimide	Ensinger
Solef	PVDF	Soltex
Sustatec PVDF	PVDF	Sustaplast
Symalit PVDF	PVDF	Quadrant
Tecavinyl	PVC	Ensinger
Techtron PPS	PPS	Quadrant
Tempalux	PEI	Westlake
Terluran	ABS	BASF
Toyolac	ABS	Toray
Trovidur	PVC	Roechling
Udel	Polysulfone	Solvay
Ultem 1000	PEI	SABIC (former GE)
Ultem 2300	PEI	SABIC (former GE)
Ultraform	Acetal	BASF
Ultramid	PA – Nylon	BASF
Unicar	Polycarbonate	Nytef
Uninar	PVDF	Nytef
Uninor	PPO	Nytef
Unital	Acetal	Nytef
Unitem	PEI	Nytef
Unitrex	PEEK	Nytef
Unitron	Polyphenylene	Sulfide Nytef
Vecton	PA – Cast Nylon	Ensinger
Versadur Polyethylene	Polyethylene	Simona Plastics
Versadur PVC	PVC	Simona Plastics
Victrex 450G	PEEK	Victrex
Vydyne	PA – Nylon	Monsanto
Wellamid	Nylon	Wellman
WPP	PP Washington	Penn
Xenoy	Polycarbonate/Polyester	SABIC
Xydar	Liquid crystal polymer	Solvay Polymers
Zelux	Polycarbonate	Westlake
Zemid PE	HDPE	DuPont Canada
Zenite	LCP	DuPont
Zytel	Nylon	DuPont

How to Identify Plastic Trade Names

Reading Labels and Symbols
Understanding Recycling Codes
Using Online Resources and Apps
Seeking Manufacturer Information