A planter is one of the few plastic products that lives outdoors for years and is expected to look the same at the end of it. Colour fade, chalky surfaces and cracking at the rim are all UV problems, and they are solved in the compound rather than in the wall thickness.
We mould planters and saucers from 12 to 40 cm in UV stabilised PP, for garden centres, DIY chains and e-commerce sellers.
Why PP and not PVC
PP takes a UV stabiliser package well, resists impact at low temperature, and can be supplied in a recycled grade without a colour shift between lots. PVC planters are heavier and hold a gloss longer, but they are harder to recycle and increasingly refused by retail buyers with packaging and material policies. For an outdoor planter, stabilised PP is the better default.
Specification
| Diameter | 12, 16, 20, 25, 30 and 40 cm |
|---|---|
| Material | PP homopolymer with UV stabiliser, virgin or 30 percent recycled |
| Wall | 1.8 to 3.0 mm depending on size |
| Drainage | Four to eight holes, or a raised centre with side drainage |
| UV rating | UV8, approximately 3 years of direct sun |
| Saucer | Matching clip-on or loose, 2 cm deep |
| MOQ | 1,000 pieces per size and colour |
Wall thickness and stacking
Thin walls save material but a 40 cm planter with 1.8 mm walls will ovalise when lifted full of wet compost. We increase wall thickness with diameter, and add a moulded rim rib rather than a thicker rim, because the rib carries the load without adding a visible heavy edge. Planters are designed to nest for shipping: a 40 cm pot nests into the next at a fixed depth so a pallet carries a predictable count, and the nesting depth is printed on the carton.
Colour and finish
Terracotta, charcoal, cream and sage are the four colours that sell year after year, and we hold masterbatch standards for all four so a reorder matches. A matte tool finish hides scratches from handling better than a polished one; a gloss finish photographs better online but shows every scuff after a season outdoors.
Recycled material
A 30 percent post-industrial recycled PP grade is available at a small cost reduction, with a slightly wider colour tolerance. Buyers who need a recycled content claim should confirm the grade and the documentation before the order, because the claim is auditable and the certificate is issued for a specific lot.
Testing
Drop tests are run on a filled pot from 1 m onto concrete, and UV exposure is verified through accelerated weathering on the compound rather than on the finished part. Where a buyer needs a specific weathering standard, the test is arranged with an accredited laboratory before production.
