How to Extend the Life of Interior Materials? Removable Coatings Can Be a Smart Solution!
Stands, store interiors and office furnishings are often replaced to make way for a new look, while the current materials are still perfectly usable. PEELDESIGN, a project by Sirris in collaboration with beMatrix and Expo-Etcetera, offers a more circular alternative in this regard: a removable coating that can be easily peeled off and replaced.
PEELDESIGN received support from the BBBC programme - a federal initiative that supports circular innovations in companies with funds from the European Recovery Plan. Thanks to this project, existing products such as aluminium frames or panels are given a second life, without the basic material going to waste. The result is a more efficient use of raw materials and a significant reduction in waste.
Smart Composition, Visible Sustainability
The removable (or 'peelable') coating is applied using existing techniques such as spraying, dipping or rolling. This creates a temporary finishing layer that can be peeled off from the surface in large pieces after use. The coating doesn't leave any residue nor alter the underlying base material - which can therefore be perfectly reused. The coating contains safe compounds, sustainable ingredients and, for some products, even recycled materials, with an extra focus on the reusability of the coating itself.
Removable coatings fall under the European Union's Construction Products Regulation (CPR). A revision of the CPR was approved in April 2022. This revision will eventually provide harmonised standards for marketing building materials. These standards will ensure that reliable information will be available about their performance, including their environmental impact and circularity.
Coating, Peeling, Reusing
The focus is on preserving materials, reducing waste and maximum flexibility in reuse. By separating products from their finishes, companies can respond more quickly to changing needs without consuming resources each time.
The application is particularly suitable in sectors where aesthetics are important, such as building stands or fitting out stores. The same panel can simply be re-coated in a different colour or print after one trade show or season. Even office furniture that needs to be visually updated can be circulated in this way.
Broad Applicability and Social Potential
The system is also scalable. Up until now, coating technology has mainly been used as temporary protection during production or renovation. The innovative aspect is that the coatings are now intended for reuse. The technology does not require substantial investment, so it is possible to easily integrate it into existing production lines of a variety of companies. Whereas conventional coatings are designed to adhere as well as possible and remain in place for a long time, the peel coating is specifically designed to be easily removable.
There are also social opportunities: removing and recoating materials is relatively straightforward work, so social economy companies can also get on board.
There are 2 circular wins: not only is there less waste, but also more value creation. Companies can build new business models around reuse and takeback, such as 'as-a-service' formulas where panels or furniture are modified and repurposed time after time. This reduces material input as well as increasing customer satisfaction. It also responds to the growing expectation that companies have sustainable and responsible businesses.
Thanks to Support: Acceleration and Best Practice
The support from the BBBC programme gave Sirris the space to focus on the practical aspects, develop prototypes and test with real market players. By taking a smart approach to something as seemingly simple but versatile as a coating, the project has opened up prospects for more sustainable use of materials in a broad range of sectors.
