Polly Products

If you’re from West Michigan, your recycled milk jugs may have been turned into an outdoor product like a picnic table, bench, or kiosk! We recently spoke to Sandra Anson, director of sales and marketing at Polly Products to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes during production of their outdoor furniture made out of 100% recycled plastic. 

This Michigan-based manufacturer buys both post-consumer and post-industrial HDPE plastic from processors who source their material from material recovery facilities in the Grand Rapids and lower West Michigan area. Although incorporating virgin plastic into their products could cut down on manufacturing costs, Polly Products' commitment to sustainability ensures that they will continue to only use recycled plastic, continually working to give used materials a new life.

Polly Products is fully committed to the zero-waste mission, reusing items whenever possible and collecting employees’ recyclables and sending them to their “mini-MRF” to be baled and sent to processors. They also collect any unused food scraps to be sent to a composter, as well as batteries and plastic foam! 

Education is key, Polly Products has an open-door policy for schools, summer camps, and other community groups that wish to tour their Mulliken facility to learn about recycling. For high school students in particular, these tours successfully raise awareness about sustainable manufacturing jobs that don’t require a college degree.

Polly Products envisions Michigan making recycling mandatory in all public spaces especially parks. “It should be easy for people to recycle,” Sandra Anson remarked, “they shouldn’t have to haul their recyclables home after camping.” Polly makes sure to keep supporting parks and communities where they sell their products, sponsoring Green Gifts grants that are awarded to members of the Michigan Parks and Recreation Association working on recycling, composting, and other sustainable initiatives within Michigan parks. 

Polly Products understands that recycled products are expensive, and often cost more than those made with virgin plastics. So, they provide discounts to leaders of Michigan parks, schools and municipalities, campgrounds, and even members of our very own Michigan Recycling Coalition to empower them to make their outdoor environments more sustainable.

Polly Products raises the bar for plastic recyclers, committing to goals of sustainability while giving back to communities and organizations that support recycling across Michigan.