PET (polyethylene terephthalate) felt is a material that’s increasingly being used in acoustic panels. This material is made from recycled polyester-based materials (like plastic bottles), which makes it an incredibly eco-friendly material. While it has many uses, one of its biggest uses (currently) is in the development of acoustic panels.
With more and more office spaces trying around open office layouts, the emphasis on making these rooms more acoustic increases in importance. Earlier, with cubicles, the noise was not as distracting, seeing as you had cubicle walls as physical barriers to muffle it. Today, you have to resort to more innovative solutions, and acoustic paneling might just be one of the ways to do so.
Here’s why, in 2024, this is often done with PET felt acoustic panels.
Sustainability
The first thing worth keeping in mind is the importance of sustainability and eco-friendliness. First of all, this is a material obtained through recycling materials that are already produced and are not biodegradable. This means that turning them into something useful gives them another life, and instead of polluting a landfill somewhere, they can take the place of a finite raw material.
The reason why companies and corporations should worry about this is that the majority of them label themselves as green or eco-friendly. How much real altruism there is can be questioned, but one thing that’s beyond doubt is that their customers actually care about this. In other words, for any company that wants to keep labeling itself as green, picking these small wins can be a huge PR boost.
According to specialists behind Material LogIQ, another thing worth keeping in mind is that we’re slowly shifting toward eco-friendly materials. As the pool of finite, non-renewable resources gets thinner and thinner, it’s the recyclable materials that will take their place. In other words, this is an inevitable shift, and the majority of these companies are deciding to become early adopters and pioneers.
Performance
In the previous section, we went to lengths to describe how the sustainability of materials is important and how it’s the right thing to do. Well, all of this wouldn’t mean much if the material itself wasn’t good at its primary function. For instance, if you could make an acoustic panel out of PET felt, but it wasn’t a very good acoustic panel, it’s doubtful whether anyone would ever use it.
In reality, PET felts are incredibly effective at absorbing sound. They’re great at reducing noise pollution, and the overall acoustics in the office have drastically improved. They’re in no way inferior to conventional acoustic panels.
In a way, this can make your entire staff more focused and productive. You see, an average office produces quite a bit of noise, and there’s not much you can do about it. People can’t avoid breathing, typing on their keyboards, walking to the bathroom, or even chatting among themselves. With the right layout of acoustic panels, you can make all of this a lot less impactful.
In other words, you get to keep your cake and eat it too. You get to make your office quieter and more acoustic, and you get to do the right thing. Compromise is no longer your only option.
Easy installation and maintenance
These panels are incredibly lightweight. This means that they can be easily mounted on walls or ceilings, even with minimal fastening. There’s no need for complex supporting structures, and this means that you can easily install them on your own.
This is especially budget-friendly for offices that are still unsure about whether they want to go with acoustic panels or not. They can just buy a few and install them in a conference room or a part of the office. Then, when they see the results, they can order some more. This way, they won’t have to bother with professional crews on every instance (which can be a logistical nightmare).
The fact that you can install them on your own means that you can also dismount them, move them, or replace damaged ones. The latter is unlikely, seeing as how they’re quite durable and resistant to wear and tear. Even outside, they would perform admirably, but when it comes to office conditions, they’re nearly indestructible. As we’ve already mentioned, plastic is not biodegradable, and it’s resistant to all sorts of conditions. These properties translate to these PET felt panels, as well.
Aesthetic and cost-effective
Another thing you need to understand is that recycled materials are still stigmatized in business circles. They’re believed to be inferior by many, and while this is in no way true, the majority of “luxury” materials still cost more. This is what makes PET feel more cost-effective than the majority of alternative materials.
On top of this, you need to keep in mind some of the facts we’ve mentioned in the previous section.
First, they’re incredibly durable. This means that when you purchase a panel, you’re done with the purchase. They’ll last you a lifetime, and you’re unlikely ever to have to get a replacement. This is great not just for your budget but for cost control, as well.
The fact that you can install and replace them on your own is another direct way these panels save you money. Not only that, but because you’re self-reliant, you won’t have a problem scheduling these maintenance sessions, and you’ll cause a lot less commotion (and, therefore, downtime) in the office. Remember, office spaces already have a lot of regular maintenance tasks that cause downtime, so why not eliminate this one for good?
On top of it all, these panels look really good on your walls, which is an extra choice to choose them. Even the cheaper variants are incredibly stylish, which means that you won’t have to compromise on the aesthetics in order to do the right thing or save money.
Wrap up
The last thing you need to understand is the fact that picking PET felt is not a compromise. Sure, you’re choosing a cheaper and greener alternative, but this alternative is in no way inferior to any of its closest competitors. You still get an aesthetic and effective panel. It’s a win-win scenario if there ever was one.
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