Why Plastic?

When designing Quite Lite Camper and Shelters, We chose polyethylene and ABS plastic because it has so many advantages over conventional wood, aluminum, and fiberglass construction.

Plastic Advantages:

  • Design Freedom
    Plastic can be molded into almost any shape. Quite Lite designs are not restricted to square boxes or flat curves.
  • Weight
    A truly lightweight camper and shelter is achieved with hollow, foam filled plastic parts.
  • Durability
    Plastic can be made extremely tough. Our camper and shelter panels can take high impact and abuse that would destroy conventional campers.
  • Corrosion Resistant
    Plastic eliminates the worry of rotting wood, rusting metal, cracked fiberglass and leaky roof membranes.
  • Mold and Mildew Resistant
    Plastic is easy to clean with little for mold and mildew to adhere to, making a much safer environment.

Misconceptions:

Here are some misconceptions concerning plastic.

  1. “Plastics are cheap”
    Because we pay pennies for a water bottle, most products we use are wrapped in it, and many things we use are made of it, we assume plastic is cheap. In reality, a pound of PE or ABS plastic is more expensive than a pound of steel, aluminum or even plywood.

    Cost per pound
    steel $0.13 per pound
    plywood $0.42 per pound
    aluminum $0.77 per pound
    PE plastic $0.85 per pound

    A water bottle is cheap because there is less than an ounce of plastic in it and they make them by the millions. A car bumper or a white water kayak is not because it is made from several pounds of plastic and requires expensive molds.
  2. “Plastic is flimsy”
    There are many formulations of plastic. It can be made brittle or flexible. It can be made extremely tough and used to create an advanced airplane like the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, or a child’s toy.
  3. “Plastics deteriorate in the sun”
    Many plastics are formulated with a built-in sunscreen to protect them from the sun’s UV radiation. These can withstand direct sunlight for many, many years without deterioration.
  4. “Plastic is harmful to the environment”
    Like most things, plastics are only harmful to the environment when not properly managed. Plastics are highly recyclable. They are some of the easiest materials to grind up, melt down and repurpose for use over and over again.
  5. “Plastics give off toxic fumes”
    While some plastics must be treated with caution, most plastics used in household items are completely safe and free from toxic fumes or emissions. These are heavily regulated by the EPA for your safety. Polyethylene and ABS used in our panels are two of the safest plastics available.