‘Green’ garden hose made from plant-based materials

A new ecofriendly garden hose made from ‘green’ raw materials has been introduced as the first plant-based polymer hose in the world.

The hose, launched by technology company Continental, uses sugar cane ethylene instead of petroleum-based products and is said to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The company asserts that it is bolstering the circular economy by evaluating and reusing renewable oils and reclaimed or recycled material, thereby helping to reduce emissions and waste.

Continental’s EcoRubber garden hose uses renewable polymers from sugar cane for 70% of its mass, with the goal to use 95% renewable materials. The company explains that the production of ethanol from sugar cane for the polymer is more climate friendly by up to 4 t of carbon dioxide per ton of polymer, than petrochemical-based ethanol; and that the yield per hectare of ethanol from sugar cane used in the polymer, is twice that of corn-based ethanol.

Designed in Fairlawn, Ohio, US and produced in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, the EcoRubber garden hose is said to give the same performance as a rubber garden hose and is constructed with Eco-brass fittings. The hose is available in a standard 50-foot length with 5/8’ diameter and is available through the Continental distribution chain.