There is no doubt that sustainability is not just setting the agenda, but also shaping the future of garden retailing. One brand that is leading by example is Primeur, which has brought to market multi award-winning ranges that are setting the benchmark where new material usage is concerned.

Winner of the 2018 GIMA Garden Landscaping Award, Primeur’s Roman Stone Border – part of the Eco Garden collection - was the company’s first foray into products made from recycled rubber; a material that until now was more famously known for its use within children’s play areas. Recognising the need to diversify and create beautiful products that meet the needs of the discerning eco-consumer, the Roman Stone Border was born. Made from recycled rubber tyres, this range offers a lightweight and durable alternative to traditional heavy concrete edging, whilst also benefiting from natural flexibility that allows the borders to be easily manipulated to fit the curves and undulations of borders and paths.

In the same year the Recycled Rubber Stepping Stones Medallion was awarded the Glee New Product ‘Best Landscaping Product’ award, and also helped the company walk away with the highly coveted Glee Best New Product award, both testaments to the industry’s positive response to this exciting new material usage.

Fast forward a year and Primeur’s Roman Stone Borders have fast become a bestseller and have brought unique material usage such as recycled tyres to a much wider audience. Additional products have also joined the portfolio, including the Tierra Verde planter range which saw the company scoop not one but TWO GIMA Awards in 2019 – Best Decorative Garden Pots & Planters and the highly coveted Sword of Excellence, which celebrates market-leading product innovation - as well as the Glee 2019 ‘Best Eco Initiative’ Award at the September exhibition.

Jenny Douthwaite, Sales Director at Primeur said: “Succeeding within garden retail nowadays relies on so much more than just providing pretty products. Consumer influence is being driven by the eco-friendly choices across the board, and how they garden is just another factor within this. Traditional plastic or heavy concrete materials don’t fit with their ‘need for green’ but our recycled rubber tyre ranges do, as they divert tyres from landfill where they’d take up to 80 years to decompose. It’s this understanding of their impact upon the world and making more considered choices that is driving longevity for brands such us ourselves. It’s safe to say that our recycled rubber ranges are just the start!”

In addition to stocking throughout UK garden centres, the Primeur Eco Garden ranges are now also available from Stax, via an exclusive distribution deal. Talking about this new partnership, Stax’s Purchasing Director, Simon Wright, said: “Primeur was the first company to introduce washable doormats into the UK in 1995, and since then they have constantly developed their products. We’re delighted to add the results of their innovative approach to our product portfolio. Products with strong environmental credentials are increasingly popular with our customers and being made from recycled vehicle tyres places the Primeur range firmly in that category, as well as creating products that are also durable and virtually indestructible.”

Primeur’s recycled rubber tyre ranges (Eco Garden) – the benefits

• ECO-FRIENDLY – recycled rubber tyres help to reduce the impact of waste tyres upon the environment.
• FLEXIBLE & DURABLE – Think what a tyre has to go through! Primeur products are made from a tough material that will last but are also flexible enough to follow the lines of the garden.
• LOW MAINTENANCE – Rubber doesn’t attract mould or mildew, so products won’t turn green or slippery. All the products are also lawnmower and strimmer safe.
• WEATHERPROOF – Rubber has an impressive ability to expand and contract in varying temperatures. Freezing winters and hot summers won’t cause any degradation.
• CHILD & PET SAFE – Rubber is a softer alternative for safety in the garden.

Did you know?

• 6kgs of rubber crumb can be recycled from each tyre, this is enough to make two stepping stones, or one and half borders or planters.
• 300 million tyres are scrapped every year
• Over 200 ingredients go into making a single tyre
• It takes up to 80 years for a single tyre to decompose.