Polywood - The Ocean chair 

Since 1990, we've been transforming plastic into long-lasting outdoor furniture. 30 years later, we’re setting our sights on the larger problem at hand — recovering ocean-bound plastic on a global scale. We’ve now expanded our operations to include plastics sourced from around the world. We are committed to incorporate 1 million pounds of ocean-bound plastic into the production of our outdoor furniture by 2021. With your help, we can source even more. Join the movement and help us clean up our oceans, protect marine life, and enrich the lives of people living in developing nations — all it takes is one Adirondack chair: The Ocean Chair.

Our mission at POLYWOOD is to recover and transform ocean-bound plastic into durable outdoor furniture that will last for generations.

HDPE plastic being processed at POLYWOOD's on-site recycling plant in Syracuse

We’ve expanded our recycling process to incorporate globally-sourced ocean-bound plastic into our on-site plastic recycling center. With 30 years of experience in transforming plastic into beautiful outdoor furniture, we’re in a unique position to spark real change — and you can be part of that change.

We’re committed to incorporate 1 million pounds of ocean-bound plastic into the production of our outdoor furniture by 2021. 

Our Design Engineers set out to create an Adirondack that combines everything we've learned about recycling and product design over the last 30 years. The Ocean Chair incorporates both ocean-bound and post-consumer plastics while its design pays homage to our beautiful oceans.

When arranged together, all four chairs create a cresting wave — an exclusive design that helps tell the story that these chairs represent. 

We believe that because our outdoor furniture lasts for years and years, the color should too. When we create genuine POLYWOOD lumber we blend UV-inhibiting pigments into the HDPE plastic — which means that fade-proof color runs throughout the material, not just on the surface. 

Genuine POLYWOOD lumber is ideal for outdoor furniture because it's a material that can thrive in any climate — it isn’t prone to splinter, crack, chip, peel, or rot. It's also infinitely recyclable. 

Genuine POLYWOOD lumber is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE for short), an extremely durable type of plastic you'll find all around your home. Milk jugs, detergent containers, shampoo bottles, and lotion bottles are all made of HDPE (anything with the recycling label #2).  

In 2019, we recycled the equivalent of 146,000,000 milk jugs to make our lumber, which is then used to build our vast array of outdoor furnishings. Traditionally, we’ve sourced our post-consumer plastic from U.S. recycling programs. The Ocean Chair represents our initiative to source and recycle ocean-bound plastics from around the world. 

Our Story

Genuine POLYWOOD

gen•u•ine (adjective): truly what something is said to be; authentic

Back in 1990, we were the first to create outdoor furniture from recycled plastic materials. "Made with genuine POLYWOOD lumber" is a brand promise — our furniture is built to be enjoyed season after season after season. But more importantly, our goal is to help create spaces where friends and family can gather, relax, and connect.

Where It All Began...

The beginning of our story may be similar to many entrepreneurial stories — POLYWOOD was founded in a garage by two high school friends with a great idea. But, it's really our founders' original mission of stewardship, to do something meaningful for future generations, that remains at our core today.

"Let's do something meaningful for future generations."
- Doug Rassi, Co-Founder & CEO

Why Furniture?

In the late 1980's government mandated recycling programs were in full swing. As the use of plastic in the U.S. grew, the need to transform the overabundance of recycled plastic into something new was greater than ever. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic, in particular, is extremely durable and weather resistant. Outdoor furniture was the perfect application.

On-Site Recycling

Today, POLYWOOD recycles an average of 400,000 milk jugs per day. Truckloads of recycled milk jugs are transformed into genuine POLYWOOD lumber which is then used to construct our wide array of Adirondack chairs, rocking chairs, benches, gliders, deep seating, dining, and more!

All-Weather Durability

POLYWOOD furniture is built to withstand all four seasons and a range of climates including hot sun, snowy winters, salt spray, and heavy winds. Unlike traditional wood furniture, POLYWOOD furniture will never need to be sanded, painted or stained.