Table of Contents
Introduction to What Are Artificial Trees Made Of
Many company purchasers and buyers are sourcing artificial plants and trees online, but there are many many types of artificial plants & trees. To find the best quality products to fit your market is the most important thing. It’s not just about the appearance and prices, it’s also about what it’s made of, how it affects sales, shipping and the things after purchase. Buyers need to understand what materials are used for the products, if worth it for the price and for the market. Here is an in-depth knowledge of artificial plants materials for each part to help buyers to make a well-informed decision.
Pot Material
Pots are an important part of artificial plants and trees. It determined that the artificial trees can stand stable or not, and added the decorations to the faux tree. While different materials have different functions and affect the style of the tree. Now you can learn it from below.
Plastic
Commonly used by most artificial plant suppliers or factories, it often comes in black with no extra cost. Most customers like to add an extra decorative pot or planter to make it look better.
- Pros:Cheap and no extra cost.
- Cons: Looks cheap, less durable,and easily deformed.
Ceramic
It has various styles, can have different textures, and is more elegant with the faux trees, making it perfect for elegant spaces. It is a little heavy and may break during shipping if there is not enough protection for the ceramic pot. The packing size will increase based on the size of the ceramic pots; the overall cost is higher than that of the plastic pot.
- Pros: Elegant, stylish, adds a touch of sophistication.
- Cons: Breakable, heavy, not suitable for frequent moving.
Cement
It has the retro appeal and sturdiness to prevent the trees from falling. But because it’s heavy, needs a high quality carton box, and needs proper protection for shipping, the packing size will increase based on the size of the cement pot; the overall cost is higher than that of a plastic pot and lower than that of a ceramic pot under the same size.
- Pros: Extremely durable and stable, it offers a unique industrial aesthetic.
- Cons: Very heavy; need a high quality carton box to pack it.
Fiberglass
Often used for big artificial trees, it is normally used in hotels and shopping malls. Strong and capable of supporting large trees without being as heavy as cement. It is expensive and requires a large shipping volume.
- Pros: Durable, lighter than cement, can mimic other materials like stone.
- Cons: Can be expensive, less readily available in diverse styles, large shipping volume.
Resin
Lightweight and comes in various designs. It’s versatile but may not be as durable as other materials. The cost is not high, but it needs enough protection for shipping.
- Pros: Lightweight, weather-resistant, variety in design.
- Cons: Can degrade under constant sun exposure;less sturdy. Needs good protection for shipping.
Clay
It provides a classic, natural look, but it is fragile and a little heavy, and needs very good safety protection for shipping. The cost is similar to that of a ceramic pot.
- Pros: Natural look complements organic decor.
- Cons: Fragile, heavy and needs very good protection for shipping.
Metal
Metal pots are exceptionally strong and weather-resistant; they are in modern style and can’t have much shape. The cost is a little high.
- Pros: Durability, modernity, and sturdiness.
- Cons:A little heavy, fixed shape, limited textures.
Filling Material
The filling material to be added to the pot normally contains foam, cement, and decorative objects like moss, black mud, and rocks. Foam and cement are used to control the weight of the base pot; others are decorations. Most often used are black mud or paint, then moss and rocks. Buyers can choose the idea based on what they like.
Natural Moss
Natural moss is made of natural grass and needs to be dried. It is usually yellow (without coloring) or yellow with green (after coloring) and is often used to decorate plastic plants like artificial snake plants.
- Pros: Authentic natural look adds a touch of realism.
- Cons: Can dry out or fade;requires occasional replacement.
Artificial Moss(decorative objects)
Made of plastic, many low level ones and small pieces are easily blown away; beware of inhalation. Often, small factories will use this to reduce costs.
- Pros: No maintenance;retains appearance over time.
- Cons: Less authentic, easily blown away and breathed in.
Black Mud/Paint
Black mud or black paint are accepted by most buyers. Black mud is made of coloring black sand with glue to the top of the pot. Black paint is black oil paint on the surface of the cement in the pot. Black mud is better than black paint.
- Pros: Gives a realistic soil look, there is no risk of spillage.
- Cons: Static doesn’t offer texture variation.
Rock/Stone
Rock or stone is normally used based on the customer’s preference and the target market’s preference. Middle Eastern customers like it better; it looks natural, but once used, you can’t remove it. It was strongly glued into the pot.
- Pros: Adds natural variety and a stable base for the tree.
- Cons: Can be heavy and difficult to change once in place.
Cement
The cement used in the pot is to hold the trunk of the artificial tree from pulling off and add weight to the whole faux tree from falling off. If you want the fake tree stand to be stable, then add more cement to the pot.
- Pros: Excellent stability; hold the tree from pulling off and falling off.
- Cons: Adds significant weight and requires higher quality packing.
Foam
Foam used in the pot is to reduce the weight of whole faux plants, especially when you are using decorative pots such as ceramic pots or cement pots. You need to reduce the overall weight to prevent the pot from breaking. Also, some faux plants use full foam in the pot, such as artificial onion grass.
- Pros: Lightweight, easy to mold and adjust.
- Cons: Less durable;plants may pull off easily.
Trunk Material
Trunks made from materials like PE/PU plastic, fiberglass, real wood, and others determine the tree’s stability and appearance. To achieve different appearances and textures, artificial plant manufacturers who are well known about what artificial trees are made of, need to choose the relative material to make them. Different materials will have different functions.
PE Plastic
Most artificial plants and trees use PE plastic as trunk material. It offers a combination of durability and flexibility, often contains metal wire, is bendable, and can take on different shapes and curves. But it looks artificial to some extent and needs to go through other processes to make different textures.
- Pros: Bendable and durable, maintains shape over time.
- Cons: Can look artificial;lacks texture variety.
PU Plastic
The PU plastic trunk is flexible and soft to touch; it can have a realistic look and better-looking colors. It is usually used for artificial monster plants, birds of paradise,etc. But it’s not firm enough; it may break if imposed with a lot of force.
- Pros: Flexible, more realistic appearance.
- Cons: Less sturdy;may not support heavier branches well.
Natural Wood
Natural wood trunks have a natural look and feel. Normally used for artificial ficus trees, artificial olive trees etc. But it may become moldy and infested with insects; fumigation is a must. Also, it may break during shipping.
- Pros: Authentic look and feel.
- Cons: Easy to mold and insects, easy to break.
Natural Bamboo
Natural bamboo is eco-friendly, sturdy, and unique with an organic aesthetic. Mostly used for artificial bamboo trees and artificial banana trees. But it cannot be shaped and may also be moldy, and insects may need fumigation.
- Pros: Eco-friendly and sturdy
- Cons: Easy moldy and insects; can not be shaped.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is very strong , and it can be made in different shapes and styles, so can make different styles of artificial trees. Most are used for outdoor artificial big trees, like artificial coconut palm trees and artificial banyan trees. But it’s more expensive than other materials and lacks an authentic feel.
- Pros: Durability, lightweight, can do different designs and textures
- Cons: High cost, lack authentic feel, brittle under colder temperatures.
PVC Pipe
PVC pipe trunks are light-weight, low-cost, normally used for internal support, and covered with other materials or paintings, such as artificial banana trees covered with bark.
- Pros: Light weight, cost-effective
- Cons: only for trunk support
Metal
Metal trunks are extremely durable and can support different structures of frame. Good choice for structural support. Normally used for outdoor artificial trees, such as artificial Christmas trees, artificial cypress trees, artificial cedar trees, artificial spiral trees, and other big outdoor artificial trees.
- Pros: Highly durable, strong structural support
- Cons: High cost; must be covered with other foliage.
Branch/Stem Material
The branches and stems are important for the tree’s whole shape and look. Its length, sub branches and colors significantly affects the tree’s overall look and quality, as well as the cost, packing and shipping.
Plastic
Plastic branches have fixed styles, strong and thick, but it’s hard to re-shape without wire inside, often used for full plastic artificial plants.
- Pros: Flexible, and durable
- Cons: Hard to change the shape to other designs
Iron Wire-Reinforced Plastic
Plastic branches with iron wire inside are flexible and shapeable, you can make the shape the styles you like. It’s a mess for customers who don’t like to do it by themselves.
- Pros: Flexible, shapeable, can do DIY style.
- Cons: need to shape by yourself; not friendly to non-DIY enthusiasts
Steel Wire-Reinforced Plastic
Plastic branches with steel wire inside are also shapeable, they can support the leaves better , and can have their own shape and style from the factory; customers don’t need to shape the artificial tree by themselves.
- Pros: Shapeable, already shaped from the factory; no need for shape by customers.
- Cons: Needs more space for the package since it is already shaped.
Wood
Natural look and feel, mostly used for natural trunk trees already. It cannot be folded to save carton size for shipping and may break during shipping.
- Pros: Natural appearance, real feel.
- Cons: Brittle, may break easily, less uniform in appearance.
Leaf Material
Leaf materials range from silk (for a realistic look) to various plastics (for durability). Silk leaves offer a more natural appearance but might require more care, while plastic is less realistic but more resilient. Also differs between indoor and outdoor use. It also greatly affects the tree’s appearance and care requirements, and it’s an important thing to what artificial trees are made of.
Plastic
Plastic leaves are common for their durability and low maintenance. Can be cleaned with water. Advanced manufacturing techniques can improve realism.
- Pros: Long-lasting, no fading or shedding.
- Cons: Can look and feel artificial.
Silk/Fabric
Silk or fabric leaves provide a realistic and detailed look but can be prone to fading and require careful cleaning. Also, only UV-protected silk or fabric can be put outside under exposure, or it will fade or deform soon.
- Pros: Realistic, soft to touch.
- Cons: It attracts dust, can fade, and is delicate.
Rubberized Fabric
Rubberized fabric leaves combine durability with a more natural feel, making it easy to pack. The cost is higher than for normal silk or fabric leaves.
- Pros: Balances durability with a realistic feel.
- Cons: Can be more expensive;less variety in designs.
Fruit and Flower Material
Fruits and flowers used on artificial trees often use foam because of the lightweight process; Flowers used on artificial flowers often use plastic, rubber, latex, and silk or fabric to get a realistic look and a natural tough feel. Of course artificial flowers have more possibilities.
Plastic, Foam, Rubber, Latex, Silk/Fabric
Fruits and flowers for artificial trees use more foam because of their light weight; flowers for artificial flowers use more plastic, rubber, latex, and silk or fabric to achieve a realistic look and a natural tough feel.
- Pros: Different designs, touch feeling and looks.
- Cons: Some materials looks fake and low quality; Silk or fabric can’t last long life
Conclusion
In summary, each material has its advantages and challenges. It affects not only the looks of the artificial trees, but also the quality, cost, packing, shipping, sales, and marketing.
If your market and customer group are not at a high end level, then you don’t need to use high end materials. Choose the right materials for your artificial plants and trees.
When choosing the right artificial plants and trees, it’s important to consider the material of each component based on your market and customer group.
As a professional buyer to source artificial plants and trees, you must be responsible for its sales and your customers.
This article is well informed about the specific materials for each component, pros and cons, and its functions. With this guide, you’re well-informed to select artificial plants and trees that meet your target market and get good sales.
