Saving the World, One Sign Holder at a Time-

Acrylic is a clear hard plastic that is used to make all kinds of useful items that can give your store a clean look. Many stores like to use it because of it's clean look but acrylic is a petroleum product and it can be spendy. One way to cut down on the cost (financial and ecological) is to purchase used acrylic pieces. In fact, we think used acrylic is so handy that we have devoted an entire section of our front warehouse to it. And what might you find in this mythical aisle? Sign holders, risers, shelves and bins for use on slatwall and gridwall, dump bins, and a myriad array of counter displays for everything from pens to make up to books and just about whatever else you can think up!

Read on for Tips from the Store Fixture Fairy-

Often, used acrylic is in good condition with minor scratches or some 'stress cracking.' We're not sure if this is the technical term or not but if you have used acrylic items, chances are, you know what we are talking about. 'Stress cracking' occurs in the bends of the acrylic after time. They can't be felt, only seen, and while they won't interfere with the structural integrity of a piece, they cause it to look not quite as good as it did new. Whether your acrylic is used or new, cleaning is key. Regular soap and water can work wonders, as just cleaning the dust off goes a long way to make it look better. Joan, the Store Fixture Fairy, suggests using Lemon Pledge or any citrus/wax based furniture spray; the wax in the spray helps to fill in the smaller scratches and the citrus gives it a nice clean smell.

How to Store Your New Used Acrylic-

So now that you've invested in used acrylic, how do you prevent stress cracking in storage? We suggest cleaning acrylic before you store it and placing them so that the least pressure is put on the angles. Angled acrylic sign holders are good examples. Many people will store them on their back when they are not in use to help prevent scratching on the front of the frame. When the angled frame is rested on its back, stress is put on the angle. The best way to store them is on their front to prevent the small cracks and covered in plastic wrap to protect from most scratching.