Which lamps and lights contain no plastic, cord and socket included?
This category is being vetted. Nothing here is a recommendation yet.
Where plastic hides in lamps and lights
Electricity needs insulation, and insulation is plastic. The cord is copper wire insulated in PVC, even when a cotton braid covers it. A socket has a phenolic or nylon insert, a plug is molded, and an LED lamp adds a driver and a chip sealed in silicone or epoxy. Shades are glass, metal, paper or linen, and linen and paper shades are often lined with a plastic backing. Metal bodies are powder-coated or lacquered. A bare brass or steel lamp with a braided cord can show no plastic at all and still carry every part of this inside.
What to check before you buy
- The cord: what is the insulation under the braid?
- The socket and plug: porcelain, brass or wood, or phenolic, nylon and PVC?
- The bulb: a glass filament or a sealed LED module, or a plastic-bodied LED?
- The shade: glass, metal, paper or linen, and what is the lining?
- The finish: bare, patinated or oiled, or powder coat or lacquer?
- The dimmer or inline switch: metal and ceramic, or a plastic body?
- Packaging: paper and card, or foam and plastic film?