Over the years, artificial Christmas trees have proven themselves to be practical and versatile alternatives to traditional, newly cut ones. There have been many reincarnations of artificial trees, from wood to feathers to aluminum to brush bristles, but two of the most popular ones to date are both made of plastic. These are the PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PE (polyethylene) versions.

In the artificial Christmas tree market, there are plenty of arguments on the relative merits of models made from PVC and PE. Both possess unique qualities that can appeal to any consumer.

PVC Christmas Trees

The typical artificial Christmas tree is made of PVC because they cost less to produce, and are durable and lightweight. PVC is the same material used for industrial purposes, such as water and sewage pipes, casings for electric cables, appliances, agricultural peripherals, and packaging materials. When properly cared for and stored, PVC Christmas trees can last for several years.

Newer models of PVC Christmas trees are made to look lifelike, mimicking the look of real fir and pine trees. In some versions, a combination of PVC and PE is made to create fuller and more realistic-looking Christmas trees. Artificial trees, however, shed over time. Despite this limitation, they present a much cleaner and more convenient alternative to real Christmas trees in the long run.

PE Christmas Trees

As far as looks go, PE Christmas trees have the edge over their PVC counterparts. The leaves and needles of artificial PE Christmas trees are molded so they look like the real thing and remain faithful to Nature’s design. Retailers of PE Christmas trees fetch a higher price compared to their PVC models because of this very reason, plus several others.

PE is also widely acknowledged to be more environment friendly than polyvinyl chloride. It does not require lead to stabilize it in the manufacturing process, so it means fewer pollutants to deal with in the long run.

PE Christmas trees are also a lot sturdier than PVC ones, and will have little to no shedding through the years. The downside is that they initially cost a lot more.

Most artificial Christmas tree models feature a good combination of PVC and PE materials to make the tree look more attractive, and also to make it more affordable to consumers.