Ecopla

Ecopla is Bandai's genuine recycled-plastic Gunpla line, made from crushed and melted runners collected through the Gunpla Recycling Project since 2021. The standout trait: colours vary batch to batch depending on which runners were recycled, so no two Ecopla kits look quite the same. Rivals Corner's collection currently spans premium kits and mascot sets built from this recycled material. Free tracked UK shipping applies on orders over £99.

Real Recycled Gunpla, Genuinely Different Every Time

Bandai's Gunpla Recycling Project has run since April 2021, collecting used plastic runners from fans and amusement facilities across Japan, then crushing and melting them down into a new material called Ecopla. The genuinely distinctive part: colour depends entirely on what got recycled into that particular batch, so Ecopla kits carry a kind of built-in variation standard Gunpla doesn't have.

This isn't a marketing gimmick layered onto standard plastic. It's a real material difference, and it means two Ecopla kits of the same model can come out looking noticeably different depending on the runner mix that went into them. Build one and you're holding a small, physical part of Bandai's actual recycling programme, not just a kit with an eco-friendly label attached.

New to the sustainability side of the hobby? This collection is a genuinely easy way to try it without changing anything about how you build, Ecopla assembles exactly like standard Gunpla plastic. Curious about the wider premium kits this material sometimes appears in? Master Grade [MG] and Perfect Grade [PG] cover the non-recycled versions of similar kits.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ecopla?

Ecopla is Bandai's recycled-plastic Gunpla material, made by crushing and melting down used plastic runners collected through the Gunpla Recycling Project, which has run since April 2021. It's a genuine material innovation, not just a marketing label.

Why do Ecopla kits look different from standard Gunpla?

Colour depends on which runners were recycled into that specific batch, so Ecopla parts can vary noticeably between kits. This is an intentional trait of the recycling process, not a manufacturing inconsistency.

Do Ecopla kits build differently from regular Gunpla?

No, assembly works the same way as standard Gunpla plastic, snap-fit, no special tools or techniques required. The material itself is the difference, not the build process.

Is Ecopla widely available, or a limited thing?

It's been distributed partly through events like Operation Gundam R and educational programmes, so availability can be more limited than mainstream Gunpla releases. Worth checking stock regularly if you're after a specific kit.

Who makes Ecopla?

Bandai Spirits, as part of a joint sustainability initiative across the wider Bandai Namco Group, including Bandai Namco Amusement and Bandai Logipal.