virgin materials

[ˈvɜrdʒən məˈtɪriəlz]
nounpl: virgin materials
materiais virgens
1. Raw materials that have not been previously used, processed, or recycled; newly extracted or manufactured materials in their original state
The factory uses virgin materials to produce high-quality plastic products.
A fábrica usa materiais virgens para produzir produtos plásticos de alta qualidade.
2. Primary raw materials sourced directly from natural resources without any previous processing or recycling
Virgin materials require more energy to process compared to recycled alternatives.
Materiais virgens requerem mais energia para processar em comparação com alternativas recicladas.
The term 'virgin materials' is increasingly scrutinized in both Brazil and the USA due to environmental concerns. With growing awareness of sustainability and circular economy principles, there is a cultural and industrial shift favoring recycled materials over virgin materials. In Brazil, this is particularly relevant given the nation's significant manufacturing sector and environmental conservation efforts in the Amazon region.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
primary materialsraw materialsnew materialsunrecycled materialsfirst-use materials
Antonyms / Antônimos
recycled materialssecondary materialspost-consumer materialsreclaimed materials

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
materiais virgens
Standard term used in industrial and environmental contexts
Portugal
materiais virgens
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; widely used in European environmental discourse
São Paulo
materiais virgens
Common in industrial manufacturing and recycling industry discussions

Related Words

recyclingsustainabilityraw materialsmanufacturingenvironmental impactcircular economy

Related Idioms & Phrases

virgin material extraction
virgin material sourcing
virgin versus recycled material debate
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