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Interstate Plastics Editorial Guidelines

At Interstate Plastics, a Curbell Plastics company, we obsess over things like impact strength, FDA compliance, and coefficient of friction so you don't have to. These editorial guidelines explain how we create, review, and maintain every article, product page, and resource you read on our site.

Our goal is to provide plastics education to make it easier and safer to choose the right plastics and high-performance materials for your job.

Our Promise to Readers

Every piece of content on InterstatePlastics.com is built to be:

  • Accurate. Grounded in real data, real testing, and real applications.
  • Practical Focused on real-world use cases, not theory.
  • Clear Plain language first, with technical specs where you need them.
  • Transparent Honest about capabilities, trade-offs, and limitations.
  • Up-to-date. Reviewed regularly and updated when materials, standards, or operations change.

Why You Can Trust Our Content

Decades of hands-on experience

  • Interstate Plastics has spent decades helping customers solve material challenges as a full-line distributor of plastic sheet, rod, tube, film, and profiles.
  • Today, Interstate Advanced Materials is a nationwide wholesale distributor serving a wide range of industries with plastics and composite materials.

Deep material expertise

  • Our team includes IAPD-trained and certified plastics experts, alongside experienced inside and outside sales, fabrication, and applications support teams.
  • Content draws on decades of field experience working with materials like UHMW, HDPE, PTFE, PEEK, acrylic, polycarbonate, PVC, nylon, and more across demanding applications.

Recognized by our industry

We're not just saying we care about education and responsible material use, our industry backs it up:

These recognitions reflect the same mindset that drives our content: educate first, sell second.

Broad, real-world application coverage

We serve industries ranging from semiconductor and food processing to POP display, government, automotive, and more. Plus dozens of specialized segments across data centers, construction, marine, and manufacturing.

That experience feeds directly into our how-to guides, application notes, and product recommendations.

Who Creates & Reviews Our Content

Our content is a collaboration between marketing, product, and technical experts. Editorial leadership currently includes:

  • Christopher Isar - Has led plastics education strategy and content direction for nearly 15 years at Interstate Plastics. Focuses on clear, customer-first explanations and aligning content with real buyer needs.
  • Matthew Toy - Oversees digital experience and site updates, with deep knowledge of plastics and sustainability. Ensures content structure, navigation, and visuals support fast, confident material selection.
  • Chris Clark - Delivers fact-checking expertise backed by nearly 25 years in the industry, providing long-term strategy that stays aligned with operational realities across branches and online operations.

Beyond our authors and editors, our content is:

  • Drafted by writers who specialize in B2B industrial and technical content.
  • Reviewed by subject-matter experts (IAPD-certified and experienced plastics professionals) for accuracy, safety, and correct material use.
  • Checked for alignment with company mission and core values: Honesty & Integrity, Passion, Curiosity, Responsiveness, and Continuous Improvement.

No technical article, resource guide, or material recommendation goes live without at least one subject-matter expert review.

How We Build Every Piece of Content

For product pages, guides, and articles, we follow a consistent process:

  1. Define the customer problem
    • What are customers trying to do? Reduce wear? Meet FDA standards? Replace metal with UHMW or HDPE?
  2. Gather source material
    • Manufacturer data sheets and technical literature
    • Internal application notes and fabrication best practices
    • Feedback from customers and our branch teams
  3. Draft in plain language
    • Highlight key specs and trade-offs like impact resistance vs. stiffness, cost vs. performance, and machinability vs. chemical resistance.
  4. Technical & safety review
    • Confirm ratings (FDA, UL, flammability, temperature ranges, etc.).
    • Verify that recommended uses are appropriate and that we clearly indicate where a material should not be used.
    • Compliance and claim check
      • Avoid overpromising performance or guarantees.
      • Make sure we represent certifications and approvals accurately.
    • Publish & monitor
      • Track performance, questions, and feedback.
      • Update content when materials change, standards are revised, or we discover a clearer way to explain something.

Content Types & Standards

Product & Category Pages

Our product and category pages aim to be the fastest, clearest way to answer: "Is this the right material for what I'm doing?"

Each page aims to include:

  • Plain-language overview of the material or product.
  • Key properties (impact resistance, temperature range, chemical resistance, machinability, etc.).
  • Common applications and environments where it performs well.
  • Clear limitations and situations where another material might be a better fit.
  • Links to data sheets, safety data sheets, and technical resources when available.
  • Transparent notes on availability, lead times, and machining options.

Technical Guides & Application Notes

For guides that dig deeper, we:

  • Start from real-world problems we see in the field.
  • Use concrete examples: conveyors, marine structures, food processing lines, guards, and enclosures.
  • Include step-by-step guidance, not just theory.
  • Reference standards and regulations where applicable (e.g., food contact, flame rating).
  • Highlight common mistakes and provide guidance on how to avoid them.

Resource Library & How-To Articles

These pieces are written to be bookmarked and shared. We aim to:

  • Assume readers range from engineers and fabricators to purchasing and operations teams.
  • Balance technical detail with approachable explanations, visuals, and summaries.
  • Highlight differences between similar materials (e.g., UHMW vs. HDPE, acrylic vs. polycarbonate, PTFE vs. PEEK) in a straightforward way.

News & Press Releases

Our press releases and news articles aim to be genuinely newsworthy, focusing on:

  • New guides, tools, or resources that make material selection easier.
  • Branch expansions and capabilities that improve local service.
  • Awards and recognitions from organizations like IAPD.
  • Plastics and sustainability initiatives that highlight responsible material practices.

Voice & Tone

We aim for a voice that's:

  • Clear and direct. No buzzwords needed.
  • Helpful and honest. If a cheaper material will do the job, we'll say so.
  • Technically confident, not arrogant. We know plastics, but we also know every application is different.
  • Approachable. It's okay to enjoy talking about plastics. We do!

Our Approach to AI & Automation

We may use AI and automation tools to brainstorm content ideas or organize large volumes of technical information. However:

  • Humans are in charge. Every piece of content is reviewed and edited by Interstate Plastics staff with plastics and applications experience before it's published.
  • We use AI to brainstorm and organize, but all content is written by humans, for humans.
  • We may use AI to enhance clarity, but never to replace expert judgment.

Updates & Corrections

Plastics and advanced materials don't change overnight, but standards, applications, and best practices do. To keep content reliable:

  • High-traffic product and category pages are reviewed on a regular cadence or whenever a supplier updates key specs.
  • Content about regulations, safety, or compliance is prioritized for updates when rules or standards change.
  • Operational details like shipping expectations or branch capabilities are updated when internal processes change.

If you spot something that seems off, outdated, or unclear:

We log and track corrections to continually improve.

How to Reach the Editorial Team

If you have questions about our content or suggestions for new guides, reach out:

  • Phone: 888-768-5759
  • Email emailsales@interstateam.com, christopher.i@interstateam.com, matthew.t@interstateam.com, chris.c@interstateam.com

Ask for the editorial team, and we'll route your feedback to the right person.

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