Well Mike just got a heck of a deal on a used PVC rack, so if you keep an eye out you can find one too...
PVC itself isn't that much more expensive than wood... but it is harder to work with (wood doesn't melt if your cutting speed is too high or your feed rate isn't just right.
Finding a good source of PVC is the hardest part, I would see if you have any sign shops local to you as they usually have sheets of UV resistant PVC. (And they might have the necessary equipment to cut it lol)