Sioen PPC launches a high-visibility sustainable collection
Sustainable garments collection
‘Protection through innovation’ is one of our company’s values. For Sioen these are not only words, we also want to actively carry out this value and act on it. That is why, over the past few years, we have been doing research on sustainability in the textile industry and now we are developing a sustainable high visibility protective clothing collection.
Launching a sustainable collection does not only entail using recycled fabrics. It is more than that. Equally important is the design of a garment, which is why we not only focus on resources but also on the design of the garment. Sustainability, however, is not only about sustainable products. It all starts with the bigger picture: corporate social responsibility. As a company we want to be sustainable on multiple levels.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Sioen Apparel has chosen STeP by Oeko-Tex® as a CSR label for a number of reasons. Oeko-Tex® is internationally well-known in the textile industry and it has more than 25 years of experience. Sioen already works with the Oeko-Tex® 100 certificates and it is a multidisciplinary label with a good benchmark score. The STeP certification addresses the reduction of hazards and risks across the entire textile production chain with the goal of increasing sustainability, quality and resource efficiency of factories.
Design for resource efficiency
We try to limit the use of new raw materials and, where possible, we use recycled raw materials, such as R-PET or renewable bio-based raw materials. These fabrics carry the standard 100 label by Oeko-Tex®, meaning that the fabric is harmless for human health.
Design for disassembly: reusability and recycling
It is important to optimise the recycling of raw materials so that they can replace virgin materials. Already at the concept phase we take the end of life of the product into account. We do this in order to optimise the recycling of raw material at that stage. This means that some smart material choices have to be made. When designing a piece of clothing easy disassembly should be taken into account. For instance, our garments are made with special yarns to enable a fast disassembly. That way, it is easier to separate zippers and studs from fabrics. By making garments easier to disassemble, the industry will be more inclined to reuse parts and create something new out of it.
High-visibility sustainable collection
In a first phase, we will launch three sustainable garments: a rain jacket, a softshell and a polo shirt that all comply to ISO 20471 class 3. The main fabric of those garments is recycled polyester and they are designed with the previously discussed guidelines in the back of our minds.
As the mindset of the industry and consumers is constantly evolving towards a more sustainable society instead of a throwaway society, Sioen will more and more invest in sustainable clothing collections.