Sustainable waste management stems from a comprehensive strategy that includes all waste streams
Having a waste management program in place is of major importance. This includes characterisation, minimisation, collection, treatment, recycling, reuse and disposal. It also implies having a waste policy and deploying thorough education programs.
Reducing waste
It’s our ambition to reduce and eventually eliminate all waste within our production process. Our waste management starts with the prevention of waste and the monitoring of all flows using the 5 Rs methodology of waste management: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle. We want to be the best in class when it comes to Environmental Management Practice and to be the benchmark in the field of technical textiles and PPC.
To go circular, first go vertical – waste reduction is key
We’re set on reducing waste within the entire value chain, starting with the ones we own. As a vertically integrated company, our impact is greater because we can detect waste from yarn to finished product. There’s a saying: “to go circular, first go vertical”. Vertical integration helps us to close the loop on our products because we have greater control over their lifecycle.
Beyond Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
We’re set on applying circular practices that go beyond the traditional 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and even beyond the newer 5 (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle) and lower environmental impacts. We’ve added a 6th: Rethink. Our campaign: “design for” - Design for Resource Efficiency, Repair, Long Service, Reuse, Disassembly and Recycling – is ground-breaking.
Packaging with purpose
We’re set on making our packaging more circular and resource-efficient. In line with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), we continuously work to reduce unnecessary packaging, improve recyclability and increase the use of recycled materials. Many of our Protective Clothing items, for example, are packed in polybags made from 100% post-consumer recycled LDPE. Through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, we also take responsibility for packaging and textile products placed on the markets where we operate.
Sustainable development goals
The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.