We take care of the environment
The ecological sustainability of products and manufacturing is important to us. As our production gets more efficient, we pay more and more attention to the energy consumption and environmental impacts which we figure in when selecting raw materials and chemicals as well as our working methods. The waste generated by our production processes is handled and sorted in an approriate manner. We are currently enhancing our operating methods for monitoring the environmental impacts of production and other business operations. The materials used for products are tested regularly. We also obligate our subcontractors and other partners to commit themselves to shouldering their environmental responsibility.
Designers and the other people working in the product development process also do their bit. Every effort is made to figure the environmental impacts of materials and recyclability as well as lifecycle issues into design. The choices made can influence the lifecycle environmental impacts of the product.
Our head office has a WWF Green Office badge. We have drawn up an environmental programme for the office and set targets for reducing environmental deterioration. Efforts are also made to take environmental aspects into account when new retail outlets are built.
Environment
We recycle
In accordance with our environmental programme, we try to avoid producing miscellaneous waste and we take care that our recyclable waste goes to recycling. Among other things, our head office and textile printing factory recycle paper, cardboard, metal, biological waste, computer waste, and energy waste. We also recycle hangers and wood from pallets.
Our printing process does not cause any wastes which are hazardous or harmful to health, but from time to time there is a certain amount of solvent and oil waste which results from servicing equipment; the further disposal of these is arranged appropriately. Chemicals, chargeable batteries, fluorescent tubes and disposable batteries are sent to a hazardous waste processing plant after use.
Off-cuts from fabric are used to make new products, such as those universally loved purses. Grade II fabrics are used for products like fabric bags and woven rag rugs.
For our product packages, we pay increasing attention to ecological sustainability. We avoid overpacking and we aim to make packaging materials recyclable. We believe our packagings are so beautiful that they can be used for gift packages without alteration.
Energy and water
Energy
In our activities, we seek to conserve energy by improving production methods and by investing in energy-efficient machinery and equipment. We upgraded a significant part of our textile printing factory’s machinery and equipment in the period 2004–2008. At the same time, we began monitoring our energy consumption with even greater precision than before. The new printing press and screen making equipment are also state-of-the-art technology.
Heating
We have succeeded in reducing energy consumption by streamlining our production methods. Our textile printing factory’s waste heat recovery system has enabled the use of energy from production to be reused to heat the manufacturing premises to a large extent. This saves on heating energy, particularly during the winter months.
Direct natural gas heating is used to generate heat for the production process. Natural gas improves energy efficiency and reduces atmospheric emissions.
Water consumption
The world has a limited amount of water. The water consumption of our printing process is minimised by recycling water where possible. The wastewater from the textile printing factory goes first to sedimentation basins where solid waste – like thread ends – is separated from the water. Thereafter the water is pumped into the city’s sewer network and processed by the wastewater treatment plant. The water quality is monitored regularly.
The chemicals we use are safe
In textile manufacturing processes like bleaching, dyeing, printing and finishing, substances are used which are important to the textiles’ looks and attributes. With the exception of finishing agents, most of the substances are washed off after dyeing or printing. Our textile printing factoryreleases no toxic emissions into the atmosphere as we use no volatile solvents.
We investigate, monitor and test the chemical contents of our products. We are downstream users of chemicals, and we purchase our production chemicals from European manufacturers and importers who, under the EU’s REACH regulations, are obliged to register the chemicals with the European Chemicals Agency. Our suppliers may also use only chemicals permitted by the EU. Most of our products are made in EU countries, which have legislation largely identical to that in Finland.
Our products have always been tested by ourselves or our suppliers. You can read more about the safety and ecological sustainability of our products here.
