We’ve reached an inflection point with sustainability. Or maybe we should call it a reflection point? 2020 has been a wake-up call for many of us, thanks to the time we’ve spent at home re-examining the “normal” way we live, work and consume. It’s undeniable, for instance, that less commuting and air travel has had a direct and positive impact on the environment. At TenCate Protective Fabrics, we think it’s clearly the moment to shift sustainability efforts into higher gear, and not a moment too soon.
Greener mindsets
Across the board, we see more and more companies becoming aware of their impact on the planet. The garment makers we work with and the end users we’re directly in contact with all tell us the same thing: they want greener protective workwear. In protective workwear tenders, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important deciding factor alongside technical specs, performance and comfort requirements. It carries more weight than ever before.
As the market leader for sustainable protective fabric solutions, we feel responsible to help our entire industry reduce its ecological footprint. This fall, our product management team carried out an ideation session together around the question, “How can we maximise the sustainable content in our product portfolio?” Instead of choosing to operate on auto-pilot with conventional fibres, how can we challenge the status quo and lead the way with new eco-friendly alternatives?
A product idea is already very rigorously tested throughout our development process at TenCate Protective Fabrics. Imagine what would happen if we introduced sustainability as a key consideration right from the get-go. Thankfully, you don’t have to imagine it — we’re excited to share that that’s exactly what we’ve done.
Gaining momentum
The highest-quality, most comfortable protective workwear with the smallest environmental footprint possible — that’s the ambitious goal we’ve set for ourselves with our Ecogreen™ portfolio, which features recycled polyester and sustainably-sourced renewable TENCEL™ Lyocell fibres produced from EU wood. We’re excited to be launching two Ecogreen products soon that will make sustainable protective workwear available for any industry.
From validating life cycle impact with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD®) to pursuing STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification, we’re passionate about using transparency to fuel our momentum towards long-lasting sustainable solutions. After all, the more we help each other move forward, the greater the positive impact we can have on our planet.
Want to be the first to hear when our new sustainable Ecogreen products launch? Or maybe you’re wondering how to go about choosing more eco-friendly protective garments? Reach out to our Product Specialists, they’re always keen to help answer any questions you might have.
