Sustainability all the way
Most of the environmental impact of our safety shoes is already determined in the product development process. Through smart solutions in design and carefully selected materials, we can save the Earth’s resources. At our offices in both Kumla and Brazil, product developers and buyers work to develop products with stringent requirements for safety and function, while also ensuring the least possible environmental impact.
Choice of materials
The materials we choose to use in our shoes play a major role from a sustainability perspective. Finding materials that are both better for the environment and also meet our stringent safety requirements is a challenge. That said, we want to do what we can, and we have only just set out on our journey. We take part in future developments by specifying requirements for our suppliers through our Chemical Requirements and our Code of Conduct.
Below is a list of components that we have switched to variants with recycled material, while at the same time of course specifying the same requirements for safety and function.
Recycled materials
InsulationIn our winter shoes and in some heat-resistant shoes, we use PrimaLoft® Bio™ as an insulating material. PrimaLoft® Bio™ is a synthetic fibre insulation produced from 100% recycled consumer waste, and it is also developed to be totally degradable through natural processes in nature.
Heel cushioning
The heel cushioning applied in 90% of our shoes is purchased from a supplier that uses 100% of its own residual material in manufacturing. The product is certified by the Global Recycling Standard as a 100% recycled product.
Heel cap
The heel caps in our shoes consist of 30% recycled residual material from the supplier’s own production.
Textiles
When we choose textile materials or insulation, it is of the highest importance to us that they are of high quality and functionality. We also prefer the textiles to comply with and be certified in accordance with one of the following standards:
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is one of the most globally recognised product safety certifications in the textile industry. It means that the material that has been tested meets high human ecology requirements, i.e. does not contain chemicals at levels that are harmful to health.
BLUESIGN®
The Bluesign® standard only covers materials that are manufactured responsibly in terms of the use of resources and impact on people and the environment. By choosing materials with this certification, such as our Prima Loft-Bio insulation, we know that they meet our strict requirements for health, environment and safety throughout the production chain..
Leathers
All leather used in our own production is purchased in Brazil from tanneries certified by Leather Working Group in their gold category.
We choose to work with leather suppliers who, as far as possible, can report traceability throughout their supply chain, and who are actively working to become even better at this.