The new Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel House of Sustainability initiative is designed to assist customers worldwide in enhancing the sustainability of their products.

Customers will find more than 500 sustainable solutions for a comprehensive range of applications in the apparel industry.

Sustainability has been an integral part of business activities since Freudenberg was established and the company strives to minimise the impact of its production processes on the environment (footprint) while helping customers achieve their sustainability goals by offering appropriate products and services (handprint).

“We initiate sustainable programmes at global and regional level and are constantly innovating globally available sustainable solutions,” said John McNabb, Freudenberg Performance Materials CTO.  “Many examples bear witness to our forward-looking efforts. To name just a few highlights, we are, for example, pioneers in recycling PET bottles, and commissioned our first recycling plant back in 1991. We developed the first biodegradable nonwoven interlinings in 1995. And today, we recycle more than 2.5 billion post-consumer PER bottles per year.”

“More and more companies and suppliers in the apparel industry today are actively driving change and transparency in sustainability around the globe,” added Jonathan Oh, senior vice president and general manager at Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel. “As a global leader in apparel interlinings, tapes, canvas and preformed materials, linings and comfortemp thermal insulations, it is important for us to pioneer in sustainability.”

The foundation for the Freudenberg House of Sustainability is made up of four elements:

Certifications & Regulations

Freudenberg is certified to definitive standards. These include BCI, bluesign, C2C Gold, Eco-Check, Global Recycled Standard, Higg Index, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 9001, Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex, REACH and Restricted Substances List.

Raw Materials

Freudenberg uses sustainable raw materials to develop solutions. These materials are, for example, free from environmentally harmful substances (Azo and APEO, PFC), recycled, natural-based or biodegradable.

Technology

Freudenberg uses cutting-edge technologies in its manufacturing processes in order to minimize the impact on the environment, such as energy harvesting technologies, zero liquid discharge, and monitoring systems.

Carbon Footprint

Freudenberg is committed to reducing its carbon footprint worldwide. The company plans to generate some 25% of its sales in the apparel industry from sustainable products by 2025.

Seven pillars

These four elements support seven pillars providing customers with more than 500 sustainable solutions:

-Interlinings made from recycled polyester.

-Interlinings made from 100% polyamide 6.

-Interlinings with an adhesive that reduces the fuse-line temperature. This saves energy during fusing and speeds up the fusing process.

-Thermal insulations and interlinings that are made of cellulose and cotton and are 100% biodegradable in soil. The energy-efficient production process for these interlinings is free from water-endangering raw materials and toxic substances.

-Interlinings made from certified sustainable cotton. Certifications include Cradle to Cradle, Global Organic Textile Standard, Organic 100 and others.

-Interlinings wholly or partly derived from renewable and sustainable sources such as trees, wool, silk, and animal hair such as horsehair.

-Thermal insulations and linings made from recycled polyester.

The House of Sustainability will be launched worldwide over a 12-week period. Each week, Freudenberg will post in-depth information about the elements and pillars on several channels. The complete House of Sustainability will be presented at ISPO Munich 2022.

www.freudenberg-pm.com