Talking about sustainable development from recycled fiber carpet
At the annual Heimtextil home textile exhibition held in Frankfurt, Germany in early 2024, all exhibitors went all out to display their latest home furnishing textiles, carpets and other related products that they carefully designed and produced. The most eye-catching phenomenon is that manufacturers of all sizes posted various certifications of recycled fibers in the most eye-catching position of their booths to promote the launch of related recycled fiber products. What is the reason for this? Let's find out!
The first person I thought of to ask about this topic was Mr. Hendrik Masquelier, the global senior manager of Lagole Carpets. He replied: "The issue of carpet textiles coming from sustainable raw materials is indeed a major trend in the European home furnishing industry in recent years. Large European interior decoration chains such as Zara Home have begun to sell only products made from "natural or sustainable" raw materials. Several large home furnishing chains in Scandinavia and Germany are also paying close attention to this trend and are ready to follow up. In general, you will see more and more recycled fiber carpets with the "Green Recycled Fiber Label" on Lagole Carpets in their product lineup."
Lagole Carpet is indeed a model student in the industry. Its contribution to energy conservation and carbon reduction is not only reflected in the high-quality carpet products it produces, but also in the details of each level at its corporate headquarters and production base in Waregem, West Flanders, Belgium, which follows the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The following are just a few of its important actions and their results:
Sustainable Development Business
Sustainable development is a strategy that promotes growth while using resources efficiently. It takes into account the immediate and long-term well-being of the environment and people.
The three pillars of our sustainable development business are:
- Environment: Reducing waste and carbon footprint while maximizing energy efficiency helps reverse negative impacts on the environment, such as pollution and global warming.
- Economic: Efficient and responsible use of resources leads to long-term profitability and business viability.
- Social: Focus on employee safety, health, diversity and inclusion initiatives to support the creation of a self-sustaining, healthier community.
The United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals: Peace, Dignity, Equality on a Healthy Planet
Power supply
Lagole Carpets produces about 26% of its electricity needs from solar panels on the factory roof. The remaining 74% is purchased from other energy suppliers, which also come entirely from renewable energy such as wind and solar.
Lagole Carpets generates about 26% of its own electricity, from solar panels scattered across the factory roof.
Purified water
Zero (0.0) liters of water are contaminated during the carpet production process and all excess latex residues are reused.
Total water usage for daily operations and maintenance (including toilet use):
- Self-collected rainwater: 1.744 cubic meters
- Tap water: 2.081 cubic meters
The headquarters in Waregem collects rainwater in approximately 650,000 litres of underground tanks.
Minimize land use
The large natural pond in front of the factory is not only an ideal foraging place for migratory birds [waterfowl such as sea snipe and northern shovelers in winter, and the pond bank covered with bushes and reeds in spring is the real breeding ground, and tufted ducks are one of our frequent visitors]. Through the mini nature reserve, the 14th underwater life and the 15th land life in the United Nations' "Sustainable Development Goals" have been achieved.
The large natural pond in front of the plant is an ideal feeding place for migratory birds
Textile waste → Automotive industry
All textile waste generated during the production process, such as fabric edge scraps, is recycled and processed into thick insulating cloth. This insulation is reused in the car's dashboard, doors and roof to act as sound insulation.
Recycling and processing textile waste into thick insulation fabrics for the automotive industry
Recycled packaging materials
Our clear plastic bags contain 30% recycled content and the paper tubes used to roll our low-pile rugs, such as the Palace Silk or Brighton Flatweave, are made from 100% recycled cardboard.
Transparent plastic packaging bag contains 30% recycled content
Use recycled materials
By reusing existing resources, we reduce the need for virgin resources, waste and the associated energy consumption to create new materials. We aim to use recycled materials whenever possible to develop new products. Imagine a PET bottle becoming fibre and yarn for a carpet, a realm where creativity meets sustainability.
Recycled PET bottles → shredded and melted into raw materials → extruded into yarn → woven into carpets
Global Recycled Standard
GRS has 3 main goals:
- Harmonize the definition of “recycling” across different programs.
- Verify recycled content in products.
- Providing brands and consumers with a way to make considered purchasing decisions.
GRS has other goals:
- Reduce outputs that have harmful effects on humans and the environment.
- Ensure products are processed in a more climate-friendly way.
- Encouraging a higher percentage of recycled content in products.
From 2024, every carpet produced by Lagole will be accompanied by the above certification mark
European Environmentally Friendly Textile Standard (Oeko-Tex Standard 100)
All Lagole carpets are tested to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 without exception. To achieve this, the carpets undergo very rigorous testing in independent laboratories every year. With the "Standard 100" printed on the carpet label, you can be sure that each component of the carpet has been tested for harmful substances and is therefore completely harmless to human health. In the tests, the independent laboratories take into account numerous regulated and non-regulated substances that may be harmful to human health. In many cases, the limit values of Standard 100 exceed national and international requirements.
Natural Fibers - Wool
Every year, Lagole Carpets is committed to using 100% natural and fully sustainable raw materials. [We value the welfare of animals. That's why we are proud to say that our wool is exclusively sourced from producers who use harmless collection methods (no muses). The wool we use is a blend of 50% British wool, known for its fluffiness, and 50% New Zealand wool, known for its long fibers, strength and softness]. Wool is biodegradable, and as people pay more and more attention to protecting and maintaining the natural ecology, wool carpets have become an excellent choice for floor coverings.
Wool is a natural, biodegradable fiber
Natural Fiber - Bio Viscose
Eco Rayon is made from wood pulp fibers purchased from sources that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and follow strict protocols that allow for traceability throughout its journey from source to finished product. Its production uses low water usage, has low greenhouse gas emissions, and of course the product is 100% biodegradable.
Eco-rayon is made from wood pulp fibers purchased from sources with certified forest management
Natural Fibers - Better Cotton
Better Cotton is the world's leading cotton sustainability initiative. Its mission is to help cotton communities survive and thrive while protecting and restoring the environment. Raglan Carpets purchases cotton from official Better Cotton Members in good standing and exchanges traceability units with them.
Better Cotton Members' mission is to help the cotton industry survive and thrive while protecting the environment.
Other goals to be achieved
Lagole Carpet encourages all employees to ride bicycles to work and provides substantial subsidies. This is not only good for the environment, but also for the health of employees. Fewer parking spaces also means more unpaved open space.
Lagole Carpet focuses on diversity, ergonomics, environmental safety and employee mental health. It employs employees regardless of race, gender, or orientation. This is reflected in the fact that more than 20% of the employees are new Belgians (born abroad), and the ratio of male to female employees is 60:40....
