Living sustainably
Coats is working proactively with customers and suppliers to help them improve the sustainability of their products. New products are being developed using recycled materials or that can be reused or recycled by others. In 2018 Coats launched Epic EcoVerde, the first fully recycled premium thread. In addition, a waste management process action plan is being rolled out across all operations.
Leader's Voice
“In recent years, the issue
of resource scarcity has
risen up the global agenda.
Demand for resources of all
kinds is rising sharply due to
both a growing population
and increasing affluence in
emerging economies. Unless
business models change,
growing scarcity and volatility
will have a substantial effect
on business profitability and
resilience. The fact is that we
simply cannot keep wasting
the precious resources that we
have available to us.
Most of the materials we use
are synthetic, derived from
oil. It is simply not acceptable
for us to use this resource
and waste it. We must be
as efficient as we can be,
getting the most out of the
raw materials we use, and
finding ways that we can
reuse or recycle any waste that
we do produce. Or finding
someone else that can. It
makes business sense to be
more efficient and buy less
virgin materials. Moreover, our
customers are asking us about
the origins and recyclability
of our products as they strive
to achieve their sustainability
goals.”
Adrian Elliott
President, Apparel and
Footwear
By 2022, we will reduce our waste by 25% against our 2018 baseline
Reducing our waste
In 2018, we began to roll out a new waste management system across the business. This requires each manufacturing site to identify their sources of waste, develop a detailed action plan to reduce this waste, and put in place processes to collect data and monitor performance.
To assist with the process, we have developed over 20 standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each part of the manufacturing process – for example, spinning and twisting, dyeing and finishing. Each SOP describes the key parts of each process, describing material inputs and expected yields of final product. This provides a useful guide for each business, providing key parameters by which to measure performance and efficiency.
In 2018, we generated 12 thousand tons of waste, excluding packaging waste received from our suppliers, but including all elements of our own waste, including solids extracted from effluent treatment plants. Of this waste, 76% is either reused or recycled and we will continue to increase this percentage. For example, Gotex have recently started supplying their glass fiber and aramid waste for use in other industries, such as furniture making, and reduced their waste to landfill by over 30% in 2018 as a result.
Raw materials
Last year, we used over 138,000 tons of raw materials. Around 96% of our products are made from synthetic, oil-based polymers, from our industrial threads through to our specially engineered yarns such as ripcords, technical yarns for fiber optic cables, medically approved threads and many more. We are increasingly exploring how these materials can be reused or recycled.
The remaining raw materials are derived from cotton and a negligible quantity from other naturally occurring materials or animal derived sources (<0.03%). We understand that there are some important social and environmental issues associated with the supply chains of cotton, and we are supportive of the key global partnerships trying to address these, including the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI).
Although we have very few product lines which derive from animal sources, we have developed a specific policy on Animal Welfare and through our new Supplier Code, expect high ethical business and employment standards across all our global sourcing operations.
We used 29,000 tons of packaging materials in 2018, of which 65% was from renewable sources (62% in 2017) and 63% was made of recycled materials (57% in 2017). Our aim is to continue to reduce the amount of packaging used to protect our products and to use more renewable and recycled materials.
Working with our customers
We recognize that our threads are only a small part of our customer’s products. But because of our close relationship and technical expertise we often work with them to help them achieve their own ambitious sustainability goals.
Our recent acquisition of ThreadSol will accelerate the growth of its service platform leading to significant material savings for customers through improved fabric utilization and reduced waste.
In our Performance Materials business we have developed advanced, high-performance thermoplastic products that are lightweight yet extremely strong for use in the automotive and aerospace industries. This can help reduce the weight of vehicles making them more efficient to run, but that can also be molded it into the right shape and size, so reducing waste during the manufacturing process. They are also recyclable.
We also work with customers to help improve the durability and longevity of their garments or products, particularly when used in stressful environments. For example, Coats Protos has been specifically developed to meet the exacting fire and heat safety standards in many industries including; aerospace, automotive and insulation. It is a 100% para-aramid thread which is stronger than steel and can withstand temperatures up to 450°C as well as extreme stress, making it an excellent choice for safety products and protective garments.
Looking to the future, we are also aware of the role that thread plays in enabling the deconstruction of waste garments for recycling, so we are exploring ways that we may be able to facilitate and speed up the reprocessing process.
Epic EcoVerde: The world's first 100% recycled premium sewing thread
Coats EcoVerde is a revolutionary product range, including Coats Epic EcoVerde and Coats Gramax EcoVerde, featuring 100% recycled premium sewing threads. As the only globally available 100% recycled range of premium corespun and textured sewing threads on the market today, EcoVerde offers the same proven level of performance as the industry’s leading non-recycled threads.
The process begins with used plastic PET drinks bottles being collected from consumers, sorted, cleaned, chopped into flakes and then melted down and extruded into the fiber and filaments from which EcoVerde sewing threads are made. Because it consists entirely of recycled plastic fibers, Coats EcoVerde has a significantly lower environmental footprint than virgin fibers.
EcoVerde offers stronger, more durable, precisely engineered sewing with lower repair rates, lower returns to manufacturer, lower irregulars, and increased productivity. Its property of greater abrasion resistance makes it even more relevant and the preferred choice for sewing. Furthermore, the low shrinkage property of these threads ensures no seam distortion after washing.
We also manufacture recycled metal and plastic zippers, Opti M EcoVerde and Opti S EcoVerde. Furthermore, Patrick Yarns has been producing recycled polyester yarns and garments in a range of colors based on the source of the recycled material, thereby eliminating the need for any additional dyeing processes.
Through our EcoVerde product range, Coats plans to remain an integral part of the recycled thread industry and to work with industry to develop further innovations and collaborations.;
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