46 Resources and raw materials Our “ Poseidon” fabric demonstrates our strengthened commitment to the circular economy and to addressing one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time – the pollution of the oceans by plastic waste. The yarn of this fabric is made from 100% recycled polyester, which includes plastic waste from the sea. Plastic waste is collected and recycled by the approved partners of the SEAQUAL INITIATIVE organisation. This gives rise to SEAQUAL YARN which contains approximately 10% upcycled marine plastic (plastic waste from the ocean) and 90% post-consumer PET from land sources. A further addition to our 2023 fabric collection is “ Grain” fabric which comprises 92% recycled post-consumer polyester content. In our premium upholstery finishes we also offer several leathers made from European cowhides including an all-natural nappa leather that has been tanned using sustainable olive leaf extract. By switching from a multi-layer to a single-layer cutter for fabrics, and from manual to digital leather cutting, the Endingen site has not only been able to reduce the quantities of materials cut, but also save a considerable amount of time. The objective for 2023 is to ascertain and evaluate our offcut quantities on a month-by-month basis with the help of specialist software; something which has not been possible to date. In 2023, employees working in our cutting shop will deepen their knowledge and acquire new skills in a comprehensive “ Cutting optimisation” workshop. Small leather remnants are already reused in the shoe and bag industry. A solution for fabric remnants is yet to be found. During our procurement process, we insist on environmentally friendly packaging solutions from our suppliers. The majority are reusable containers and packaging, which we return to our suppliers in each instance. The materials comprising any disposable packaging are collected by type and then recycled or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. Girsberger products are delivered either by our own furniture transport vehicles or by forwarding companies that specialise in furniture transport. This enables our furniture to be shipped with significantly reduced packaging. Seating furniture is usually only covered by a light PE bag. On our aluminium star-shaped chair bases, the spokes are protected against scratching by a protective stocking made of foamed PE. In contrast, we use cardboard, PE foam film and PE bubble film as edge and surface protection for our tables and auxiliary furniture items. Thomas Gasser Leather Packaging material Ecology
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