WEINHEIM, Germany— May 20, 2021 — Freudenberg Performance Materials has completed the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certification process for its shoe components manufactured in Asia. All Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb sites were certified by Control Union Certifications. The company is therefore an officially-confirmed supplier of sustainable shoe components. These include strobel insoles made of 100-percent recycled polyester. These insoles are lightweight and binder-free, and there is low waste from cutting.
The GRS certification recognizes the share of recycled materials in Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb´s eyelet reinforcements and lightweight strobels. This attestation enables the supplier to support its customers in calculating the total amount of recycled material in their shoes and in creating sustainable solutions. Freudenberg´s GRS-certified materials are widely used by leading global sport brands, especially in running and lifestyle shoes, to support functional strength.
In-house pre-consumer polyester recycling
Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb has been using recycled raw materials in its products since it was established in 1987. The manufacturer is one of the very few technical textile suppliers in the market to recycle polyester waste from its own production processes as pre-consumer recycled polyester, thus ensuring correct recycling records and material quality. Today, all of its materials are made from post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled polyester.
GRS certified products
Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb currently offers certified eyelet reinforcements and strobel insoles made from 100 percent recycled polyester and 87 percent recycled and 13 percent conventional polyester. The company plans to exclusively produce materials made from 100-percent recycled raw materials by 2023. Freudenberg mainly markets the GRS-certified shoe components in South East Asia, but Freudenberg’s global organization enables all customers worldwide to purchase these materials, regardless of the country in which they produce.
Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
GRS is an international and voluntary standard developed by Textile Exchange and managed by the non-profit organization. The standard sets the requirements for third-party certification of recycled materials and the chain of custody. GRS aims to unify the definitions of recycled materials across multiple applications, to verify the contents of recycled materials in textile products, and to provide brand manufacturers and end consumers with a tool to make informed decisions that lower environmental impact.
Control Union Certifications
With its foundation in agriculture, Control Union Certifications has focused its efforts in developing services around the sustainability of the industry’s supply chains which feed into the food, feed, forestry, biomass, bioenergy, social compliance and textiles markets. Control Union Certifications has ‘boots on the ground’ in more than 70 countries.
Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb
Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb is part of Freudenberg Performance Materials, the leading global manufacturer of technical textiles, and was established in 1987 as a joint venture between the Freudenberg Group, the Far Eastern Group and Japan Vilene Company to serve the Asia Pacific region with high-quality spunlaid nonwovens for demanding technical applications. Today, the company operates a well-established sales network including offices in Japan and China and distributors in other Asia Pacific countries. At its production sites, the company manufactures spunbond nonwovens for the automotive, carpet, shoe, construction, filter and other industries.
Posted May 25, 2021
Source: Freudenberg Performance Materials Holding SE & Co. KG
