Reducing textile waste and conserving resources
Our circular business model prevents and reduces the creation of textile waste in many ways. Still, textiles are one of our most significant waste streams. Therefore, we have set an ambitious goal to recycle 100% of our textile waste by 2025. Here are three ways in which we ensure that your textile service is maintained with optimised resources:
Using resources efficiently
Aiming for net-zero emissions
Recycling textiles and using recycled materials
1. Using resources efficiently
We optimise laundry processes to reduce the use of water, energy and detergents.
The long lifespan of textiles is key to waste prevention
Our waste hierarchy guides us in handling the eliminated textiles in order of priority.
Waste prevention is at the highest level of the hierarchy. When using materials and products efficiently and for a long time, we ultimately need fewer resources.
Resourcefulness
Manufacturing, transporting, and disposing of products requires resources. By minimising waste, we also reduce the use of resources. Durability can be ensured through good materials, test washes, user trials, and use of reinforcement patches in high-stress areas of garments.
Recycling
The lack of recycling solutions is still a significant challenge where we constantly look for new solutions. Local markets are still in a different development phase regarding recycling solutions, and we must always weigh the benefits of recycling against the burden of transporting waste longer distances.
Reusability
Already in the design phase, durability and recyclability is conisidered. Adjustable features, modular designs, and limited customisations increase the reusability of a garment. Collaborating with suppliers, recycling partners and customers helps us make the most of our textiles.
Regulations
Regulators and authorities are setting requirements and supporting textile waste recycling. For instance, the European Union’s strategy for sustainable textiles requires textiles to be designed for circularity, promoting reusability and recyclability. This helps to drive the industry standards forward.
Repairing
Repairing and cross-using textiles between laundries and customers helps us get more use out of existing textiles. Simultaneously, we avoid producing new garments. In 2023, we repaired more than 4.8 million pieces of textiles. The proportion of discarded workwear was 2.2 %.
Reimagining
Our goal is to be a forerunner in sustainable textiles. Proactively developing better solutions together with our partners is our responsibility, and we are always looking for more sustainable options for our business operations. This ultimately benefits both customers and our climate.
2. Aiming for net-zero emissions
A livable planet for future generations
We have a long history of increasing energy efficiency, optimising our customer deliveries, and reducing the overproduction of textiles, all of which impact our emissions. Committing to net-zero emissions was a natural next step on our journey towards more sustainable services. It supports the common target of preserving a livable planet for future generations.
Many of our customers share the same values and invest in improving their sustainability. Therefore, we believe it is also crucial to our business continuity to provide them with services that help them reduce their environmental burden.
Collaboration with stakeholders
Most of our greenhouse gas emissions are caused in the value chain. Therefore, it is important to engage our suppliers and partners. We encourage setting ambitious climate targets and acting towards them.
Our net-zero commitment drives our supplier collaboration and we discuss the topics with our customers and support their climate targets. From autumn 2022 to spring 2023, we took part in the SDG Ambition Accelerator programme, arranged by the United Nations Global Compact initiative in the Nordics. In this six-month learning journey with peer companies, we focused especially on Sustainable Development Goal 13, Climate Action, and how to ensure business transition towards a 1.5 °C pathway.
Net-zero target approved by the SBTi
Guided by our purpose, we have made a commitment that will guide our decisions for the coming decades. We aim to halve our absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Furthermore, to reach net zero by 2050 across our value chain.
In June 2023, our targets were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. This ensures that the goals are aligned with the latest climate science. Lindström can be considered one of the forerunners and the net-zero target ambitious. At the time of target validation, there were only 260 companies in the world with the SBTi-approved, science-based net-zero target.
Reaching the target requires a lot of work, investments, and innovation. As our own operations form only about a quarter of our total carbon footprint, it’s crucial to work together with stakeholders in our value chain.
3. Recycling textiles and using recycled materials
We strive to recycle 100% of our textile waste by 2025
Not only do we seek to reduce the amount of waste. We also need to decrease the need to use virgin materials. Many different industries can use textile waste as raw material, including the textile industry itself. Our bold aim is to close the loop, using end-of-life textiles as raw material for new textiles.
The recycling rate and the amount of recycled fibre used in our new products vary quite a lot between service lines. As we increase the amount of recycled fibres, we must find a balance that does not compromise their durability.
Bio-based and recycled materials in our textiles
To reduce emissions and provide our customers with more sustainable textile solutions, we are committed to increasing the number of purchased materials using recycled and bio-based fibres to 30% by 2025. Due to the progress made in mats and cotton towel rolls, we seem likely to reach this target.
Making the most of existing materials: 3 examples
HoReCa workwear from recycled materials
Winter workwear made out of plastic bottles
Upcycling old bedsheets to shopping bags
