Our commitment to environmental protection and occupational health and safety

Freudenberg Performance Materials develops pioneering and sustainable solutions to create better global living conditions. We promote social interaction and protect the environment at all our locations.

Sustainable production

At Freudenberg Performance Materials, sustainability is an integral part of the entire product life cycle: from the use of raw materials and energy in production through the use of our products by the customer, right up to final disposal. We not only comply with international standards – we aim to exceed them. We pursue the overarching objective of achieving the lowest possible CO₂ balance. One example of how we do this is developing products based on recycled materials that are free from harmful substances such as AZO colorants, formaldehyde and APEO. In the process, we have set new standards in the industry. This also includes strict compliance with REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals), the GHS regulations (Globally Harmonized System), Freudenberg’s internal FSS7 standards on chemical safety and other relevant guidelines.

Further examples of sustainable production:

PET bottles used as raw material

Freudenberg Performance Materials recycles PET bottles and uses the flakes produced as a raw material in the production of nonwovens for the construction industry. At our Italian locations in Novedrate and Pisticci Scalo as well as in Colmar, France, we recycle literally billions of PET bottles. This makes us the largest user of recycled PET flakes in the European construction industry.

Compostable and biodegradable Interlinings

Front-fusible interlinings are characterized by their high volume, extreme elasticity and low weight. They are specifically designed for men’s apparel. The front-fusible interlinings are manufactured using recycled PET fibers in a particularly efficient production process. Some polyester spunlaid nonwovens based on our proprietary technology are also made from recycled PET and are used for buildings.

Some of our interlining fabrics for apparel are compostable and biodegradable.

Occupational health and safety

Excellent products can only be produced in an environment in which the highest standards of occupational health and safety are observed. For this reason, the prevention of occupational accidents and work-related illnesses is our top priority.

One example of our comprehensive commitment in this area is the Group-wide initiative “We all take care”, which was launched in 2002. Its goal is to increase employee awareness of work, health and environmental protection. As a result of “We all take care”, we have been able to significantly reduce accident rates across our operations, for example. Each year, with the “We all take care” Award, the Freudenberg Group pays tribute to employees whose involvement in the initiative has shown particular success, progress and exceptional performance.

Classic Wovens