Aquila brand and their parent company hand protection products manufacturer Taste International have announced a programme of evaluation and planning to deal with the recycling and energy issues around manufacture and use of industrial gloves
This announcement comes following the removal of one-time PVC packaging from their supply chain.
Already, Aquila gloves minimise these issues by offering longer lifetimes than competitors - by virtue of their quality and cut glove weave technology which enables some 14 washes without loss of protection. To simplify this, Taste International are studying the possibility of low-energy bulk laundering for large quantities on a collect basis.
Factory production processes, of course, are under environmental pressure where it is possible to use renewable energy and to recycle wastewater to a level of zero pollution.
Typically, industrial gloves are an intimate mix of cotton, polyester and nylon – so the programme will look at re-use and recycling – with an awareness of launder-and-match possibilities for large-scale consumers and use of chopped/shredded material in insulation, soft stuffing, packaging, reconstituted panels and similar. Other reclaim processes include carding and re-weaving or mechanical /chemical reduction to components for re-use.
Recycling of mixed fabrics is a global issue for the clothing industry, and as market leaders in the glove industry Taste International are looking to work with the worldwide Aquila distribution network and third-party service partners to ensure that personal health and safety remains compatible with the health and safety of the planet.
