Michael Braungart and Desso in “Cradle to Cradle carpet collection” Quest
20 March 2008
European carpet manufacturer Desso is looking for environmentally friendly new ways of sourcing yarn, material and colours after linking up with a prominent scientist who will help the company underline and enhance its green credentials.
Desso has started an exclusive partnership agreement with the Hamburg-based Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA) (http://www.epea.com), which was launched in 1987 by German chemist, Professor Dr Michael Braungart. Dr Braungart is famed for developing the concept of “cradle to cradle” design, which stands at the heart of EPEA, and aims at the creation of waste-free products which can eventually be recycled in their entirety to provide the raw materials for new goods.
“Everyone at Desso is very much looking forward to building a fruitful, long-term relationship with Dr Braungart and EPEA,” said Stef Kranendijk, the company’s CEO.
On the Desso's busy agenda of Corporate responsibility, several main topics have been highlighted: developing its first “cradle to cradle” carpet tile collection, EPEA supporting Desso in environmental technologies, advising the company in its corporate responsibility and sustainability programme, and finally upon completion assuring the Cradle to Cradle certification.
Professor Dr Michael Braungart is also very excited about the start of a long term relationship: “By committing themselves to the cradle to cradle production circle Desso will be supporting the good health of the planet and helping to improve product quality and environmental performance via eco-effectiveness.”
Now the company’s new carpet tile collection, will be designed to reflect all the values of the “cradle to cradle” principle. Cradle to cradle replaces this unsatisfactory half-cycle with a full product cycle in which there is no room for the concept of waste. It aims for the perfection of 100 per cent recycling, so bringing benefits for the environment, human health, and for the profitability of companies which move out of the clutches of environmental legislation by doing away with the concept of waste.
Desso recently launched “The Green Book”, a sustainability activity report printed on fully degradable paper sprinkled with wild flower seeds which produced a spectacular display when buried in the garden!
About Dr Braungart: In 2002 Dr Braungart co-authored ”Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things”, which reiterated the call for the transformation of human industry through ecologically intelligent design. Michael Braungart has developed methods for designing environmentally friendly products and business systems. He has also accepted a visiting professorship at the Darden School of Business, at the University of Virginia, where he lectures on topics such as eco-efficiency and eco-effectiveness, cradle to cradle design, and intelligent materials pooling. He also lectures at other universities all over the world.
