A push toward greater sustainability is at the top of most industries’ priority lists, but for Sunbrella, sustainability has been a way of doing business. In fact, reducing waste and doing the right thing for our environment are principles that are woven into the very fabric of the business. Here are some of the innovative ways Sunbrella continues to embrace sustainability.
Sunbrella yarns on the loom at Sunbrella’s Anderson, SC plant, where manufacturing meets international standards for reducing environmental impact.
MINDFUL MANUFACTURING
As a vertically-integrated brand, Sunbrella drives optimal product quality consistently with greater control over multiple stages of the production process.
- We work closely with manufacturers to develop and source the highest quality proprietary raw materials.
- Sunbrella engineers work with fiber suppliers on proprietary formulations.
- Our skilled technical experts, along with a trained sustainability team, ensure sustainable manufacturing processes are used in many steps of the fabric production cycle.
Textile waste is inevitable for manufacturing facilities. That’s why Sunbrella is doing its part to be resourceful and find meaningful ways to turn waste into something unique and beautiful.
Here are some other important programs and initiatives at Sunbrella:
- Long-Lasting Fabric Drives Less Waste
Fabrics that don’t meet high performance standards have predictably shorter life spans. Sunbrella is dedicated to engineering fabrics that ensure you are getting a product that lasts longer and needs to be replaced less often, creating less waste. In any environment, Sunbrella products hold their color and strength, outlasting traditional fabrics. - Zero Waste to Landfill
No Sunbrella manufacturing facility in the world sends waste to a landfill. Over the last year alone, our U.S. facilities have recycled nearly 2.5 million pounds of textile waste. - Wastewater Reduction
Sunbrella fabrics are solution-dyed. Unlike conventional coloring processes, solution-dyeing reduces wastewater. - Solar Power
Glen Raven, the parent company of Sunbrella, owns and operates solar arrays at the plants in Anderson, South Carolina and in Norlina, North Carolina. They collectively generate 1.5 megawatts of energy–capable of producing enough energy to power over 150 homes.
Sunbrella is proud to manufacture in the U.S. with plants in North and South Carolina.
WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN
Some textile waste is inevitable for manufacturing facilities. That’s why Sunbrella is doing its part by transforming discarded fibers into Sunbrella Renaissance yarns to create recycled upholstery fabrics containing up to 93 percent recycled content.
Fiber recycled through the Recycle My Sunbrella Program is turned into usable eco friendly fabrics with the same performance standards as standard Sunbrella fabric collections.
Want to recycle your fabrics?
Join us in our sustainability efforts by recycling your Sunbrella fabrics. Recycle My Sunbrella is a take-back program providing an alternative to disposal of fabric waste. Visit recyclemysunbrella.com for more information.
SUSTAINABLY FOCUSED CERTIFICATIONS
- GREENGUARD Gold
Sunbrella eco friendly upholstery fabrics are GREENGUARD-certified for low chemical emissions, contributing to healthy indoor air quality. - STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®
Most Sunbrella upholstery fabrics have been tested in an independent laboratory to verify they contain no harmful substances according to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® (19.HUS.73033 HOHENSTEIN HTTI). - ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management
Our Anderson manufacturing facility has been third-party verified to meet the ISO 14001 Environmental Management standard, an international standard for organizations to reduce their environmental impact. - Facts Silver
Sunbrella Contract fabrics have been independently certified by UL Environment for Facts Silver certification. These fabrics meet the NSF/ANSI 336 standard, a multi-attribute sustainability standard for contract fabrics.
A behind the scenes look at the making of Sunbrella performance fabrics from fiber to fabric. Color is woven throughout the fabric with sustainable manufactured yarns.
To learn more about how Sunbrella fabrics is pursuing environmental stewardship and sustainability, follow us on social @Sunbrella.
