Sustainable since 1944
Make more with less
Owning our impact is not new to us.
It's in our DNA.
Around 90% of our entire product range is made from recycled materials. And we'll keep improving.
And we'll keep improving and innovating to make more with less.
Material matters
We started with scrap aluminum. Today there's a lot more to reclaim. All our materials have been carefully selected to have the least possible environmental impact. Most of them are reclaimed or recycled. All of them are chosen for longevity.
Recycled aluminum
Recycled PET (rPET)
Recycled Wood-filled Polypropylene
Wood
Eco-concrete
Reclaimed cork
Carbon Footprint - own your impact
As a manufacturer, we have a responsibility for the products we put out in the market. 'Carbon neutral' and 'carbon negative' sounds great, but the truth is that we all have an impact on the planet. We believe the solution is to minimize our impact in the first place, not only to compensate for it by buying carbon offset credits afterwards. Measuring it is the first step towards reducing it.
What do we measure?
We measure "cradle-to-gate", from the creation of the product to the moment it leaves our factory. Meaning Material, Transportation, Energy & Packaging. We’ve opted for this model because of the challenges linked to providing accurate data for the myriad end-uses that occur after the products leave our factory.
How do we calculate?
We use the 2030 Calculator, developed by Doconomy. Our choice stems from the idea of accessible environmentalism - the idea that anyone should be able to measure and understand carbon footprints, with accurate data depictions and quality results.
How does our footprint measure up?
Although many producers do not yet declare carbon footprints, a typical footprint of a chair ranges from 30-60 kg CO2e. We’re pretty proud to compare our Navy chair (14.88 kg CO2e) to the average, but are still working on improving. The best is yet to come
Proudly made in USA
Our progress
Our work to reduce our impact is forever ongoing. Here are some recent highlights:
Better materials
We have reduced the amount of glass fiber we need to add strength to some of our recycled plastic chairs by more than 15%. Our signature 111 Navy Chair, made of recycled plastic bottles, now contains only 20% glass fiber instead of 35%. That means the recycled content has increased too: with each chair made, we now save even more bottles from landfills. Reduced glassfiber also means less weight, less CO2 and easier recyclability at the end of life.
Less scrap
Over the past year, we have reduced our scrap rate by an average of 50%, thanks to tooling changes and process improvements. Even though we already recycle and reuse all of our aluminum scrap*, less scrap means less energy needed to recycle parts.
*aluminum is endlessly recyclable
Keeping it local
Since Emeco started in the 1940's, we have always made our products in the US. Now we can do even more in our local area: over the past year, we moved some of our supply closer to our factory in Hanover, PA, supporting local craft and the local economy, and reducing CO2 emissions from transportation.
It's on all of us
We can all do our bit to sit more lightly on the planet. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Choose products designed for a long life. Question before we buy. At Emeco, we'll continue to do what we believe is right - "begin with what's left over, turn it into what will last" - and challenge ourselves, and others, to do more with less.
