As part of our continued drive to be a more sustainable business, we have recently partnered with local CIC TeX Innovation to recycle our used workwear and PPE at the end of its life.
Some of the work our companies do require specialist PPE, workwear and protective clothing. These items that would have normally ended up in landfill however, with the help of TeX Innovation, are now being given a new lease of life and made into a range of new items - extending their usable limit. Even turning HI-Vis jackets into dog coats, leads and collars and old T-Shirts becoming wall hanging baskets.
“Recycling PPE has not always been easy,” said Dominic Bostock, Cormac Managing Director and head of the Corserv Group’s Carbon Reduction, Environment and Sustainability Taskforce. “PPE is often made of very complex materials that can’t be recycled in traditional recycling facilities. PPE, uniform and workwear, including corporate clothing, safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, safety footwear, harnesses and Hi-Vis clothing are highly functional in terms of keeping people safe, smart, dry and warm. However, one of the impacts of this essential clothing is that they are more challenging to recycle which is why we’re now working with TeX Innovation.”
Based in Cornwall, TeX Innovation started in 2022 to help to create sustainable communities by working with industrial textile waste and other materials.
“We are a team of people passionate about working with textiles, circular design and engaging grassroots community,” said Harry Deacon, TeX Innovation's Project Leader. “We are passionate about Cornwall's history in textiles and in empowering communities to reduce and reconsider sending waste to landfill.”
TeX Innovation has received 450kg of waste from the Corserv Group since launching the scheme. "Combined with the initial trial that took place a couple of years ago, we have now processed almost a tonne of waste textiles from polo shirts, sweatshirts, trousers, waterproof coats and many Hi-Vis items,” said Harry. “Even steel toe capped boots and safety wellington boots.”
Nationally around 336,000 tonnes of unwanted clothing get thrown away every year. “The good news is that there are lots of simple ways to keep all clothing in use, and out of the bin, added George Bewley, TeX Innovation's Industry Lead. “It’s important that we ensure that unwanted safety equipment is diverted from landfill and re-used in the future manufacturing of textiles, materials and energy generation.”
Out of the items we have given which has been processed by TeX Innovation, all damaged items were shredded to be turned into new products, 18% of items were repaired and cleaned, and was able to be resold as second hand, and 37% is being remanufactured into new products. “We are developing new products with materials hidden within the design,” said Harry. “This will allow more of the waste to be remanufactured, reducing the amount that is being recycled/shredded, maximising future life cycles, and keeping waste at the top of the waste hierarchy.”
“The PPE and uniform recycling project is just one example of Corserv’s commitments to the environment,” added Cormac Managing Director Dominic Bostock. “Through this project, not only are we helping reduce carbon emissions and saving good material from being wasted, but we are also demonstrating to the rest of the industry what is possible when it comes to sustainability and limit our impact on the planet.”
Email: contactus@corservltd.co.uk
