19 Towards a sustainable profitability
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Product development and materials
New Wave Group has a long experience with design and product development . This is always the first step towards sustainable products – regardless of whether it concerns garments or famous crystal art . Our products should keep high quality to enable longevity , which is one of the most important things we can do to cope with the environmental strain caused by a linear industry .
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS Natural materials are often seen as a good choice before synthetic as they are biodegradable , which means they don ’ t contribute to plastic waste or microplastic pollution . But if we include other aspects like energy use and emissions of greenhouse gases , water use , chemical , land use , ocean acidification , overfertilization or biodiversity , the image becomes more complex . Add social aspects and working conditions and it becomes even harder to navigate , even with the best intentions . With other words , natural materials can sometimes be more sustainable than synthetic , but not always . Perhaps the biggest advantage of synthetic materials in garments is that the fiber is usually stronger than natural ones and maintains its quality very well after use and washing . It ' s also easier to design waterproof materials .
At the end of the day , it is also about developing products for requested function and intended usage , so that they are actually used . A product never used can never be sustainable . For example , consider a bottle , which is a common product for product media . If the bottle should be easy to bring with you during exercising , then perhaps a heavy glass bottle may not be the best alternative , even if glass has many advantages as such . So instead of filling a purpose , the bottle is left at home .
QUESTION ! Which materials are the most sustainable ?
There are no easy and general answer to what fibers or materials are the most sustainable . All materials have advantages and disadvantages from a sustainability perspective . Impact on people and planet must be assessed from a life cycle perspective , that is how much impact the product has from raw material to use , reuse and recycling .
- Anni Sandgren , CSR and Sustainability Manager ,
New Wave Group
All production has impact on the environment , we will not get away with that . Regardless of which material – natural or synthetic – we have a responsibility to use the resources as wisely as possible . In the following pages we present some examples of materials we use that come from smarter and well-balanced processed .
However , remember : A product that never leaves the shelf in the warehouse and that is never used can never be sustainable , no matter how well thought out the choice of material .