VAUDE Makes its Way Towards Becoming 100% PFC-free

VAUDE is determined to completely eliminate the use of ecologically harmful fluorocarbons (PFC) from all of its products. With the upcoming Spring/Summer 2018 Collection, the outdoor outfitter has taken another major step toward achieving this goal: All textile materials in the apparel collection are now fully PFC-free. 

VAUDE’s achievement in this area was anything but a given. Over ten years ago when VAUDE made the decision to eliminate the use of harmful materials –and PFC in particular – the company was a lone wolf in the industry. PFC was the standard technology for water-repellent finishes and also a very convenient and cost-effective solution. Consequently, interest in developing alternative solutions was low. In addition, public awareness was also very limited. But these facts didn’t discourage VAUDE. “In view of the serious environmental impacts caused by PFC, our only choice was to eliminate it completely,” said Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO. Since that time, VAUDE has been striving toward the elimination of PF at all levels.

Waterproof apparel with PFC-free membranes
The first step in 2011 was to give all VAUDE waterproof apparel PFC-free membranes. The membrane is a thin layer that keeps water out and is breathable at the same time. PFC is still required for the production of most conventional membranes.

PFC-free water-repellent gear – a feat of strength 
In the next step, VAUDE set itself the goal of eliminating the use of PFC for all water-repellent finishes. A finish is a surface treatment that causes the water to bead up on the outer surface of a textile. Without this waterproofing, also called Durable Water Repellency (DWR), the outer material would absorb water and create a clammy feeling. However, this presented VAUDE with great challenges: Until then it hadn’t been possible to produce waterproof finishes without PFC, that actually worked well causing water to pearl up. So VAUDE set to work with material suppliers and the chemical industry to find alternative solutions; its influence as an individual mid-sized company, however, was small. It wasn’t until Greenpeace launched its Detox Campaign in 2012, drawing attention to the global spread of PFC in the environment and lambasting the outdoor industry, that things began to change. The pressure that Greenpeace was exerting on outdoor brands also reached the chemical industry. From that point on, suppliers began to seriously consider PFC-free alternatives.

The chemical supply industry had to change direction, develop new standards and build competencies. In order to move forward as quickly as possible, VAUDE initiated close cooperation with all parties involved in its supply chain as well as with competitors. “We organized round-table discussions and joint exchanges with our suppliers to determine the right formulas and the optimal processes for new finishes. Because each individual material – each individual color even – reacts differently and this technical expertise first had to be jointly developed,” said Antje von Dewitz.
VAUDE also conducted extensive research itself in order to develop testing methods and standards that were then given to the suppliers. These were assessed by VAUDE in the company's own laboratory as well as in field tests. At times, materials that passed laboratory tests failed in field testing. When that occurred, planned production had to be cancelled and tests had to be rerun with other alternatives. With considerable time and effort, more than 300 fabrics with various PFC-free finishes were tested to ensure that VAUDE’s high performance requirements for waterproofing were met. “This is what our customers expect from a rain jacket, no matter how environmentally friendly its production,” said Antje von Dewitz. As a result, the outdoor outfitter succeeded in its transition to ever more products with PFC-free technologies; these are summarized under the name “VAUDE Eco Finish.”

All apparel fabrics PFC-free
Following VAUDE’s transition to 100 % PFC-free production of water-repellent apparel such as softshell jackets and trekking pants for the Summer Season 2015, the phase out began for all outer fabrics for waterproof products such as rain jackets and rain pants. With the launch of the Spring/Summer 2018 Collection, all apparel fabrics are 100 % PFC-free, made with Eco Finish and the next major milestone in VAUDE’s voluntary commitment to the Greenpeace Detox Commitment has been reached ahead of schedule. VAUDE voluntarily undertook the elimination of all harmful substances from the entire supply chain by 2020 at the latest. The only exception: to date there hadn’t been PFC-free alternatives for waterproof zips in high performance products from suppliers. Starting in summer 2019 VAUDE will be one of the first outdoor manufacturers to phase out its use here as well.

VAUDE is working hard to make its footwear, backpacks and tents PFC-free. However, the transition is extremely complex, as these consist of numerous components from many different suppliers. Nevertheless, VAUDE has made considerable progress – 96 % of backpacks and footwear are already PFC-free – and the company is confident that it will reach its target of 100 % by 2020.
“For us, the PFC phase-out for our apparel fabrics was an enormous feat of strength. We mastered this challenge by years of working with our partners from the chemical industry and our material suppliers focusing strongly on the solutions themselves as well as on process reliability and by carrying out countless tests. I am very proud of the fact that today, we can show that it is possible to offer PFC-free alternatives without our customers having to forego important functionality.” said Antje von Dewitz.

“VAUDE has taken the PFC issue seriously from the beginning and has now set a very ambitious timeline to eliminate these hazardous chemicals by 2018 from its entire supply chain. VAUDE is one of very few outdoor manufacturers that is committed to Detox and is consistently following this path with all its challenges. This is a true pioneering achievement that requires a lot of commitment and perseverance”, explained Chiara Campione, Senior Corporate Strategist at Greenpeace.

The VAUDE milestones to its elimination of PFC 

• Winter 2011: PFC-free membranes 
• Summer 2015: PFC-free water repellent apparel 
• Summer 2016: all sleeping bags PFC-free 
• Summer 2017: first PFC-free backpacks and tents 
• Summer 2018: all apparel fabrics are PFC-free 
• Winter 2018: 96 % of backpacks and footwear are PFC-free 
• Goal for 2020: all VAUDE products will be 100 % PFC-free 

All VAUDE products with PFC-free Eco Finish 
https://www.vaude.com/en-INT/Products/Eco-Materials/Eco-friendly-Water-Resistance/

PFC-free rewaterproofing service
http://help.vaude.com/impraegnierservice-per-post/

References to PFC in the VAUDE Sustainability Report: 
http://csr-report.vaude.com/gri-en/news/pfc-free.php
http://csr-report.vaude.com/gri-en/product/water-repellent-materials.php
http://csr-report.vaude.com/gri-en/news/VAUDE-announces-Greenpeace-Detox-Commitment.php

VAUDE Newsroom: http://www.vaude.com/en-GB/press/

Sustainability Report: http://csr-report.vaude.com/

VAUDE makes functional and innovative products for mountain and biking sports activities. As a sustainable innovative outdoor outfitter, VAUDE is contributing to making the world a better place so that the people of tomorrow can enjoy nature with a clean conscience. In doing so, the family-owned company sets ecological and social standards worldwide. VAUDE (pronounced [fau’de]) stands for environmentally-friendly products made from fair manufacturing. At the company headquarters near the southern German town of Tettnang, the company employs approximately 500 people.

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VAUDE Completes Environmentally Friendly Supply Chain Project

The large scale “Environmental Stewardship in the Supply Chain” project has just finished a two-year run and the mountain and bike sports outfitter VAUDE is reporting positive results. The pilot project, which was partially financed with grants, was aimed at educating Asian suppliers on the issues of environmental protection, energy stewardship and emissions management.

Supply chains in the textile industry are often long and complex. An outdoor jacket consists of about 50 different components, which are made by suppliers and delivered to a production facility that then assembles the jacket. These suppliers were the focus of the pioneer project “Environmental Stewardship in the Supply Chain”, which VAUDE launched in 2015 to establish high environmental standards and maximum resource efficiency in this part of the supply chain as well. “We want to create transparency throughout the entire supply chain and, for each individual component of our products, achieve the greatest possible certainty that it was made with fair and environmentally friendly production,” said Antje von Dewitz CEO, describing the motivation for the project.

Together with external experts for occupational safety, quality management and environmental management at Arqum, training and workshops took place over a period of two years under the motto “helping people help themselves.” The project was designed and directed by Bettina Roth, Head of Quality and Chemicals Management at VAUDE. Employees from management and production organization at eight suppliers participated in a series of six units. In addition, individual consultations were carried out on site during 36 factory visits altogether to develop tangible improvement measures.

At the end of May 2017, VAUDE CEO Antje von Dewitz made a week-long trip to Asia to get a firsthand look at the project's successes and to present all participants with a VAUDE Award for goal achievement at a final event. “I am delighted that the project has brought so many measurable results and sustainable improvements for our partners, for us and for the environment. It shows that with collective determination, an ideological goal can be professionally implemented when we succeed in convincing the participants of the importance of the issues.” she concluded.

Tangible Results

Thanks to the voluntary participation of our largest suppliers, 80% by volume of the primary materials and lining fabrics that VAUDE uses are already covered by the pilot project. Participant's appreciation for the project was enormous because they quickly recognized the benefits and specific improvement opportunities on offer in the very practical workshops. In exchanges with other participants, the know-how mediated by VAUDE and the experts at Arqum could be directly put into practical action. “The enthusiasm during the workshops was really contagious and went even so far that, recognizing not only the significance and benefits of sustainability issues within their own processes, the participants also want to raise awareness of their suppliers as well,” said Bettina Roth. Overall, there are already a total of 100 improvement measures regarding technology and organization undergoing implementation. All suppliers were invited to the final event in Taipei (Taiwan) where each of the eight participating companies presented its best practices to a large audience.

These measures have led to the conservation of 550 metric tonnes of waste, 5,500 m³ of water and 18 million kWh of energy. CO₂ emissions could be reduced per year by about 5,000 tonnes. Not only did the environment profit, but also the factories themselves – they saved on the cost of energy, resources and materials amounting to an average of 50,000 euros per year. “The results are impressive and show quite clearly that a factory's commitment to sustainability also pays off in financial terms. With this project, we could also demonstrate that with coordinated and partnership-based collaboration, the demanding requirements within the industry can become more efficient and be addressed more effectively than by many isolated, individual measures,” said Jens Haubensak, Managing Director of Arqum GmbH.

Reductions were achieved through measures such as insulating pipes, shutting down hydraulic pumps when not in use, introducing LED lighting, using energy from solar panels and heat recovery as well as modernizing obsolete systems. In addition to an increase in energy efficiency, measures for occupational safety and the improvement of working conditions in the factories ­– such as translating safety instructions into the local languages as well as training on the issues of protective work clothing and chemical handling – were covered. The most important achievement was the introduction of a professional chemicals management system for many of the participating factories. This primarily covered issues such as the automation of processes as well as storage, transportation and disposal of chemicals.

What Will Follow?

“Our goal is to roll out the project over the next few years for all material suppliers,” said VAUDE CEO Antje von Dewitz. “In addition, we want to win over our competitors and industry association so that they’ll work together with us to promote the issue,” Bettina Roth added. But that is still not enough: As a founding member of the “Alliance for Sustainable Textiles” VAUDE is using this project as a role model for best practices which could provide momentum for the entire textile industry. The “Environmental Stewardship in the Supply Chain” project was promoted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and financially supported by the German Investment and Development Company (DEG) under the auspices of the “develoPPP.de” program.

The VAUDE Sustainability Report: http://csr-report.vaude.com

Learn more about the pilot project:

http://csr-report.vaude.com/gri-en/news/Sustainable-Supply-Chain

http://csr-report.vaude.com/gri-en/environmental/suppliers

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VAUDE CEO Antje von Dewitz Receives Merit Award

Antje von Dewitz, CEO of the outdoor supplier VAUDE, was honored with the Order of Merit from the Minister President of the state of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, on Saturday, May 6th. As the Minister President, Winfried Kretschmann, stated at the Mannheim Palace: "Every community urgently depends on exceptionally committed people, such as those being honored today, because they are so actively involved. Because they think ahead and outside of the box. Because they raise their voices and speak out on the behalf of others."

Antje von Dewitz was one of twenty-two to be honored this year. The judges were clear in their reasons for her commendation: "She has clearly been able to build on her father’s success with innovative spirit and conviction, as well as a sustainable, fair and environmentally friendly business approach. Furthermore, her keen instincts, farsightedness, and great sense of responsibility for society and nature distinguish her." "I am very proud to have received this award," the dedicated entrepreneur stated at the ceremony in Mannheim Castle. As the managing director in second generation of the family-owned and run company in southern Germany, she accepted the order: "Such an award for civic engagement is important and naturally it makes me proud because it validates what we are doing. The ceremony was very touching and I really feel honored to be amongst such interesting personalities, who received the Order of Merit with me."

VAUDE focuses on social and ecological commitment
Under Antje von Dewitz, the outdoor manufacturer VAUDE has consistently pursued a path of sustainability and social management, which has now been successfully implemented in all areas of the company. A leadership culture of trust, a 40 per cent share of women in management positions, an outstanding commitment to refugees within Germany, and the company's own organic canteen are just a few examples of how responsible entrepreneurship becomes visible. VAUDE has received numerous prizes for the company's dedication to sustainable and environmentally friendly business, including the German Sustainability Award in 2015 and the recently received European Business Award.

About the Order of Merit
The Baden-Württemberg Order of Merit – also known as the "Merit Medal" until June 2009 – is conferred by the Minister President for outstanding contributions in the state of Baden-Württemberg, especially in political, social, cultural and economic sectors. The number of people who can receive this honor is limited to 1000 living people.

All sections of the population and all areas of the state are equally considered for the honor. The redesigned Order of Merit is a stylized cross with a medallion in the center, on which the greater state coat of arms with the lettering Baden-Württemberg is depicted. It is worn on a folded ribbon in the state colors. Instead of the order, a black-yellow rosette or a miniature can be worn, which is also awarded. In addition to the insignia of the order, the order recipient receives a Certificate of Award signed by the Minister President.  Prominent awardees of the past have been the soccer player, Sami Khedira, the former Mayor of Ulm, Ivo Gönner, and the cabaret artist, Christoph Sonntag.

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VAUDE Receives European Business Award for Sustainability

VAUDE, the outdoor specialist, was awarded the European Business Award in "Environmental & Corporate Sustainability" on May 4th, and recognized as one of the eleven best European companies. Lisa Fiedler from VAUDE’s CSR team proudly accepted the award at the honors ceremony in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Of the more than 33,000 participating companies, VAUDE was able to win over the jury of experts at the end of a long selection process. As VAUDE CEO, Antje von Dewitz, stated: "This award shows that with our holistic concept of environmental protection and sustainability, we are sending important signals far beyond our industry." VAUDE has already garnered numerous awards, including the prestigious German Sustainability Award in 2015, as Germany's most sustainable brand. That is now followed by this international recognition of the company’s consistent alignment with ecological and social business practices. The award underscores how far the company has proceeded on the path of sustainability and reaffirms its position as Europe's most sustainable outdoor brand.

VAUDE has consequently focused its operating procedures and business activities on promoting environmental friendliness and sustainability throughout the company. Since this decision, it has proven that socially and ecologically responsible business principles can also be economically successful. The company's sales performance is consistently above the industry average. Products are manufactured under strict environmental and social standards according to the Green Shape label. VAUDE publishes an annual sustainability report in accordance with GRI guidelines and is climate-neutral at the company's headquarters on Lake Constance. "Through the EBA, we have been able to once again confirm that our philosophy of sustainability is an economic success factor.” Antje von Dewitz, proudly commenting on receiving this accolade from such a high caliber, international panel of judges stated: “I am very pleased to have been chosen for this award among such a strong international group of candidates. The award for this outstanding performance goes to our whole team, because sustainability is teamwork and a lot of people in the company are involved in this effort.”

VAUDE directs the course in the selection process
Of the 33,000 participating companies from 34 countries, 636 were nominated as "National Champions". In addition to VAUDE, 30 other companies representing Germany were included. In the next round, each national champion submitted a video presentation in a Public Voting process. VAUDE presented itself with the English version of the film "Der Grüne Faden" (The Green Thread). In the subsequent procedure, the company made a personal presentation before an expert panel of judges, which was extremely interested in VAUDE’s sustainability strategy and its practical implementation. At the same time, an independent jury selected 110 companies among the European Champions that were honored with the "Ruban d'Honneur" award. VAUDE also received this award.

About the European Business Award
The European Business Awards (EBA) recognizes and rewards best practices and innovation in excellent companies across Europe. The main objective of the largest European competition is the development of a successful economic community in Europe. Leading representatives from business, academia and politics from all over Europe sponsor the awards, which were awarded for the tenth time this year.
Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards, explains: "These companies show innovative spirit, ethical behavior and financial success, and are brilliant examples of the growth potential of European companies in a competitive global marketplace."

Further information on the European Business Awards:
http://www.businessawardseurope.com
Link to the video "The Green Thread" (VAUDE Philosophy)

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VAUDE Receives Soul@Work Award

On March 20 the mountain sports outfitter, VAUDE, was honored with the “Soul@Work Award” for its success in putting into practice the company’s culture of trust. Each year, individuals or companies who take preventative measures to ensure psychological wellbeing in the work place are honored with this award. At the award ceremony in Kloster Eberbach, Pater Anselm Grün presented the award to Miriam Schilling, VAUDE Personnel Manager.

VAUDE was selected by the panel of experts in the category, "Mid-size companies up to 5,000 employees". The culture of trust at VAUDE is based on a positive view of humanity and the belief that people are inherently motivated to contribute their skills and achievements. "This way of working creates a good climate in which you feel comfortable and can develop freely. It also helps that we have very dedicated employees who enjoy taking on responsibility. This benefits all of us as a company," said Miriam Schilling. One sign of the high level of employee satisfaction at VAUDE is its low turnover rate, which is far below the national average.

Culture of trust as a factor of success

To remain successful in the dynamic competition of the outdoor industry, VAUDE counts on its employees seeing themselves as able to take action and developing a willingness to make decisions. To promote these skills, VAUDE offers a variety of training courses and workshops for all employees. Through all levels of its hierarchy, VAUDE motivates employees to take on responsibility, to reassess existing structures and contribute their own ideas.

"Our culture of trust requires a great deal of dialogue, which often means putting effort into building relationships. But it's worth it. We are creating the basis for collaboration which is appreciative and creative," said Miriam Schilling. At a time when companies must respond more quickly to new challenges, innovative and flexible employees are an important success factor.

About the "Soul @ Work Award"

The "Soul@Work Award" is given out annually by the initiative "Stark wie Bambus" (Strong like Bamboo), which is made up of individuals and companies. Founded by the author Katharina Maehrlein, the initiative’s goal is to raise awareness of senior executives, human resources managers and those responsible for health promotion in terms of mental health in the workplace. With the "Soul@Work" Award, businesses or individuals are honored in five categories for their innovative approaches to the development of health-promoting measures by a panel of experts consisting of representatives from politics, business, church, sports, philosophy and other fields.

More at: http://soulatwork-kongress.de/

More about VAUDE as an employer:

http://csr-report.vaude.com/gri-en/social/vaude-in-germany.php

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New Vaude Production Facility Focuses on Sustainability

VAUDE’s new specialized production facility at its company headquarters in southern Germany, VAUDE Manufaktur, doesn’t look like a typical industrial building with its warm-toned, blond wood façade.  The new 2-million euro production plant built by the outdoor outfitter began operation at the beginning of the year. The role that sustainability plays in the facility  – as in the surrounding buildings – is unmistakable. Plenty of natural wood and energy-efficient strategies ensure a comfortable, healthy working space. 42 employees have finally returned to the VAUDE Manufaktur at the company headquarters and are thrilled with the space. Due to a major fire in 2015, production had been temporarily moved to a rented production plant. Approximately 100,000 bike bags and backpacks are made in the 1,800 m² factory – utilizing craftsmanship that meets highly technological standards. VAUDE will continue to expand its “Made in Germany” production, which is growing by about 20 percent annually.

"We have deliberately chosen to strengthen production at our company headquarters and to invest in a new, highly specialized production facility which represents our values, our roots and our core competencies. We are proud of our "Made in Germany” products which are in high demand around the world," said Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO. "We are also pleased that we can once again show the visitors on our company tours our own production facility as a highlight. Interest in the facility is enormous."

Since 1980, VAUDE has had its own production plant at its headquarters in southern Germany. Starting out with the production of backpacks, it now primarily manufactures waterproof panniers as well as urban bags and daypacks for the VAUDE segment, Packs ‘n Bags.  After the former production plant was severely damaged in 2015 due to a lightening strike, VAUDE decided to build a new, larger facility at the headquarters in the face of strong growth of its “Made in Germany” products.

"Made in Germany" - environmentally friendly and long-lasting

At its Tettnang headquarters, VAUDE manufactures high-quality, long-lasting products featuring 100-percent waterproofing using high frequency welding methods. Each product is handcrafted on special machines involving about 20 steps. The craftsmanship of these products can be seen in the smallest details throughout the process which involves cutting pattern pieces, HF welding, sewing, quality control and packaging. To leave the smallest possible ecological footprint, production is 100% climate neutral and EMAS eco-certified. VAUDE completely sustains from using environmentally harmful PVC that is found in conventional tarpaulin. Instead, the company uses alternative materials that are environmentally friendly and just as waterproof. In terms of sustainable product development, VAUDE already takes the product’s lifespan and minimization of material waste into account at the beginning of the design phase. Last year, VAUDE initiated a refugee project that used material waste to make shopping bags. This initiative was so popular that it is now responsible for an entire product line. Future upcycling projects are certain to be exciting.

A VAUDE Classic – the Aqua Series

At the same time that the VAUDE Manufaktur began operation, the Aqua pannier line is heading into the new season with a complete re-launch. "Made in Germany" quality is what this successful VAUDE classic stands for.  Aqua panniers made of durable, PVC-free, absolutely waterproof tarpaulin materials are reliable companions for any biking adventure, be it large or small.

Ecological wooden construction for well being

As with its recently remodeled headquarters, VAUDE has attached great importance to a comfortable working environment, excellent lighting and a cafeteria in the new production facility. To achieve its goals, VAUDE decided to build a wooden structure rather than a standard industrial building. "Vorarlberger Holzbaukunst," (Austrian wooden architecture) emphasized Erwin Gutensohn, Head of Finance at VAUDE. The building will soon feature a “green” roof contributing to biodiversity. LED lighting, triple glazing and high quality insulation all ensure high energy efficiency. "We are pleased that we can offer an exceptional working environment for our employees and that we are once again all reunited," said Antje von Dewitz.

VAUDE "Made in Germany"

1980    VAUDE begins production of backpacks and bags at its Tettnang location in southern Germany.

1990    VAUDE begins manufacturing 100% waterproof panniers and introduces high-frequency welding methods. 

1999    VAUDE launches the successful Aqua bike bag series to the market.

2015    Major fire in the VAUDE production facility

2017    The newly built VAUDE Manufaktur facility begins operation        

VAUDE Sustainability Report: http://csr-report.vaude.com/

More about VAUDE Made in Germany: http://csr-report.vaude.com/gri-en/product/Made-in-Germany.php

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