By using a high share of recycled content in its Evolon materials, German firm Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) offers technical packaging textiles with a 35 per cent reduction in carbon footprint. An independent life cycle assessment (LCA) study showed additional benefits such as energy resource savings and lower water use.

By replacing virgin PET with recycled PET, the cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of Evolon packaging textile materials decreased by 35 per cent. This is the result of a study by an independent LCA and eco-design consultancy firm, which made a Cradle-to-Gate assessment of several Evolon products using virgin PET or recycled PET. The study was finalised in 2022 and conducted according to the principles of ISO 14040/ ISO 14044 standards, following the recommendations of the Product Environmental Footprint and the Circular Footprint Formula, according to a press release by Freudenberg.

The study highlighted additional significant benefits on other criteria such as lower water use, reduced emissions into water, lower ozone formation, as well as important savings of minerals, metals, and energy carrier resources. Last but not least, Freudenberg has identified the highest priority areas of work to decrease the material’s CO2 emissions further on.

Evolon microfilament textiles have a small carbon footprint because their manufacturing process uses low CO2 energy sources. The fabrics are lightweight and can be reused throughout entire production programmes. Furthermore, the new Evolon RE fabrics contain up to 85 per cent of recycled PET which is produced in-house out of post-consumer PET bottles.

Evolon textiles are suitable for reusable technical packaging, which eliminate the use of thousands of disposable packaging materials. Evolon fabrics offer scratch-free, lint-free, high-end surface protection for moulded plastic parts, painted parts, and other sensitive industrial and automotive parts during transport. This contributes to lower the scrap rate of parts and provide both financial and ecological benefits.