How Freudenberg Develops Sustainable Textile Fibers for the Sports Industry

Issues such as sustainability, social responsibility and environmental protection have been on the agenda of the 170-year-old traditional company Freudenberg for quite some time. By signing the United Nations Global Compact, Freudenberg, together with other companies from all over the world, has also made a written commitment to social and ecological action. "The more innovative we are, the more sustainable our own processes and products are. This drives us to curiously explore new ways and thus contribute to a more sustainable future," explains Benoit Cugnet, Head of Global Strategic Marketing.

Since 2007, the company has been increasingly producing interlinings such as wadding, fabric interlinings or nonwovens, which fibers consist of up to 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. Last year alone, Freudenberg processed recycled fibers equivalent to 45 million PET bottles for the worldwide production of interlinings. One example of this is the comfortemp thermal insulation, which is used for clothing in the sports and outdoor area, among other things.

Just a few weeks ago, Freudenberg announced another innovation: with the development of comfortemp Lyocell padding, Freudenberg is launching the first padding made of wood-based cellulose fibers that is completely biodegradable in soil within 60 days. In cooperation with the fiber manufacturer Lenzing, Freudenberg is thus taking another important step towards zero waste. comfortemp Lyocell padding will be launched in January 2020 and will be presented for the first time at ISPO Munich 2020 in Hall A2, booth 404.

For Freudenberg Performance Materials, with 23 production sites in 13 countries and more than 3,600 associates worldwide, the integration of sustainable raw materials into the product range is a top priority. The company's plants are certified to ISO 14001 environmental management standard and follow clearly defined corporate principles and guidelines with regard to sustainable resource management. Since 2017, Freudenberg has also been an official system partner of Bluesign Technologies. As a pioneer in the development of energy-saving adhesive compound technologies, the company has also been able to help reduce the ecological footprint of garment production.