Environment
At Instore Agency, we always strive to minimise our environmental impact – our goal is to help our customers do the same. One of the main ways we do this is by manufacturing quality products that can be used time and time again.
RECYCLING AND REUSE
As much as 87% of the material in our plastic hangers is recycled and we have our own recycling centers in Lidköping and at the factory in Gorzow.
We have our own recycling programme that has enabled us, together with our customers, to save over 2,500 tonnes of polystyrene over the last five years. Over the same period, we’ve repaired over half a million hangers in Lidköping.
Recycling benefits not only the environment but also our customers, who are paid for the materials they recycle with us. You can see how the cycle works further down the page.
AWARD-WINNING ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME
In 2016 we were one of three Swedish companies to be nominated for the Recycler of the Year prize at the Swedish Recycling Awards. This is clear proof of the importance of our environmental and recycling programmes, and proof that they really work.
PP BAGS – DURABLE AND REUSABLE
We offer bags made from both recycled polystyrene and 100% biodegradable plastic. Of course, the best thing for the environment is to reduce the number of plastic bags we use. Many people are turning to cotton bags, but the production of just 1 kilo of cotton requires between 10,000 and 17,000 litres of water and a kilo of various chemicals.
Instead of cotton, we recommend our polypropylene (PP nonwoven or PP woven) reusable bags. The bags are made using energy-efficient processes, and thanks to their durability they can be used over and over again. If you want to take things a step further, choose one of our R-PET reusable bags. R-PET is recycled plastic, which makes the bag even more environmentally sustainable. Find out more about our PP and R-PET bags here.
SMART LOGISTICS THAT CUT YOUR COSTS AND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT
Thanks to our wide range of products, you can reduce the number of supplier you use. Furthermore, our smart logistics solutions can help you to minimise the number of deliveries. This not only reduces emissions but also decrease your administrative workload, allowing you to cut your costs. We have suppliers around the world, which means we can manufacture, store, and supply our products close to where you manufacture and sell yours.
ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATIONS AND REGULATIONS
We use 100% green electricity from hydropower for the head office and warehouse in Lidköping. Our factory in Poland is powered by solar energy combined with modern and energy-efficient technology.
We are ISO certified! An ISO 9001 quality management system guarantees an efficient and structured operation as well as a continuous improvement of routines and processes, which means higher security for all our customers and partners. The certificate is issued by an external certification company that regularly checks that we meet the requirements included in the standard.
We are connected to a swedish business producer responsibility called “NPA” and are therefore recognized as a responsible producer for recycling packaging. The current fee is added on plastic bags, paper bags and paper packaging. We charge these fees as separate items for each purchase.
Our suppliers of wooden hangers, paper bags and gift boxes are FSC® certified, which means that the material comes from forests that are managed sustainably to reduce the environmental and social impact, FSC® -C130119.
We also comply with REACH – an EU regulation adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment against the risks that can be posed by chemicals.
Please get in touch to find out more about how we can help your company with your environmental efforts.
Read our environmental policy here
Read our FSC® -C130119 policy here
HOW PLASTIC HANGERS ARE RECYCLED
1.
Customers pack used hangers in special recycling bins that are returned to our warehouse in Lidköping, Sweden.
2.
The hangers we get back are sorted by those that still meet our quality requirements, those that need to be repaired, and those that need to be melted down for new hangers.
3.
A partnership with the Municipality of Lidköping enables us to offer employment to people with disabilities. They work to repair the hangers that can be repaired.
4.
The metal of any hangers that are beyond repair is separated from the plastic.
5.
The plastic is then melted down and the metal is sent for recycling.
6.
The recycled plastic is turned into new hangers that are sent to our customers. The cycle is complete.
