SUSTAINABILITY
Loloey takes sustainability seriously. We have been looking at our environmental footprint as a business, and have taken steps towards a greener future. We aim to reduce the impact of our company’s operations on the environment and commit to promoting sustainability and environmental awareness at all levels.
YARNS
We make great use of natural fibers and we encourage our clients to use them whenever possible. Natural, biodegradable yarns are the easiest way to achieve sustainable consumption. There are, however, further options available to clients who want their projects to be as sustainable as possible: recycled PET yarns, recycled wool and Econyl®.
NATURAL YARNS
Wool is a key component (80%) of our Axminster carpet and features heavily in all our other carpet typologies. Every year, sheep entirely regrow their wool fleece, providing a sustainable supply of high-quality raw material. This yarn can stand up to the heaviest of foot traffic due to its naturally existing crimp, providing built-in resilience and structural integrity. It also requires less-intensive cleaning than synthetic fibres due to its natural stain resistance, extending the carpet’s life.
While all carpeting has an impact on noise pollution, wool over synthetic product further absorbs sound, reducing its impact.
Wool can be used to create products that are renewable, reusable, and recyclable. As a result, it can contribute to a project’s certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program in two Materials and Resources (MR) credits: Rapidly Renewable Materials and Low-emitting Materials.
Silk, bamboo silk, felt and linen are further fibers that we use in carpets, which are all natural and biodegradable.
RECYCLED PET PLASTIC YARNS
For outdoor area rugs we also offer recycled PET plastic. Single-use plastic bottles disposal have long been an issue, increasingly under the spotlight for the pollution it creates, particularly in the ocean. In our efforts toward a plastic-free future, we now also offer our clients hand-tufted area rugs for outdoor made from recycled PET. Used plastic bottles are washed, flaked and extruded to produce high quality polyester (PET) fibers. This 100% recycled fiber is then spun to produce exceptionally soft PET carpet yarn.
RECYCLED WOOL
For clients who are committed to sustainability, we have recently introduced a new option: the use of recycled wool in Axminster carpet. With our bespoke system (patent pending), we can utilize up to 50% of recycled yarn whilst guaranteeing the same full quality and color brilliance as ever. With this new technology, the circular economy seamlessly enters the manufacturing of brand new carpet.
In addition, our expert team is able to minimize carpet overage through carefully planned seaming diagrams, ensuring production quantity is kept at a minimum.
ECONYL®
DYES
We exclusively use dyes that are internationally certified as respecting the environment. Our dyes meet the Green Label + standards.
All the colorants we use comply with The Ecological and Toxicological Association of Dyes (ETAD) recommendations such as reduction of heavy metal impurities in organic dyestuffs and pigment preparations. They don’t contain AZO Dyes nor Aminoazobenzene.
In addition, for a natural and “raw” look, we offer rugs and carpet in 100% unbleached and undyed wool. Using the beautiful and varied colors of natural breeds of sheep, our wool rugs display rich, refined patterns.
The natural color of the yarns used in our hand-knotted and hand-tufted rugs is obtained by separating the wool through the age-old artisanal hand carding technique.
MANUFACTURING FACILITIES
We have a wastewater treatment plant in our dyeing factory, so that the wastewater only reaches river water level after serious treatment. After its treatment, it meets the more severe national Sewage discharging standards.
In addition, our mills are equipped with systems to purify the air treatment as well as dust collectors in workshops.
FREIGHT
Our freight forwarder of choice for the USA is a registered SmartWay partner with the EPA. The EPA’s SmartWay program helps companies advance supply chain sustainability by measuring, benchmarking, and improving freight transportation efficiency. This program provides a comprehensive and well-recognized system for tracking, documenting and sharing information about fuel use and freight emissions across supply chains.
Through the SmartWay program, our freight forwarder is provided the opportunity to align with carrier partners that are part of the program as well. Each year it provides SmartWay data that measures its metrics and efficiency performance, that allows it to compare to its peers and see how its efforts affect results year over year. Currently our freight fowarder has a ranking over 90.
CERTIFICATIONS
Our rugs and carpets have received the most rigorous environmental certifications:
Green Label Plus for Indoor Air Quality
The carpet industry has a long history of creating products with a variety of benefits, especially for indoor air quality (IAQ). The Carpet and Rug Institute has launched Green Label Plus programs, which set high standards for indoor air quality and ensure that the products included in the certification are the lowest emitting products available.
GRS Global Recycled Standard for PET area rugs
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS), developed by Control Union Certifications is a voluntary, comprehensive international product standard that establishes requirements for certification of recycled materials, chain of custody, social and environmental responsibility practices, and chemical use restrictions.
ISO 9001 – Quality Management
ISO 9001 establishes the criteria for a quality management system. These standards are based on quality management principles, including a strong customer focus, motivation and involvement of top management, a process approach and continuous development.
ISO 14001 – Environmental Management
ISO 14001 establishes the criteria for an environmental management system. These standards ensure that environmental impact is continuously measured and improved over time.
ECO-FRIENDLY OFFICES
We are ramping up our efforts to make our Milan headquarters more environmentally friendly with several initiatives. One of them has been replacing our use of bottled water with the Grohe Blue Professional system. We now have – both still and sparkling! – water direct from our office kitchen faucet, and have abandoned the plastic bottles.
