Sustainability – at the heart of everything we do

Sustainable development can be described as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations.”

The idea of ensuring that future generations will be able to ‘meet their own needs’ is crucial because it would be short-sighted and selfish to only safeguard one’s own generation’s ability to meet its needs.

Sustainability is important for many reasons including:

• Environmental quality: in order to have healthy communities, we need clean air, natural resources and a nontoxic environment
• Growth: we require more resources such as energy, water and space. Sustainability aims to use our natural resources more efficiently to benefit everyone
• Healthcare: Sustainability and healthcare are intricately related since the quality of our environment affects public health. For example, many health issues are directly related to air and water quality

Most businesses don’t have the foresight to look beyond the next quarter, but those that do have realised they probably will not be able to continue to operate their business the same way they do today as they will in 20, 50 or 100 years.

To become a sustainable business there are two key factors to consider:

• Examine if your product or service is harmful to the environment and society
• Reduce any harm your business does to the environment and society, because there is no business to be made on a planet without any natural resources.

It is estimated that a commercial building may have 30-40 fitouts during their lifecycle all producing waste. With commercial buildings producing around 18% of the UK’s carbon emissions, there is an increasing need to interrogate how we can safeguard the environment for future generations and ensure the buildings we develop, and re-fit are healthy places to work.

Considered process, considered materials and considered life cycle

Sustainable Frovi Materials

Cork

• Cork has been used by man for over 5,000 years as its cellular structure makes it a great material for all kinds of applications.
• Cork products are 100% recyclable.
• Cork is a type of bark and is removed every 9 to 12 years without causing any harm to the tree.
• Per KG cork has a carbon footprint of -0.64kg and it has the highest ductility and heat capacity among wood based materials.
• In 2017, we launched our Grow Cork stools which are solid cork.

Felt

• Felt has many beneficial properties such as being fire retardant and moisture proof but we mainly see it being used for its noise cancelling qualities.
• Felt can be pressed into a rigid three dimensional form without the use of any glues or resins.
• By far the most beneficial thing about the felt we are using is the fact it is made with 100% recycled PET. Meaning that plastic bottles are going into products and not into the ocean or landfill.
• In January 2020, we launched Colony which is available with felt panels in a range of different colours and patterns.
• In May 2020, we launched Frovi Safe Felt which reduces bacteria up to 99.9%, is effective against viruses and reduces cross-contamination. Safe Felt uses anti-microbial technology which is effective against a wide spectrum of microbes: this includes bacteria, mould, fungi and even viruses. Completely safe to use in a variety of environments, offering peace of mind to your staff and colleagues.

Rebar

• Rebar has been used in the construction industry for around 150 years and is known for adding strength to concrete.
• Rebar is made with 98% recycled material and comes in a range of sizes. The ribbed patterns in rebar are to increase surface area and help grip to the concrete.
• In 2017, we launched our Foundry range using rebar for all the frame work combined with solid oak for the shelves and coffee table top.

Powder Coating

• Our specially designed powder coatings are cured at lower oven temperatures, which provides many sustainability benefits compared to other powder coating methods, including reduced energy usage and reduced waste generation, lowering our overall carbon footprint.
• We have adopted this strategy to provide many sustainability benefits compared to other powder coating methods, including reduced energy usage and reduced waste generation.
• All Frovi Electrostatic Powder Coating has an Environmental Product Declaration certificate – EPD is an independent and industry recognised body that verifies products which meet environmental and sustainable standards.
• Frovi is the only major global supplier of powder coated products to have the quality of its products third-party verified by an EPD.

Sustainability without compromising on style

We’re welcoming a new era of responsible production at Frovi, and it all starts with our Bamboo range.

Crafted using sustainable materials, including pressed bamboo, connectors made from 100% recycled ocean plastic and the felt we use is a blend of 70% recycled and 30% virgin PET, which is most used in the manufacture of plastic bottles.