Specialty Fabrics Review November 2022 - 45

We go that much further to certify the
fabric carbon-neutral. All the inputs-
transportation, energy in manufacturing,
waste, etc.-are calculated in the impact
and then offset with the wind power and
ocean cleanup projects. "
Becoming climate-neutral is not an
easy or cheap thing to do, says North.
" It's a lot of manpower to go through
each one of our products and figure
out the carbon footprint. We make a
thousand different products in these
facilities each year.
" But we're keenly interested in
keeping the environment clean and that's
important to key customers-sailors,
hikers, mountaineers, wind surfers, hang
glide pilots, " he explains. " We understand
our customers appreciate it. Certainly, it's
not the cheapest way to make fabric. It
costs a lot to do what we're doing, but it
provides value to our customers.
" People appreciate us going the extra
distance, reducing our impact where
we can, and doing all these calculations
and audits, " he adds. " We have a small
office here, but an office full of sailors
and people who enjoy the outdoors. We
want to go the extra mile to make sure
we can be as clean as possible. "
The cost of renewables
Switching to renewable energy seems
like a good way to avoid exposure to
the sort of extreme price increases in
electricity and natural gas experienced by
companies in the U.K. and EU this year
due to Russian sanctions. Germany has
been hit particularly hard, with energy
prices rising tenfold in just the last year,
forcing many factories and businesses
to shut down and sparking fears of a
deep recession. However, despite using
100% renewable electricity, DimensionPolyant's
facility in Germany has still
been subject to those same massive
increases in costs for electricity, which is
tied to the price of natural gas.
In fact, according to North, the rate
of increase in renewable electricity
mirrors the increases in fossil fuelbased
sources-meaning the renewable
power is not any cheaper than fossil
fuel sources. " Renewable power is
still limited in supply, in relation to
fossil fuel sources, " he says. " Someday,
when there are millions of wind
turbines and many thousands of acres
of solar arrays, there may be a glut
of renewable electricity which would
push the cost to the consumer lower. "
But regardless of the cost, says
North, " we believe it's the best way
for the ethos of our business, and of
course, the environment. "
At Glen Raven, Oehmig says:
" Sustainability is a central value that
defines our culture and determines
the footprint of our products. All
Sunbrella® fabrics are created with
the utmost thought and care for the
environment and our communities
while being fundamentally engineered
for a long and useful life, meaning they
need to be replaced less often.
" Renewable electricity is a choice
we can now make, " he adds. " It's an
important part of our decades-long
commitment to reducing our impact
on the planet. "
Jeff Moravec is a freelance writer based
in Brooklyn Park, Minn.
" It costs a lot to do
what we're doing,
but it provides value
to our customers. "
Taylor North
Dimension-Polyant Inc.
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Specialty Fabrics Review November 2022

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