Kitchen & Bath Business July/August 2021 - 18

BEHIND THE BRANDS
" Every day is Earth Day for Beko, " said president
Zach Elkin. " It's not just about promoting
sustainability. It's who we are and what we do. It's
about a healthy population and a healthy planet. "
For Beko, this starts with food preservation.
Recently, the company announced that its refrigerators
equipped with its proprietary EverFresh+
and Active Fresh Blue Light technology would
keep fruits and vegetables fresh for 30 days, or it
would buy them back. Th is technology re-creates
photosynthesis conditions at a certain humidity
level to preserve vitamin C and fruit and vegetable
taste.
And once the refrigerator has lived out its days,
it can be recycled. According to brand/product
manager Sazi Bugay, all of Beko's products contain
material that is up to 98% recyclable by weight. All
Beko fridges also come with environmentally safe
foam technology that can be recycled at the end of
the life of the unit.
In addition, its factories reuse all of their water
Cosentino recover 45% of the around 400,000 tons of residual material
produced. In addition, the brand has an in-house water treatment plant
that allows it to eliminate water waste by recycling 99% of the water used
in the industrial process.
" Our products are produced with sustainability in mind, " said Ballucchi,
describing the company's new hybrid technology that uses a blend of
recyclable materials. " It is top of mind across our entire industrial process. "
NATIVE TRAILS IMPROVES LIVES ALONG THE WAY
Native Trails founder and CEO Naomi Neilson says that sustainability is a part
of who she is and what she believes, and for her company, it starts with the people.
" It can be really hard for people who make handmade products to thrive
and grow and prosper, " she said, explaining that their artisans are mainly
located in Mexico, Vietnam and Italy. " Th eir family life and social structures
suff er when they can't make a living doing their art. One of our goals is to
support them in that. "
Th e company not only provides a marketplace for its artisans but also helps
them with infrastructure and growth through microfi nancing projects. Th e
rural areas Native Trails' artisans work in often don't have a clear environmentalism
concept because it is challenging for them just to prosper in poverty.
According to Neilson, supporting social systems is all about supporting the
bottom line. Practices like using biodegradable packaging and FSC-certifi ed
wood in their vanities - as well as solar power and LED lighting in their offi
ces - might be costly up front but saves in the long run.
" It's a beautiful thing to get them past the survival mindset and learn how
to have a lower impact on the earth and do something positive, " said Neilson,
adding that helping artisans see the fi nancial benefi t inspires them to do more.
BEKO'S COMMITMENT TO PERSONAL AND PLANETARY HEALTH
Beko believes health and wellness are inseparable from sustainability. Th e
only home appliances brand to receive the EPA's highest ENERGY STAR
designation every year it has operated in the U.S., the company reached
carbon-neutral production in 2019.
18
/ JULY-AUG. 2021 / KBBONLINE.COM / Th e offi cial publication of NKBA (NKBA.org) and KBIS (KBIS.com)
ABOVE A Native Trails artisan
works on the Precious Metals
Collection in the Umbrian
region of central Italy. Photo
courtesy of Native Trails
BELOW Beko's EverFresh+
technology guarantees that
fruits and vegetables will stay
fresh for 30 days, cutting back
on food waste and enhancing
wellness.
- even in its testing facilities - and the offi ces and
factories are sustained by solar and wind power.
All global production facilities are self-sustained
when it comes to energy production. Renewable
energy resources are used to generate enough
power to sustain everyday productions.
Th e company is now focused on minimizing
their packaging as well, which is particularly diffi
cult for appliances that are normally protected
by foam.
" Next is the fi ght against plastics, " said Bugay.
" You will be hearing a lot on that from every sector. "
Sustainability is at the forefront of everyone's
mind these days, so it's important for brands to
keep innovating and fulfi lling the requests of consumers
and design professionals.
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Kitchen & Bath Business July/August 2021

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