In the world of apparel the only constant seems to be change. You can be sure this year’s Big Thing–the one style everybody and his brother wants to wear–is going to be completely out next year.

Anyone want to take a bet on v-necks for men?

But there’s another unchanging aspect to the apparel industry that’s really a good thing for everybody: a growing commitment to sustainable manufacturing.

A sign of this is the expanding membership of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. The coalition is an industry-wide group of over 80 leading apparel and footwear brands, retailers, suppliers, nonprofits, and NGOs working to reduce the environmental and social impacts of apparel and footwear products around the world.

It’s easy for companies to put a recycling bin in their break rooms and call themselves green. It takes a lot more courage to commit to measurable progress. That’s why the focus of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition is the Higg Index. It accurately measures the environmental performance of apparel products. And future versions will include footwear products and measure social performance.

We’re proud to say that our parent company the Tiong Liong Corporation is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition along with some of our favorite clients like Nike and New Balance.

Take a look at the current membership of the coalition.

And when you buy, be sure you’re supporting those companies that have the commitment–and taken the risk– to make a real difference.

The post Putting Their Money Where Their Mouth Is appeared first on Ariaprene.

I have a friend who once worked in an appliance parts warehouse. The work was OK, except for when he had to restock items in the section with all the belts and hoses. The smell was so bad, it often gave him a headache and made feel a little nauseated.

What he was experiencing in technical terms was the outgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), toxic ingredients and adhesives used in the manufacturing of the synthetic rubber parts. And fumes are more serious than just a bad odor. The Federal EPA recognizes VOCs as a serious source of indoor air pollution, which can be a health hazard.

If you Google other synthetic rubbers such as those used in wetsuits and the word “odor,” you see all kinds of comments from surfers and divers who post things like: ‘Why does my equipment still smell bad after I’ve been using it for two years?’

Traditional synthetic rubbers cause the same problem for sports and medical equipment, fashion accessories, any other item that’s worn close to the skin and ends up near the wearer’s nose. It’s unpleasant and not very healthy.

That’s why, when we designed Ariaprene, we felt it was important to offer a toxic-free product from ingredients to adhesives. So to the end user it would be odor-free and toxic-vapor-free.

In other words, there’s nothing bad to smell.

The post That Smell By Any Other Name Would Still Be Bad appeared first on Ariaprene.

If you recycle your old electronic items like computers and stereo gear, there’s a good chance they’ll end up back where it was manufactured–in China. There it’ll be disassembled and many of the new parts recycled into new electronics.

Ma Tianjie, a spokesman for the Beijing office of Greenpeace reports, “According to United Nations data, about 70% of electronic waste globally generated ended up in China.”

Out on the street corners of the country’s major manufacturing district, thousands of people spend their days tearing apart computers and other electronics, separating out components according to their value. These reclaimed parts are then sold to major electronics manufacturers who will recycle them into new products.

That’s great, right?

Not exactly.

This cottage-industry recycling results in a large amount of toxic pollution. Some comes from unsafe processing, like burning electronic circuitry, or washing them with hydrochloric acid to recover valuable metals like copper and steel. According to CNN, these workshops contaminate workers and the environment with toxic heavy metals like lead, beryllium and cadmium, while also releasing hydrocarbon ashes into the air, water and soil.

The answer, of course, is simple. Make consumer products with “the end” in mind. Design them so that toxic processes aren’t required to recycle them. And keep them toxin-free so there’s nothing to poison the environment when they’re broken down into reusable components.

But carrying out the answer is difficult and can be costly. That’s why at Ariaprene our mission has been to enable manufacturers to create high-performance products that won’t be a source of toxins at the end of their life cycle.

Being green means planning to be green from the beginning.

                           Toxin-free Ariaprene scraps ready for recycling

The post Reduce, Reuse, Recycle . . . Rethink: It’s Time We Advance Beyond The 3 R’s appeared first on Ariaprene.

You may not think a lot about athletic elbow sleeves. But if you’re a basketball player and you trust Nike to give you the highest-performance and most comfortable piece of equipment–we think the Nike Pro Combat Elbow Sleeve is the best option!

And you’re going to get even more than high performance.

Traditional synthetic rubber has been the go-to material for supportive devices in both medical and sports applications. It’s because this “wet suit” type material is a good insulator, which can stretch and compress, while still offering excellent support. One downside to this material is all the toxins contained in synthetic rubber foam as well as the amount of waste generated in production.

Nike, a company committed to the highest level of sports performance and a leader in sustainability, has chosen Ariaprene alternative synthetic rubber for a number of their products, including their Pro Combat Elbow Sleeve.

They say, “Lightweight Ariaprene material keeps the muscles warm while supporting the joints. Strategically placed mesh for breathability and excess heat release. Contoured design for freedom of movement. Elastic binding combined with silicone grip for optimal fit. Abrasion resistant for added protection.”

Many people view sustainable materials as requiring some kind of sacrifice, such as performance or durability. However, there is a growing trend of products that offer not just sustainability benefits, but improved performance benefits as well.

Using Ariaprene helps Nike achieve its sustainability goal. As they say, “It’s not just about getting better at what we do – addressing impacts throughout our supply chain – it’s about striving for the best, creating value for the business and innovating for a better world.”

The post A Friendly Elbow From Nike appeared first on Ariaprene.

You’ve heard the saying “a little competition never hurt anyone.” It’s never been more true than for environmental practices among major fashion brands.

It used to be that a manufacturer could call their product “green” if some small component was marginally earth-friendly. For instance, the cardboard box would be made from 10% recycled materials.

But now we’ve entered the phase where consumers are much better educated about the impact of their favorite products on the environment. And they want to choose the brand that incorporates meaningful sustainability.

In response companies like Vans now offer products that are sustainable from beginning to end. Their new Surf Collection is made with recycled materials, biodegradable water-based glues and inks, and 100% hemp textile. And when they make the outsoles, they recycle the scraps on-site and reuse them in other shoes.

Fashion retailer H&M has just launched the Conscious Collection, made from sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and Tencel. The launch coincides with H&M’s global recycling initiative, which allows customers to bring unwanted garments from any label to select H&M stores and in return for each bag of garments, receive a 15% off voucher. Fewer clothes go to the landfill.

Of course, for these companies to have “sustainable” sustainability initiatives, their green products have to be good quality. But with some ingenuity and a commitment to try new materials, the result has been environmentally friendly products that are as good or better than the alternative. It’s certainly the path we’ve taken with Ariaprene.

It’s helping true sustainability to become the new normal.

The post Looking Green & Fabulous appeared first on Ariaprene.

For many of us the name Jacques Cousteau is synonymous with exploring the amazing ecosystem under the waves. For many years Jacques and his son Phillipe produced documentaries of these discoveries for the TV series “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.”

Now Phillipe’s son (Jacques’ grandson) is bringing attention to the unseen world of our oceans and waterways. Unfortunately, this time what he’s finding isn’t good.

Philippe Cousteau Jr. says that toxins found in everyday items are getting into our water supply through our the kitchen sink, bathroom, laundry room, gutters and storm drains.

According to Environmental Working Group research, more than 500 products sold in the U.S. contain ingredients banned in cosmetics in Japan, Canada or the European Union. Many of these ingredients and the toxins they contain are being absorbed, inhaled or ingested into our bodies. To make matters worse, many of these toxins are then rinsed or flushed down the drains in our homes and find their way into our waterways and drinking water.

It’s a problem that doesn’t just affect the environment, but the health of everyone.

We believe strongly that it’s our task as consumers to require better products that will reduce this toxic waste. Biodegradable shampoo, dish soap and laundry soap are perfect places to go eco as they are basically sent immediately down the drain.

But when you start to think about all the products that are thrown away too, from broken flip-flops to out-of-ink pens, to that neoprene sleeve for the much larger, much slower laptop computer that you just upgraded – well it’s time we thought about the waste and toxins from not just the manufacturing side, but the end of product lifecycle.

Those toxins that break down have to go somewhere and it’s either back into the ozone layer, or carried away by rainwater back into our rivers and oceans.

It’s time to create smarter and buy smarter so we can help keep the sky and sea the beautiful crystal blue!
© Samaneh84 | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

The post The Big Drain Theory appeared first on Ariaprene.

Have you ever heard of “arbitrage”? In the world of investing, arbitrage is the ability to make a profit from a price difference between two or more markets. Simply put, you find something you can buy cheaply and sell it where it’s worth more.

Arbitrage is an important component to sustainable recycling, because it provides the money to keep the process going.

Restaurants used to pay garbage companies to haul away their used cooking grease. Now it’s being collected and sold at a profit as biodiesel.

Lumber companies used to burn huge piles of slash (leftover bark and branches). Now it’s being turned into valuable wood chips–a multimillion dollar commodity that is exported all over the world.

More than ever, companies are looking for arbitrage opportunities in what used to be considered worthless waste.

In November 2013 the first-ever Renewable Energy From Waste Conference will be held in West Palm Beach, Florida. James R. Keefe, publisher of the new Renewable Energy from Waste magazine says,

“Capturing the resource potential of waste streams is the fastest growing sector of the waste and recycling industry.” The conference will cover everything from creating energy to the production of building block chemicals.

This is what we had in mind when we designed Ariaprene as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional synthetic rubber. We made sure that the production scraps (normally considered waste) could be easily processed into other products, saving energy and money.

Something that used to go to the landfill is now a valuable commodity. And that’s how recyclable becomes sustainable.

Tankstelle Biodiesel Domdidier by leumund, used by Creative Commons License from Flickr.

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In 1906 William Riley developed a unique shoe insert that relieved foot pain for workers who spent a lot of time on their feet. The three point design, inspired by a chicken foot, used three support points to provide greater balance and comfort in the shoe. He called his invention New Balance.

The company made their first pair of running shoes in 1938, delivering superior comfort without sacrificing the performance. In1960 they designed and manufactured the “Trackster,” the world’s first running shoe made with a ripple sole.

Today, they’re on the cutting edge of running performance technology with products like their Minimus trail running shoes. Made of high tech materials, it provide a truly closer-to-barefoot running experience, weighing almost 50% less than traditional lightweight shoes.

But New Balance isn’t just serious about performance. They are also highly committed to their Responsible Leadership Initiative, which includes preserving the environment through their choice of materials and manufacturing processes. Just one example of this is Chemical Review Board that reviews all chemicals considered for possible use. If a chemical is reviewed and found to be inappropriate for use, it goes onto their Restricted Substances List for domestic and global factories.

As a result all New Balance footwear is PVC free. Toxic toluene is not allowed in raw materials and manufacturing. And their children’s footwear is formaldehyde free.

New Balance’s commitment to safer materials led them to choose Ariaprene as an alternative to traditional synthetic rubber in their aforementioned Minimus trail running shoes. Ariaprene is used to give lightweight, natural support to the foot for freedom of movement and greater comfort.

Their partnership with us shows their commitment to high performance and sustainable manufacturing. In other words, it’s a great balance.

The post A Partner We’re Proud Of: New Balance, Creator Of American-Made, Premium Athletic Footwear appeared first on Ariaprene.

Next time you’re at the public basketball court, go up to the guy at the free throw line and ask him if he cares that major consumer goods manufactures are still using toxic adhesives and non-renewable materials.

He’s probably going to give you a blank look and ask you to get out of the way so he can finish his one-and-one.

But there’s a good chance his athletic shoe maker does know about the need for green manufacturing and is actually doing something about it.

There’s a growing trend among the major athletic brands. It’s no longer enough just to have the lightest running shoe, or a breathable waterproof jacket. It needs to be manufactured with safe practices, it needs to have all the same technology, but it needs to be done more sustainably than the year before.

A great example is Brooks’ BioMogo midsole. Traditional midsoles made of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate™ (EVA) are one of the least biodegradable shoe components, lasting up to 1,000 years in a landfill. Brooks added a non-toxic, natural additive to our MoGo compound that encourages anaerobic microbes to munch away once the material hits an active, enclosed landfill. A five-year study found that BioMoGo degrades 50 times faster than the standard midsole in anaerobic conditions, and will save 29.9 million pounds of landfill waste in roughly 20 to 25 years.

Another good example is Nike. Back in 2001 the company introduced a Restricted Substances List, which is based on the most stringent worldwide legislation as well as a number of voluntarily restricted substances. The company is pursuing partnerships with its materials suppliers to eliminate of hazardous substances use innovating new, sustainable materials.

Both of these companies have used Ariaprene’s synthetic rubber as a way to achieve the high performance standards and sustainable manufacturing through conscious design. By doing this, they move closer to their goal of completely sustainable components while still providing the customers with the latest technology innovations available.

And because it’s driven by product performance and consumer choice, it’s a change that’s truly sustainable.

The post Sports Brands Are Making Green “Cool” appeared first on Ariaprene.

When traditional synthetic rubber (“wetsuit material”) was first invented, one of its unique properties was the way it could stretch and compress and then return to its original shape. This made it ideal for industrial applications like gaskets, hoses, and corrosion-resistant coatings. In fact, it wasn’t really designed to be worn next to the skin, but its flexibility and insulating properties made it an ideal material for diving suits.

This material is now used in everything from medical devices to laptop sleeves to surfing wetsuits. And because it has a high performance, futuristic feel, it’s become a staple in the fashion industry. It adds a unique element to apparel and accessories.

Unfortunately, most people who like the look and feel of traditional synthetic rubber aren’t aware of its major drawbacks. For starters, it’s proven to be a skin irritant. Another problem is its manufacturing process–a synthetic rubber product begins as a mix of toxic compounds and ends as non-recylable material headed for the landfill.

But fortunately, the technology behind modern materials is beginning to get smarter. Manufacturers are now making eco-friendly materials that don’t sacrifice on fashion. Ariaprene is today’s solution to traditional synthetic rubbers – a material that gives product designers and consumers all the characteristics that make “wet suit material” so cool without the drawbacks.

Ariaprene offers exactly the same stretch and compression properties but in a material that’s green from beginning to end. And for designers and customers who want a cutting edge material, you can’t do better than that.

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