At Mellow Sea, we are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our products. To this end, we have created our "Eco-Design by Mellow Sea" assessment grid, which analyses our products at every stage of their life, based on a number of criteria that we will present here.
Transparency at the heart of our environmental approach
We take you behind the scenes of the environmental assessment of our products and the key stages that enable us to measure their impact on our planet. We assess the entire life cycle of our products, from design to end of life. This assessment takes into account different elements: raw materials, manufacturing, transport, use and end of life.
Eco-Design assessment criteria
Raw materials
Le choice of low-impact materials is mandatory to obtain our Eco-Design label. This means that the material must be EITHER :
- Upcycled
- Made up of recycled materials at least 50%
- Or certified by major labels such as GOTS, FSC, PEFC
Dyeing process : To meet this criterion, you need to use the "dope dyed" system, which uses less water.
Manufacture
The next stage in the life cycle is manufacturing:
- Made locally : To meet this criterion, production must take place within a 200km radius of our head office in Saint-Jean-de-Luz in the Basque Country. Working with ESATs employing people with disabilities is a plus, as it promotes social inclusion, a criterion that is not overlooked by us.
- Plant certification : The factory must be ISO 14001 certified, the international benchmark for environmental management. Alternatively, we ensure that the factories we work with are Fair Trade, guaranteeing working conditions that respect workers and producers while preserving the environment.
Transport
The transport of raw materials and finished products plays a crucial role in the overall carbon footprint of our products. We are working to reduce this impact by promoting more environmentally-friendly modes of transport:
- Favour sea or rail transport: These modes of transport have a much lower carbon footprint per tonne-kilometre than air transport.
- Reduce distances travelled : By favouring short distribution channels, we limit the distances travelled by our raw materials and finished products, which significantly reduces CO2 emissions.
- Load optimisation : We optimise the loading of transport vehicles to maximise energy efficiency and reduce the number of journeys required.
Usage
We focus on the quality of our products to ensure they last as long as possible. Several aspects are taken into account to ensure that this criterion is met:
- Durability : Our products are designed to last. We use robust materials and manufacturing techniques that guarantee a long service life, in excess of 2 years.
- Easy maintenance : Clear maintenance instructions are provided to help our customers extend the life of their products.
- Versatility and timelessness: We design products that don't go out of fashion quickly and can be used in a variety of situations, reducing the need for frequent replacement.
End of life
The way we manage the end-of-life of our products is based on two criteria:
- Existing channels for recycling materials : EPR under control.
- Spreadability : Is the product repairable?
To validate our grid, the low-impact materials criterion must be met, as well as three other observed criteria. In this way, the product obtains our Eco-Design label.
