5255 Greenpeace Detox Campaign

VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KG
VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KG
D-88069 Tettnang
VAUDE-Straße 2
D-88069 Tettnang-Obereisenbach
Postfach
D-88064 Tettnang
T +49 (75 42) 53 06-0
F +49 (75 42) 53 06-60
[email protected]
www.vaude.com
Date
25.10.2012
(
-255

-5255
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[email protected]
Greenpeace Detox Campaign
Fluorocarbons / PFC in VAUDE Products
Statement
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
The environmental protection organization Greenpeace has launched a campaign
aimed at raising awareness of hazardous substances in the production process of
outdoor products.
Greenpeace approached us a few months ago because of our clear brand positioning
on the issue of sustainability, our promotion of the issue within the outdoor industry,
in sales, for our customers and in our industry associations, and our desire to be
pioneers regarding eliminating the use of fluorocarbons.
We agree with Greenpeace and are absolutely convinced that perfluorochemicals
(PFCs) must be strictly eliminated from all production processes. We made this very
clear in a joint press release with the German Association of Sporting Goods Industry
BSI and its professional association Fachgruppe Outdoor (FGO) dated 20.09.2012.
Greenpeace particularly accuses the outdoor industry of using polyfluorinated and
perfluorinated chemicals (PFC). These fluorinated organic compounds are used in the
textile finishing of outdoor clothing, sleeping bags, tents and footwear. With their
water, dirt and oil repellency effects, they guarantee the high functionality of outdoor
products.
Our products do not present a health risk and can be safely worn and/or used and
bought.
Sparkasse Bodensee Konstanz 20 813 481 (BLZ 690 500 01)
UID-Nr. DE203894755
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Tettnang, AG Ulm, HRA 631071
Sparkasse Bodensee Konstanz IBAN DE02 6905 0001 0020 813481
ILN-Nr. 4021572000003
Persönlich haftender Gesellschafter: VAUDE Sport
Sparkasse Bodensee Konstanz BIC SOLA DE S1KNZ
Steuer-Nr. 61040/00400
Verwaltungs-GmbH (AG Ulm, HRB 631715), Gertrud Schmohl
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart 137 5435 (BLZ 600 501 01)
Finanzamt Friedrichshafen
Geschäftsführung: Antje von Dewitz
Postgiroamt Stuttgart 82 763 705 (BLZ 60010070)
Commerzbank Villingen 157 6172 (BLZ 694 400 07)
Hypo Vereinsbank Friedrichshafen 565 45 05 (BLZ 600202 90)
Member of VAUDE Group:
In the countries where these products are manufactured, where the finished products
are later washed and where these products end up when customers are finished with
them, PFC substances present a risk for both people and the environment. They are
bio-accumulative in the environment and in the human body through the food chain,
and are not biologically degradable.
VAUDE has been proactively committed to environmental and social responsibility for
many years now. As the first company in the outdoor industry to do so, VAUDE
introduced an environmental management system and has been certified by EMAS
since 2008. Since 2001, we have been working closely with bluesign technologies AG
(www.bluesign.com) and currently manufacture over 60% of our clothing collection in
accordance with the bluesign® standard.
We have been confronting the fluorocarbon issue for years and have communicated
all activities in this respect openly and honestly in our annual sustainability reports,
as well as on our website, for example here:
http://www.vaude.com/de_DE/materialien-technologien.asp
http://www.vaude.com/de_DE/nachhaltigkeitsbericht.asp
PFCs are a group of chemical substances with very different functions in the textile
industry and various environmental aspects. As a bluesign system partner, our
products do not include resources from the bluesign Restricted Substance List, which
also strictly regulates the use of PFCs and sets strict prescriptive limits for substances
that are not already prohibited under bluesign in final products. The bluesign
standard is the strictest textile standard for environmental protection, consumer
protection and occupational safety. It always conforms to the world's best available
technology.
Years ago, we took a strong stand against the use of PTFE membranes in our
products (which require PFCs for their manufacturing) and work only with membranes
made from PE and PU. We do this deliberately, even though products with PTFE
membranes enjoy better sales due to the high marketing presence of major PTFE
membrane manufacturers. Nevertheless, the market offers convincing alternatives
such as Sympatex, which we use.
In addition to membranes, PFC presents a major problem for water, oil and soilrepellent finishes (DWR: durable water repellency). DWR finishes on the market
Sparkasse Bodensee Konstanz 20 813 481 (BLZ 690 500 01)
UID-Nr. DE203894755
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Tettnang, AG Ulm, HRA 631071
Sparkasse Bodensee Konstanz IBAN DE02 6905 0001 0020 813481
ILN-Nr. 4021572000003
Persönlich haftender Gesellschafter: VAUDE Sport
Sparkasse Bodensee Konstanz BIC SOLA DE S1KNZ
Steuer-Nr. 61040/00400
Verwaltungs-GmbH (AG Ulm, HRB 631715), Gertrud Schmohl
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart 137 5435 (BLZ 600 501 01)
Finanzamt Friedrichshafen
Geschäftsführung: Antje von Dewitz
Postgiroamt Stuttgart 82 763 705 (BLZ 60010070)
Commerzbank Villingen 157 6172 (BLZ 694 400 07)
Hypo Vereinsbank Friedrichshafen 565 45 05 (BLZ 600202 90)
Member of VAUDE Group:
Seite 2 von 3
today can lead to PFC residues in finished products. This is most often due to PFOA,
for which there are no legal limits. These are, however, strictly regulated under the
bluesign standard.
Greenpeace also tested VAUDE products and found traces of PFCs in them.
Unfortunately, Greenpeace’s actual VAUDE product test results are, despite our
requests, not available.
We therefore do not know whether the residues that they found are within these
limits. However, we can say with fair certainty that they are a matter of a "residue"
of the DWR production process with C8 technology, that are not intentionally used.
Although we are working hard on the issue, there are, unfortunately, no current PFCfree DWR alternatives that provide equivalent water repellency, dirt or oil repellency
in final products. We have had very poor test results with PFC-free alternatives: the
few existing commercial PFC-free alternatives in mass production cannot yet be
reliably applied and the products do not cause water and soil to bead up on the outer
surface, but rather penetrate into the fabric. Rain, for example, soaks in which leads
to a damp, clammy product that’s uncomfortable to wear.
Although our customers’ expectations of product functionality are particularly high in
this aspect, their sensitivity to the environmental and consumer protection issues
that DWR involves have thus far been relatively low.
Nevertheless, we are continuing to work hard on finding PFC-free alternatives and
gradually transition our entire collection. By the end of 2014 we will discontinue all
use of C8 technology, making our entire collection PFOA-free.
We clearly see this just one step on the way to complete withdrawal from PFC. This is
our stated goal.
However, we wish to point out that as a midsized family company, the impact that
VAUDE has on the supply chain is, unfortunately, not very high. We are therefore
working closely with other companies inside and outside of our industry (e.g. the
chemical industry) in order to meet this challenge together.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information or if you have any
questions.
Sincerely,
Hilke Patzwall
VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KG
Sparkasse Bodensee Konstanz 20 813 481 (BLZ 690 500 01)
UID-Nr. DE203894755
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Tettnang, AG Ulm, HRA 631071
Sparkasse Bodensee Konstanz IBAN DE02 6905 0001 0020 813481
ILN-Nr. 4021572000003
Persönlich haftender Gesellschafter: VAUDE Sport
Sparkasse Bodensee Konstanz BIC SOLA DE S1KNZ
Steuer-Nr. 61040/00400
Verwaltungs-GmbH (AG Ulm, HRB 631715), Gertrud Schmohl
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart 137 5435 (BLZ 600 501 01)
Finanzamt Friedrichshafen
Geschäftsführung: Antje von Dewitz
Postgiroamt Stuttgart 82 763 705 (BLZ 60010070)
Commerzbank Villingen 157 6172 (BLZ 694 400 07)
Hypo Vereinsbank Friedrichshafen 565 45 05 (BLZ 600202 90)
Member of VAUDE Group:
Seite 3 von 3