Eco-friendly protective gloves - protect your hands and help protect the environment

Sustainability is becoming a key issue in all aspects of business. The ecological awareness of entrepreneurs is growing, while at the same time, environmental activities are being enforced by new regulations. This also applies to the occupational health and safety industry, which is why manufacturers of personal protective equipment are increasingly turning to environmentally friendly solutions such as recycling. Thus protecting not only our bodies but also the planet.

The topic of the negative impact of PPE on the environment became media headlines when tens of thousands of tons of used masks and disposable gloves ended up in the oceans. Since then, there has been a proliferation of manufacturers looking for ways to make their products more sustainable. The industry as a whole, like everyone else, will eventually be forced to do so by the UK Sustainability Disclosure Standards (SDS) which will outline the information that companies must provide regarding sustainability-related challenges and advantages. These standards will serve as the foundation for potential future mandates in UK laws and regulations, compelling companies to divulge information about sustainability-related issues. This encompasses both the risks and opportunities associated with matters such as climate change.

Also, the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which has expanded reporting obligations on the impact of companies in the EU on people and the environment, will have an impact on some UK-incorporated companies. They will need to consider the relevant domestic implementing measures to ensure that they comply as necessary with respect to their activities in each EU jurisdiction and the EU as a whole.

Health and safety innovators - will they win the race to protect the body and the planet?

Brands such as REIS are ahead of the curve and have already introduced safety gloves made from recycled polyester from PET bottles. Unfortunately, this is met with skepticism from some members of the public - the use of a material made from 100% recycled waste makes them doubt the level of protection of the gloves. Quite wrongly. Gloves made of such material, such as the Dragon CREEN model of the aforementioned REIS brand, meet the requirements of the standards, including the EN 388 standard concerning mechanical risks, such as abrasion, cutting, tearing, and punctures. In addition, the CREEN gloves are tested for harmful substances according to the OEKO-TEX Standard 100, so their users can rest assured of their safety, both in terms of the degree of mechanical protection and the impact on the body. Also in terms of protection against acids and detergents: the CREEN gloves are coated with FOAM latex.

Summary

The introduction of innovative solutions often requires patience - it takes time before a new solution is adopted on a mass scale. In the case of the ecological production of PPE, it can already be predicted that this is the direction of the future. This is all the more so because, as tests show, ecologically produced gloves have the quality of those made from unprocessed materials.

Big changes start with small steps - informed shopping is one such step. Therefore, given a choice, let's reach for gloves produced in the spirit of sustainability. Are you being convinced to do it? CREEN gloves soon will be on our e-shop. If you are interested in ordering them, email us at sales@ogrifox.com