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Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb Company joins SAC

Increased transparency in sustainability and environmental protection: Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb Company has become a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

Weinheim, Germany/Tayuan, Taiwan, April 14, 2014 – With their joining the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb Company, a subsidiary of Freudenberg Nonwovens, has reached another milestone on their way to higher social and ecological responsibility. Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb Company will continue to place a high emphasize on sustainability and environmental friendliness and will act now as a part of a global association of companies from the apparel and footwear industries which have committed to comply with fixed criteria in the areas of environmental protection and sustainability.

Therefore, by joining SAC, the Freudenberg Group has again demonstrated their corporate commitment towards consistent environmental protection and sustainability. The Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb Company headquartered in Tayuan, Taiwan, mainly manufactures products of the Vildona® brand – high-quality nonwovens used as foundational materials for footwear and leather goods.

As a member of SAC, the company has now also subjected to the principles of the association. The common goal is “to avoid environmental damage when manufacturing clothes, footwear and home textiles, exerting a positive influence on people and communities during their business activities.” In addition, the SAC members commit to record a number of benchmarks in the areas of environmental protection and sustainability. The “Higg Index” is used for this purpose. The index provides a number of key measurables or data points allowing companies from the industry to assess their materials, products and manufacturing processes from an ecological and social point of view, thereby demonstrating their high performance to customers and partners.

For Lin Gowming, President of Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb Company, the SAC membership also represents a commitment to increased transparency and openness. “It is important to us to be part of the growing dynamics in our industry and actively shape this vital dynamic development. The aspect of sustainability plays an increasingly important role in the apparel and footwear industries. Only by using common benchmarks, our values become measurable and our performance will be quantifiable. The Sustainable Apparel Coalition offers an ideal platform to do this.”

When it comes to sustainability, Far Eastern Spunweb Company is a pioneer in the industry, Lin Gowming is convinced: “When manufacturing Vildona products, we have long since done without chemical bonding agents. Eighty percent of our raw materials are recycled, and we make sure that our products are 100% recoverable .” His conclusion: “In the meantime, we have achieved a high quality level in production. But we would like to develop even further in terms of environmental protection and sustainability in the future. The SAC will certainly support us in doing so.”

About Freudenberg Nonwovens
Freudenberg Nonwovens is one of the world’s largest producer of nonwovens, with 21 manufacturing and processing sites in 13 countries. The company manufactures interlinings for the apparel industry and develops nonwovens for the following markets: Energy, Automotive Interiors, Hygiene, Medical, Building Interiors, Geotextiles and Specialties. Freudenberg Nonwovens markets innovative products such as Lutradur ECO®, Vilene®, Soundtex® and Evolon®. In the 2013 financial year, Freudenberg Nonwovens employed 3,200 people and generated sales of €660 million.www.freudenberg-nw.com

The company is part of the Freudenberg Group. In 2013, the Freudenberg Group with its Seals and Vibration Control Technology, Nonwovens, Filtration, Household Products, and Specialties and Others Business Areas generated sales of over €6.6 billion and employed 40,000 people in 60 countries.

About Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb Company
Freudenberg Far Eastern Spunweb Company was established in 1987 as a joint venture between the Freudenberg Group and the Japan Vilene Company. Today, the company operates a well-established sales network including offices in Japan and China and distributors in Asia Pacific countries. At their production sites, the company manufactures spunbond nonwovens for the automotive, carpet, shoe, furniture, construction and filter industries. In addition, nonwovens for use as geotextiles, in clothes and agriculture are produced. The Vildona® brand is synonymous for functional material in footwear and leather goods.