THE PERFECT DUO: CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY
Plastic is not the enemy; lack of transparency, awareness and responsibility is. Here's why.
We all know that we live in a world flooded by plastic, and at this pace it could become real. To avoid this we have to be very aware of where this plastic comes from and also where it goes.
Recently the Barcelona center de Disseny and Oiko Design office have published the Inpredi study, where they expose the plastic problem. It breaks down the types of plastics most used in different economic sectors and, comparatively, the percentage of recycled plastic used in each sector.
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THE HARSH REALITY OF PLASTIC CONSUMPTION
In our sector, the design and manufacture of decorative products for the household, the most widely used one is polypropylene, the second most used type of plastic in the world..
- It is a very light and resistant material that can last for years and years.
- It is not affected by temperature changes, cleaning products or the continuous contact with water.
- It is considered one of the safest plastics (with food and medical uses) as it does not contain toxins.
- It is a thermoplastic, meaning that it can be melted and reused and it will remain stable even after several recycling cycles.
Then why do only 6.9% of companies in the furniture and household sector use recycled polypropylene?
Sadly, because it is cheaper to produce it than recycle it.
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There are other factors that affect this price and the reason for this choice. Recycled polypropylene has a more variable availability, the colors and finishes are more limited, there are fewer reliable suppliers, etc. But if we take into account the following data...
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... the only reason for not using recycled plastic is lack of awareness and corporate responsibility.
What's more, according to the Inpredi study, there is no other choice but to use recycled plastic, but we also need to think urgently about how we design products so they can be reused. This strategy is known as the circular economy.
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DISCOVER THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
The concept is simple, it is based on including the recycling and reusing processes of materials within the life cycle of the product from its conception and thus extending its useful life even after recycling them.
More importantly, this not only follows sustainability criteria but also economically, as it would mean making a better use of resources and stopping overproduction of volatile materials. It would be a win-win situation for everyone.
At CitySens we are happy to say that this has been our approach since the beginning in 2015 and, although the difficulties in getting the product to be recycled once it has left our hands are big, we are adding more pieces to the gear to make it possible.
That's why, when you no longer need your CitySens, you can send it back to us so we can recycle it for you, getting a discount for your next CitySens.
Once we receive it, we can evaluate if it can have a second life and reintroduce it to the market thanks to our collaboration with Cocoli, or send it to our supplier to recast it and create new CitySens.
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With CitySens, you are part of the group of committed people who are pushing the wheel of the circular economy
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TRANSPARENCY FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
Another important factor to know if we consume responsibly is to look at how and what the company we buy from communicates to us.
At CitySens we have always tried to be as transparent as possible and, although we know that in certain aspects we have some limitations, we want you to know that we are always looking for better and more sustainable alternatives.
That is why, just a couple of months ago we shared our transparency project, so that you not only know what your CitySens is made of, but also what each euro of its cost is used for. As you can see, almost 75% is dedicated to using quality materials and to ensuring that the people who form CitySens have decent salaries.
In fact, the cost of these materials and components has increased stratospherically over the last year and sadly, although it has been a very hard decision, we have had to modify and raise our prices to carry on with our social and environmental project. It was not affordable to keep them as they were and we have done our best to keep them as low as possible. The main changes have been:
- About 10€ for the vertical planters.
- Between 20€ to 30€ for the plant shelves and wall planters, which had a very low price with a derisory margin.
At the same time, we have increased the search for cheaper suppliers, always maintaining our standards of quality, sustainability, proximity and positive social impact.
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COMMITTED TO OUR VALUES AND TO YOU
In this way we can continue to ensure with you that CitySens is committed to the environment, to social awareness, to practicality and to innovation in a sustainable way.
We know that all families are going through similar situations, readjusting our budgets and expenses, so if you have come this far, we can only thank you a million times over! For understanding the situation and standing by our side, for believing that there is a better world and for being an active part of it.
Do not hesitate to leave us in comments any doubt or opinion, even any tip that comes to mind and that you apply in your day to day, despite all the obstacles, to remain sustainable.
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