Ever wondered where the recycled webbing of your PACKBAGS item gets produced?
Last week, we visited Eurocarbon to give you an idea of how and where your PACKBAGS item is coming from - because we know that you care! Transparency is important to us. We think it creates a bond between our product, the brand, PACKBAGS, and you, the customer.
Here is what we found on our trip to Eurocarbon:
The factory of Eurocarbon, located in Sittard, NL, is processing the recycled webbing for the woven outer shells of our Crossbody and Shoulder Basket Bag and & Backpack.
Peter, our spokesperson at Eurocarbon who is responsible for innovation and progressive projects of the company, showed us around their production hall, gave us insights into the history of Eurocarbon, and talked to us about what made them decide to pursue local production and use recycled fabrics.
Eurocarbon is getting their recycled fibers from Morssinkhof, another Dutch company that makes yarn through recycling industrial plastic (more from Morssinkhof in future updates, so stay tuned). At Eurocarbon’s 250m2 factory, the yarn then gets processed into the thicker webbed straps that you see in the shells of our baskets and backpacks.
Peter told us that Eurocarbon’s philosophy requires them to always try to use what is at hand and work with what they can take back from their own production processes. For example, their workers are supplied with recycled workwear boots that the factory is a part of the production. That circular belief in giving back and re-using the resources at hand is what resonates with our own philosophy at PACKBAGS.
They want to source out as little as possible during the production process in order to be able to reuse as much as possible of their own industrial production waste and side products. Or as Peter calls this: „Follow your own product“.
Eurocarbon started looking into working with recycled fabrics about 7 years ago when they first collaborated with Morssinkhof. We asked Peter what made him personally want to move towards a more sustainable way of industrial production: "I have children“, he replied, "and the world they will inherit from my generation is a big concern of mine“. This idea of leaving behind a habitable planet was sparked by the thought that "cheap-cheap“ production processes cannot be practiced forever, and, by the same notion, that a planet where nothing is added externally is eventually going to reach the end of its resources. Collaborating with other suppliers to minimize and benefit from their waste becomes then only logical.
But why is Eurocarbon collaborating with smaller companies like PACKBAGS?
Peter says that to them, "working with ten small customers that have a vision is much more appealing than simply working with one big player". Especially the local identity of their partnering companies plays a role in that. Similar to PACKBAGS, Eurocarbon is supporting a „Made in Europe“ belief.
With his job in the company being centered around development and progression, working together with companies that have ideas and new visions in motion is what he thinks is needed to rethink consumer culture. Furthermore, the local component adds a human side to the business. For that very same reason, we visited Eurocarbon’s factory: Eurocarbon sees a possibility to grow with the small companies they do business with and due to the personal connection to ensure quality as they do so along the way.
Lastly, we want to leave you with something that Peter stated during our tour through the factory of Eurocarbon. When talking about the motivation to recycle and reuse waste in an effort to rethink how we treat our planet, Peter fittingly concludes: “it starts with ourselves”.
PS: If you liked this piece and want more information on where your PACKBAGS item is coming from, stay in the loop for further Blog Posts and News on our partnering companies! We'd love to keep you informed on our progress to rethink consumer culture & become more and more circular.
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RETHINK. REPAIR. REASSEMBLE.
THE FUTURE IS CIRCULAR.
PACKBAGS.