Manufacturing Sustainability: Intertek, Water-based Inks And Eco-friendly Polycarbonates
Our system is sustainable by design. It means we’re proud of our environmentally-friendly processes, eco-friendly materials and sustainability certifications. But what does it all mean?
Global markets are growing, meandering and expanding at a rapid rate
As they do, people are actively looking for safe, reliable and increasingly eco-friendly products. There’s a new consumer appetite: buy from sustainable brands.
Locally or globally, brands and businesses strive to make sustainable adjustments to their supply chains, from material choices to manufacturing processes and beyond. Cue Intertek: one of the most highly-recognised global production certifications. Trusted by the likes of Microsoft and Apple, it’s no surprise that Intertek is brandished by some of the biggest in the business. But why?
The Rolls Royce of sustainable accreditation
Intertek is a one-stop-shop for sustainable certification. It’s crucial for us because not only are we upholding these standards, everyone we work with has to maintain them, too.
Intertek work in four main areas:
Assurance
Identifying risks in operations, supply chains and quality management systems. In a nutshell: they’ll show you where you could be damaging the environment, then tell you how to sort it.
Testing
Evaluating whether products and services meet and exceed quality, safety, sustainability and performance standards. Simple.
Inspection
Validating the specifications, value and safety of your raw materials, products and assets. Interrogating your supply chain and its sustainable credentials.
Certification
A precious piece of paper that shows products and services meet all trusted external and internal standards.
But they don’t just test our products and interrogate our supply chains; they advise us, too. As a business, Intertek knows the manufacturing process inside out. This means they can advise on sustainable best practices if we need a little shove in the right direction – anything from understanding sustainable regulations in new markets to finding eco-friendly materials.
We can expand safely knowing that we’re protecting the environment, and our customers can sleep well at night knowing they’re buying into sustainable manufacturing.
From ‘field to fork’ – the rise of sustainable shoppers
Traditionally, when buying something new, people typically cared only about price and quality. But now, a solid, well-priced product is no longer enough to win someone’s favour. Today it’s about transparency, ethics and sustainability within the supply chain.
Over ⅓ of shoppers in the UK are actively concerned with where products come from and how they’re made. Shoppers want more than just quality; they want sustainability, too. And smartphone accessories are no exception. At Case Station, we build our products from responsibly-sourced materials – but what are they?
Polycarbonate based on renewable feedstock
Polycarbonates are just about everywhere – in eyeglasses, lights, DVDs, car parts and in our phone cases. It’s durable, flexible and easily recyclable, which makes it perfect for wrapping around your iPhone.
We source our polycarbonate from Sabic, a manufacturer who shares our sustainable by design vision. They were recently the first to launch a polycarbonate made from renewable feedstock, but what does that mean?
Like other plastics, polycarbonate is made by distilling hydrocarbon fuels – otherwise known as fossil fuels – and combining it with other chemicals. More here. Sabic has replaced hydrocarbons with renewable chemicals. Et voila – sustainable polycarbonates.
Water-based inks
There are two types of inks used for printing: plastisol and water-based. The former is cheap but comes with significant health and environmental risks. Plastisol inks contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC), an environmentally-damaging plastic, and plasticizer, which often includes phthalates – extremely toxic chemicals.
Water-based are pigments suspended in water, minus the nasty plastics. Plus, after using water-based inks, the screens and equipment are washed with plain water, which can go down the drain unfiltered, unlike plastisol inks.
Full transparency for our customers
Everything we do at Case Station is based around authenticity and transparency. With Intertek certification, we know exactly where our materials come from, and we can share that with you, our customers. So, if you’re looking for a new, sustainable Apple iPhone case, but you want to check its heritage… look no further.