Sustainable Decisions | Fritz Hansen
Sustainability, design and premium quality are all part of the same solution. Therefore Fritz Hansen has developed a combined Quality, Environment and CSR policy. We will continuously strive for sustainable quality in all our activities. Sustainable quality refers to solutions where the quality, design and sustainability aspects are all equally important. Fritz Hansen will never compromise quality or design while working continuously on creating sustainable solutions.We will continuously seek unique solutions that will improve sustainability, quality and design simultaneously.
Fritz Hansen must comply with legal requirements as well as the requirements defined in ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. This policy is implemented through our quality & environmental management system.
Fritz Hansen will aim to use wood (which includes veneer, laminates and solid wood) which originates from sustainable managed forests. In order to guarantee this, PEFC™/09-31-068 and FSC®-C120451 (Forest Stewardship Council®) Chain of Custody (COC) certifications have been implemented for selected products.
Fritz Hansen is a world renowned, reliable brand that is quality orientated and environmentally caring. It is of great importance to us to be considered as an ‘easy to deal with business partner.
Plating
Chromium plating is used, to extend the lifetime of the metal. Chrome occurs naturally in the environment in rocks, soil, vegetation and volcanic material. Chromium salts can be found in food and is also an essential nutrient for the body.Prior to chroming, the oil residues are removed from the metals by using a water-based degreasing agent.
Fritz Hansen use chromium plating on:
The bases of the Ant™, Series 7™, Grand Prix™, Drop™, Dot™, Lily™, NAP™, Series 3300™, PK25™, PK31™, PK33™, PK20™, Table Series and Coffee Table Series
The outer tube on the column of the base for the Oxford™, RIN™, Egg™, Swan™ and Little Friend™
All metal parts on the chromed Coat Tree™• All non-lacquered parts of the KAISER idell™ lamps
Foam
Polyurethane (PUR) foam is used as padding and cushioning in Fritz Hansen’s upholstered products. The hard shell for the Egg™, Swan™, Ro™, Fri™ and Favn™ is made of PUR foam with fiberglass reinforcement. The foam is expanded by the use of water. The foam waste is 100% recycle; it is granulated in order for it to be recycled into bounded foam (SETEX).
Fritz Hansen only use halogenated flame retardants in CMHR grades if the products must comply with BS 5852 Crib 5, which is relevant for the UK market.
Glue
Adhesives used for upholstery are water soluble. Water soluble glue is also used for gluing laminate and veneer on the Table Series, Coffee Table Series.
Urea Formaldehyde glue is used to bond the veneer in Arne Jacobsen’s laminated chairs (Ant™, Series 7™, Grand Prix™, Dot™ and Lily™). It is also used in the chipboard on the tables in Table Series and Coffee Table Series, as well as in the MDF table top for the minuscule™ table, which is laminated with Oregon pine veneer.
Lacquer
Polyurethane (PUR) lacquer is used on Arne Jacobsen’s laminated chairs (Ant™, Series 7™, Grand Prix™, Dot™ and Lily™), the Space™ shell, underneath the Analog™ table top and for Little Friend™ with lacquered base. PUR lacquer is a very durable lacquer type. The lacquer is applied in a closed circuit, to ensure that any emissions
are minimal.
Powder lacquer is used for bases of Arne Jacobsen’s laminated chairs (Series 7™) in monochrome, Drop™, ICE™, RIN™, NAP™, Space™ chair and Fri™. The Coat Tree™ as well as the legs for the Join™ coffee tables are also powder coated.
Metals
Scrap metal from the production of Fritz Hansen’s products (such as stainless steel, chromed steel and aluminium) is sold to scrap dealers and melted for recycling. The aluminium alloy consists of 90% aluminium and 10% silica to enable it to be moulded. All the aluminium used is 100% recycled aluminium.
Paper & Cardboard
All paper and cardboard waste from the administration and production at Fritz Hansen and the supply chain is recycled.
Plastic
Plastic parts are free of phthalates and flame retardants and are manufactured without the use of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). Virgin glass is used in plastics with glass fillers.
All plastic waste materials are sent for recycling. All large plastic parts are marked with their plastic type in order to facilitate the return of the material into the recycling circuit.
Packaging material
For stone and glass table tops chipboard packaging is used. For other products, cardboard is used as the packaging material. Polyethylene (PE) foam is used as additional protection of the furniture in the packaging. All packaging material can be recycled.
Textiles
Textile residues are recycled to the extent where it is possible. Fritz Hansen’s fabric suppliers ensure that the subcontractor meets the requirements in relation to dyes and other chemicals that are used in the textiles. The requirements ensure that there is no use of:
Banned AZO dyes that may split into aromatic amines which are suspected to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction or dyes containing heavy metal
Bromide flame-retardant
Chemicals containing chlorine
Chemicals from the list of ‘Undesirable substances’, set by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency
Fritz Hansen uses cotton which is made from conventionally and ecologically grown procedures
The flax that Fritz Hansen use is conventionally grown. Flax is a plant that does not require a lot of spraying of various chemicals
All standard textiles listed on Fritz Hansen price list are produced by suppliers in Europe.They all faced a number of strict requirements when it comes to wastewater treatment.
Leather
Leather residues are recycled to the extent where it is possible.
AZO dyes:
The leather Fritz Hansen uses do not contain the banned AZO dyes that may split into aromatic amines which are suspected to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction.
Tanning:
Below is a description on three different tanning types, which are used for the leather Fritz Hansen use: Vegetable Tanned LeatherVegetable tannins are extracted from wood, bark and fruit. Vegetable tanning gives a rich, robust and compact leather. Rustic and Natural leather is vegetable tanned.
Synthetic Tanned leather:
Synthetic tanning agents are aromatic polymers. Synthetic tanning agents in most cases are not used alone, but together with chrome or vegetable tanning agents, which gives an interesting result. This is called Combinations tanning. Some of the white leather types are synthetically tanned.
Chrome Tanned Leather:
Chrome occurs naturally in the environment in rocks, soil, vegetation and volcanic material. Chromium salts can be found in food and is also an essential nutrient for the body. Fritz Hansen uses chromium 3 for chrome tanned leather which is less toxic than chrome 6. Chrome tanned leather is more durable and softer than hides tanned with other tanning agents, as chromium binds the fibers in the skin together very well. It is also easier to control the thickness of the leather, when the hides are chrome tanned. Furthermore, the chrome tanned leather does not shrink during the tanning process, which is the case for vegetable or synthetic tanned leather. Basic, Classic, Soft, Sense, Optical White and Suede are chromed tanned. Some of the white leather types are chromed tanned. Elegance leather is chromed tanned and vegetable re-tanned.
Formaldehyde:
Formaldehyde is used in the synthetic tanning process, to give a better stabilization prior to splitting and shaving. In Europe there is no general legislation specifying levels of formaldehyde in leather.
Wood
FSC® and PEFC™ Certification
Fritz Hansen has both FSC®-C120451 (Forest Stewardship Council®) and PEFC/09-31-068 (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) COC (Chain of Custody) certifications. With these COC certifications, Fritz Hansen is authorized to sell FSC and PEFC certified products. Both certifications are a forest certification system which ensures the wood is harvested from forests that are managed with respect for the ecological, social and ethical standards. Here you can see which chairs that are FSC certified and which are PEFC certified.
Chipboard:
Chipboard used in the production of Fritz Hansen`s tables contain up to 60-70% recycled wood. This is the highest content of recycled wood material which is allowed in chipboard in order to obtain the high quality which is required in Fritz Hansen’s products.
MDF:
The raw material used for producing MDF boards is sawmill chips (70%), a by-product from sawmills, and chips from pulp wood (30%). The glue which is used to attach the sawmill chips and pulp woodchips together is urea formaldehyde glue. MDF is used for the minuscule™ table top as well as the Analog™ table top.
Laminate
Laminate is used on Table Series, Coffee Table Series, Analog™ and Little Friend™.
The laminate consists of Melamine and Phenol impregnated paper.
Suppliers
The suppliers’ approach to environmental issues is reviewed by
Fritz Hansen as part of the Quality and Environmental Management System prior to a potential partnership with the supplier. An environmental audit is performed annual on all of all the strategic suppliers.
Compliance with REACH
Fritz Hansen complies with REACH regulation (EF nr. 1907/2006). Fritz Hansen is in terms a ‘downstream user’, therefore, Fritz Hansen must ensure that their suppliers can deliver MSDS in accordance to the European requirements for MSDS, Directive 91/155/EEC.