Circular economy

Resources

WASTE MANAGEMENT

We pay particular attention to reducing and avoiding our waste generation. As such, our suppliers have special requirements regarding the use of outer packaging. This concerns, for example, the material used for foil bags and not using cartons that are far to big for the item that they contain. Whenever possible, we use recycled products for packaging. Recycled paper, reusable hangers and carrier bags that have the well-known “Blue Angel” eco-label are just three effective examples of this. By consistently separating waste, we are able to achieve a recyclable material content of 90 per cent across all company locations. The reuse of these recyclables has been proven to save around 5,000 tonnes of raw materials. Approximately 14 million kWh of primary energy is generated from the remaining residual waste. We only work with certified companies for waste disposal.

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WATER CYCLE

Only four per cent of the world’s water is freshwater. The only way to protect limited resources is to use them responsibly. We only clean our own lorries with our own water, which is not treated in wastewater treatment plants in a costly and energy-intensive manner. We also use this to water our ponds and green areas and to clean facades. Green roofs are installed on many Ernsting’s family company buildings and are capable of storing large volumes of rainwater. The large majority of any precipitation that falls can therefore be absorbed and temporarily stored even during heavy rainfall, which is otherwise prevented by sealed or built-up areas. After a time delay, the rainwater stored in this way can be returned to the groundwater via infiltration trenches and troughs. We want to use these advantages of green roofs for other projects and therefore always check to see whether they can be implemented in new construction projects.

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Handling of packaging materials

At Ernsting’s family, we act responsibly. This also applies to the way we handle packaging. We generally sell our fashion items unpackaged in our shops. The items usually only have a hangtag attached. Lingerie items may have additional packaging. For hard goods such as decorative items or toys, cardboard boxes, plastic film and protective materials such as polystyrene may be used. We dispatch online orders in certified plastic bags (Blue Angel) or cardboard boxes.

In our shops, we offer our customers reusable carrier bags made from recycled materials and encourage them to use their own carrier bags for shopping.
Wherever packaging waste is generated, it must be collected and recycled correctly. Improper disposal can cause environmental damage or have a negative impact on the health of living organisms. Once the goods have been received, our customers are responsible for the proper disposal of packaging materials:

Paper and cardboard (e.g. hang tags, boxes, banderoles): Paper bin

Packaging should be as clean and dry as possible. Heavily soiled paper packaging should be disposed of as general waste.

Plastic packaging (e.g. polythene bags, cling film, clips, hangers): Yellow bin / yellow bag

Packaging made from a combination of materials must be separated.
Disposal regulations may vary by region and must be strictly observed.