Since its founding over 155 years ago , sustainability has been “central” to Schoeller ’s DNA for the past dozen decades, give or take, as the international textile company states it has concentrated on making high-quality, long-lasting goods since 1868.
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Though a bit late to the game , Schoeller just released its first sustainability report, providing insights into the company’s environmental, social and ethical commitments as well as emphasizing progress made in pursuit of a greener future.
“Schoeller was instrumental as a co-founder of Bluesign and sees itself as a pioneer in other areas of environmentally friendly production as well,” Joachim Kath , CEO of Schoeller Textil AG, said in the report. “The publication of our first sustainability report marks yet another milestone in our company’s history and highlights our long-standing commitment to responsible action.”
Schoeller’s sustainability strategy is guided by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ), concentrating on the four most relevant to the company: 8, 9, 12 and 13.
The first goal—to end forced labor, child labor and sexual harassment—saw 2024 focus on creating more supply chain transparency by engaging the external ESG platform Worldfavor to “mitigate supply chain risks, comply with legal requirements and accelerate positive impact.” To build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive, sustainable industrialization and foster innovation, as instructs the next goal, Schoeller devised a “crucial” digital manufacturing strategy that will go into effect in 2025.
“By digitizing manufacturing, Schoeller can minimize waste, lower energy consumption and reduce the need for re-work, all of which contribute to a more sustainable operation,” the company said. “Furthermore, digital tools enable more accurate planning and supply chain optimization , ensuring that resources are used efficiently, and that production is more closely aligned with demand, reducing excess inventory and waste.”
Schoeller also widened its sustainable practices and implemented public procurement practices per national policies and priorities, measuring its GHG emissions—for the first time—to identify where to cut the fat . By starting with the base year backdated to 2019 (selected as the most “realistic” baseline due to the next three years being “heavily biased” by the pandemic), the Switzerland-based developer of textile technologies was able to set Science Based Targets Initiative ( SBTi ) goals. However, Schoeller must drop its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 46 percent before 2030 to hit those goals.
“While we have a reduction path for Scope 1 and Scope 2 through STBi, we are also focusing on Scope 3 emissions because we see a big reduction potential in our selection of materials, which make up about 55 percent of total emissions,” per the report.
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One of Schoeller’s primary materials is polyamide . This synthetic fiber is a favorite for the system supplier of solution-oriented products. However, sourcing recycled nylon has been “difficult,” considering recycling the plastic’s “complex chemical structure,” separating polyamide from other blended fibers and general access to post-consumer polyamide waste are “particularly challenging” hurdles. Regardless, Schoeller hopes to incorporate recycled materials in 30 percent of its product range by 2030.
“Furthermore, we are working on monomaterial solutions , aiming to create fabrics form a single type of material,” the report said. “However, achieving the same performance and comfort levels with monomaterials is difficult, as these factors are often comprised in the pursuit of simpler, recyclable fabrics.”
Thus, last year, the textile manufacturer joined the InnoSuisse Mono.Loop.Poly project, which seeks to “substitute virgin polyester in the sportswear industry through a circular use of the material,” per Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
Schoeller said it’s also motivated to transition away from a “black” linear economy to a “green” circular one.
“The linear economy, characterized by profit-driven motives, overconsumption and a take-make-waste approach, is recognized as unsustainable and focused on short-term efficiency,” the report reads. “Schoeller’s strategy emphasizes moving away from this model toward a purpose-driven, stakeholder-focused approach that minimizes consumption and embraces circular economy principles, aiming for a triple bottom line of social, environmental and economic benefits.”
By integrating this triple bottom line approach—which evaluates a company’s success based on economic performance, social responsibility and environmental stewardship—Schoeller is confident it will achieve a “balanced and sustainable” growth trajectory.
“The year 2023 has been challenging in many different ways and it is now even more important that we advance our innovations, which increasingly focus on the use of recycled materials and, whenever possible, on material purity ,” Kath said. “Together, we will continue to advance and achieve our vision of a sustainable future.”
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