Downlite, a major down and feather processor and supplier of responsibly sourced performance fills to the outdoor, home furnishings and hospitality markets, received Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certification, which will be offered under its new 100-percent recycled Re/charged down.
Downlite’s outdoor partners include Patagonia, The North Face and Columbia.
GRS, owned and managed by Textile Exchange, is a holistic certification for products with recycled content. It provides brands with a tool for more accurate labeling to encourage innovation in the use of reclaimed materials, to establish more transparency in the supply chain and to provide better information to consumers. Downlite’s third-party GRS certification was awarded by Textile Exchange accredited auditor, the Institute for Ethical and Environmental Certification (ICEA).
“We are very proud to see Downlite earn its GRS certification for 100% recycled down,” said Anne Gillespie, director of industry integrity at Textile Exchange. “In addition to its huge support of the RDS standards since its inception, Downlite’s continual commitment to environmental, social, and animal welfare issues are a model for other organizations.”
“Our GRS certification validates that Re/charged down is not only 100 percent recycled, but also 100 percent post-consumer, thus eliminating tons of material going into a landfill,” said Chad Altbaier, VP outdoor, Downlite. “This down will be processed in our Cincinnati plant where our advanced waste water recycling system was recently installed, which allows us to dramatically reduce the amount of water needed to cleanse it to our accepted level – two times governmental standards.”
Downlite’s GRS certification is the most recent in a series of ongoing environmental and sustainable initiatives, which include the waste water recycling system, installation of LED lighting in its plants and office buildings, adherence to Bluesign certification and down traceability and the development of TDS and RDS down standards.
Photo courtesy Downlite
