GODREJ INTERIO
Move Up, a Height adjustable modular furniture system that has options of benching as well as stand-alone height adjustable tables (HAT).
Gain Pro Locker, a wall-to-wall storage range that is created by an amalgamation of different storage types like open shelf, metal and wooden hinged door units, glass door units as well as combi storage units.
Optimizer Plus, an elegantly designed, sturdy structure with pleasing aesthetics. It’s designed to blend with any aesthetic in the office environment of the customer's choice. It saves on aisle spaces unlike other storages and ensures greater levels of safety, user security, and convenience of use.
Reserve Plus Low Half Height Storages, a versatile low-height storage range suitable for new age, flexible and collaborative office storage needs. It offers various storage options, including open shelves, hinged door units, glass door units, lateral filing units, and personal lockers.
Godrej Interio's (GI’s) green product portfolio is a testament to the business's commitment to sustainability. It encompasses a wide range of products, each designed to conform to environmentally responsible principles, materials, and processes. Here are some key aspects that make this portfolio unique in the Indian context.
Green Materials
Godrej Interio has adopted a life cycle approach for integrating green considerations throughout the value chain of its products. For furniture products, the material phase has the highest environmental impact as compared to other phases of product life cycle. Hence, the material phase becomes a focus area for GI to act on and to reduce the environmental impact of its products. For materials, GI follows two basic approaches, i.e., to use the right type of materials and use materials optimally. The major raw materials are steel, wood (which includes particle boards), MDF and wooden Ply, foaming chemicals, packaging materials, Epoxy powder, and fabric.
1. Right types of materials
Complying with the ‘Design for Environment policy, GI utilizes raw materials with high recycled content, recyclability, or biodegradability. These are –
Steel: 10% recycled content, 98% recyclability. Aluminum Extrusions: 20% recycled content, 98% recyclability and Particle Board: 35% recycled content, 85% recyclability.
The sources of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in furniture are particle board, glue, and surface coatings. Many initiatives have been taken to lower overall VOC emissions.
Low emitting Boards:
Boards are manufactured using resin adhesives. It is the level of formaldehyde in the adhesives that determines the VOC emissions. According to International Composite Board Emission Standards (ICBES), there are three European formaldehyde classes, namely - E0, E1 and E2. Godrej Interio utilises E1 category boards which have 1/3rd the level of emissions as compared to commercial E2 grade boards.
Low emitting Glues:
Glues, though used in miniscule quantities, are a major source of VOCs in furniture. Hence GI has shifted to low VOC hot melt adhesives from solvent-based glues. Gluing is done by mechanized guns to ensure greater surface coverage per kg and lower curing time. This ensures lower VOC content as well as lower VOC emissions.
Powder Coating:
Gl extensively uses Steel in furniture and ensures that all steel components are carefully treated and powder coated for longer life. For surfaces, GI uses powder coating technology which is more ecofriendly in terms of zero emissions in the use phase and less sludge in the manufacturing phase. For powder coating, GI uses lead-free powders and a hexavalent chrome-free process.
Certified Rapidly Renewable Wood:
For its Green range of products, GI uses boards made of wood chips sourced from rapidly renewable tree species like Rubberwood, Eucalyptus & Poplar. Rapidly renewable trees are tree species that grow to full maturity within a life span of 8 to 10 years. The use of these species prevents deforestation of forests.
Local Purchase:
Godrej Interio sources 81% by value of its raw materials and components from the suppliers located within a radius of 200 kms of its manufacturing locations. Indigenization of sofas, desking suites, and chair mechanisms are some of the major steps taken under this initiative. This has helped GI to reduce lead time as well as greenhouse gas emissions of inbound transportation.
2. Optimum Usage Of Materials
GI has adopted a five-pronged approach for the conservation of raw materials, i.e., yield improvement in manufacturing parlance. This approach includes the reduction of waste through design and process rejection. It also involves the use of alternate-sized raw materials as well as the use of alternate materials. Products are constantly optimized for lowering the usage of materials.
3. Eco-Friendly Manufacturing Processes
Next to the usage of eco-friendly materials, deploying low-impact manufacturing processes is of utmost importance. Low impact manufacturing processes focus on the adoption of low-impacting processes such as powder coating, optimal materials planning, and minimization of wastage. Advanced equipment and automation are deployed for having low-impact processes.
4. Resource Conserving Procurement
A good example of this initiative is as follows: One of the key suppliers of castors for chairs of Godrej Interio happens to be amongst the largest manufacturer of castors in the furniture industry, globally. This manufacturer has collaborated with experts to formulate a blend of plastic, incorporating ocean reclaimed nylon fishing nets, PET bottles, virgin raw materials, and additives. This blend does not compromise quality or aesthetics in any way and serves as the primary material for the castors. In the last fiscal year, Godrej Interio used, for their furniture of about two million castors, made from this blend of recycled plastic.
5. Green Packaging and Transportation
Godrej Interio ensures that the packaging for their products is minimal and eco-friendly. This minimizes waste and lowers transportation costs. Special attention is given to packaging at the design stage itself. The packaging and transport-related impacts are reduced by approaches like knockdown product design enabling flat packing; the elimination or reduction of environment-burdening packaging material like thermocol; greener packaging materials such as corrugated paper are being increasingly used.
6. Marketing & Labelling
Green Assurance Cards (GACs) are provided by Godrej Interio which are designed to show the environmental performance of products on parameters like recycled content, recyclability, use of low-emitting materials, ease of assembly, Green certifications, and so on. Building-industry experts in India appreciate this tool and use it widely for assessing the ‘Green quotient’ of products.
Godrej Interio’s Green Product Portfolio
The past few decades have witnessed a growing awareness of the environmental impact of the furniture industry. The manufacture of conventional furniture often involves resource-intensive processes, high energy consumption, and the extensive use of non-renewable materials. This has led to significant deforestation, depletion of natural resources, and the emission of greenhouse gases. As a responsible business, Godrej Interio recognizes this problem and is committed to being part of the solution. We will now describe Godrej Interio's green product portfolio and demonstrate how it contributes to sustainability.
The Portfolio
Godrej Interio's green product portfolio is a testament to the company's dedication to sustainability. It encompasses a wide range of products, each designed and manufactured with environmentally responsible principles materials, and processes.
GI is taking innovative steps to respond to the growing demand from business customers, government procurement agencies, design professionals, and consumers for better and greener products that meet both specific performance and environmental criteria. GI views national and international standards as roadmaps to stay in tune with emerging trends in the world and attain higher design, performance, and sustainability goals.
At present, GI boasts a total of 240 eco-certified products, which contribute up to 42% of the total revenue.
GI assures its customers of product performance and environmental friendliness. These products have certified eco-labels like GreenGuard-71 products, GreenPro–89 products, BIFMA Level–24 products, Indoor Advantage Gold–72 products, and GRIHA- 37 products.
GI is the first business in India to achieve GreenGuard and BIFMA level certification for its products.
Innovative Approaches
Godrej Interio's commitment to sustainability extends beyond product design and material choices. They have embraced innovative approaches to reduce their environmental impact. One such approach is that of WECYCLE. It is an initiative of circular economy and is designed to promote circularity in the economy through product take-back programs and refurbishment services. GI has started this initiative keeping in view the impact of the end-of-life phase of furniture. GI’s recycling program is a service for all its retired office furniture products. The retired furniture is meticulously processed and transformed into raw materials for other products. Clients can now rest assured that their retired furniture is responsibly recycled to enable them to now acquire new eco-friendly furniture of their choice.
Concerted efforts of the WECYCLE team are now directed at their key accounts resulting in the salvaging of 215 tonnes of materials in the last five years.
In one case, about 950 chairs of a customer in Mumbai were recycled for the best possible recovery of materials.
Accepting full responsibility for the environmental impact of all its products, Godrej Interio, with its WECYCLE program, aims to fulfill its commitment to product stewardship.
Promoting Sustainable Living
Godrej Interio's Green product portfolio is not just a collection of eco-friendly products; it's a catalyst for sustainable living. By offering stylish and sustainable solutions, it is helping its customers to make responsible choices for their homes and workplaces. As consumers become increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of their choices, Godrej Interio's Green product portfolio serves as a shining example of how businesses can make a positive difference in the world while providing high-quality Green products for their customers. By embracing sustainability, Godrej Interio is not just changing the way we design our spaces; they are changing the way we think about the world around us.
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