Professional guide

Energy as an issue

Some companies go to great lengths to do good. Here are some good examples.

The massive new Hugo Boss logistics centre, in Metzingen. Germany, has a roof fitted with 4,500 solar panels – enough to produce around one million kWh of solar energy each year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 540 tons. The 22,000 square meter roof-top installation is among the largest and most powerful in the country. The panels were manufactured by Norway’s REC Group.

In an interview with EVER Manifesto, Stella McCartney tells how both PPR's head quarters and her own home are wind-powered. While Gildan Activewear Inc. wants to build more biomass fuel systems at its Carribbean and Central American fascilities after having success with burning coconut and palm fronds in its Dominican Republic textile factory, where spesial boilers generate steam energy. prAna is a company that sells active wear for sports, focusing on activities like yoga, climbing, hiking and dirt bagging (if you don't know what that is, check out their web-site!).

Textiles are among the top ten energy-intensive industries

In an effort to minimize their carbon footprint and create clean energy awareness, prAna created the Natural Power Initiative. In 2005 prAna launched the Natural Power initiative with a goal to raise awareness among consumers, partners and industry peers about the benefits of renewable energy. In 2006, the company offset 100 percent of the energy consumption for 250 retail locations across the United States, its corporate offices and all of the homes of its full-time employees. For 2007 & 2008, prAna added 100 European and 50 Canadian retailers to its program by supporting wind farms and clean energy projects in three of the largest carbon-emitting nations in the world: China, India and the USA, as well as Canada, to help support ongoing development of clean energy sources in these countries. This year, prAna's Natural Power initiative is expected to prevent the emission of almost 17,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases – the equivalent of removing 3,667 cars off the road or protecting 57 square kilometers of forest.

Saving energy means saving money. So it makes economic sense. A factory located next to offices can utilize the heat generated from the production to heat the offices. There are many more energy-saving stories out there, and we aim to update with innovative and good ideas to inspire you. According to WWD the US textile sector has been wary of Obama's proposed cleanenergy/climate-change bill which proposes a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, as long as China, India and other major carbon emitters in the textile sector are not included in the process. Textiles are among the top ten energy-intensive industries. So everyone needs to get cracking on ideas!