Ecogroup: Ecocontract & Ecodesign

Scenario

Plastic is among, if not the first, most polluting material in the long term, so it poses a threat to the ecosystem. A report conducted in 2009 by FAO and Unep revealed that between 640,000 and 800,000 tons of fishing gear, such as nets, ropes, traps and floats, are abandoned or lost worldwide each year (FAO, 2009).

The amount of plastic in the Atlantic Ocean has tripled since the 1960s forming the Garbage patch, a patch of trash floating on the Pacific Ocean that covers nearly 620,000 square kilometers and is composed of 46 percent fishing gear and nets (National Geographic, 2021).

Even in the Mediterranean, recent research indicates that fishing gear may account for the majority of recorded marine litter, with figures as high as 89 percent.

Its recycling was therefore considered by the European Commission in 2018 as one of the crucial elements to achieve a circular economy in the EU by 2050. To promote this goal, the European Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy aims to phase out the use of microplastics, with additional useful proposals such as the project carried out by Ecogroup.

Description

Ecogroup is a company given by the union of Ecocontract and Ecodesign, a national and international provider of flooring, upholstery, textiles, carpets and acoustic panels operating in the hotel, office, retail, marine, railroad, public and private spaces sectors. Their goal is to enhance aesthetics, quality, innovation, customization and eco-sustainability.

In recent years, this company has emerged for its sustainable streak, embracing eco-innovation by making part of their products from plastic scraps such as fishing nets and plastic bottles achieving “100% CRADLE TO CRADLE” certification, or by using wood from FSC-certified forests, which is 3 times stronger, 100% eco-friendly and stain resistant.

Regarding theuse of plastic scraps in the carpets , the manufacturing process is as follows: Scandinavian fishing nets extracted from the bottom of the seas, bottles and caps are cleaned, sterilized, crushed, melted and transformed into a new 100% recycled nylon fiber: econyl. The panels also follow the same process by combining polyurethane and a compound derived from recycled plastic waste in the composition.

The company was able to achieve primacy because it benefited from a dense network of contacts in the field of communication, participating in projects with very relevant brands in the luxury sector and personalities with a large following on social networks.

Among the most important collaborations are those with:

• Venice Biennale in 2021 where he contributed to the installations
• Hermès, Off-White and Loro Piana for the construction and furnishing of the new stores;
• Missoni with whom he created a new Home collection in 100 percent recycled nylon;
• Chanel and Versace to set up the venue for fashion shows in 2022.

Bibliography