SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY

 THE RFID PROJECT

One of our major projects as a business is the adoption of RFID technology as a baseline moving forward. This project is rolling out beginning with our 2022 Autumn-Winter Collection. All of our products designed and manufactured from then on, will incorporate cutting-edge RFID technology so we can better understand + monitor the impact of our supply chain.

What is RFID?

RFID or Radio-frequency identification technology allows us to track our inventory throughout our retail supply chain, from the warehouse shelves all the way to the sales floor. Data is transmitted from a RFID tag to a reader so, using  real-time tracking of our apparel, we’re able to gain accurate and crucial  information on the location and journey that our product takes. 

The addition of QR codes on our clothing tags lets our customers join the journey, showing them information about the garment and its carbon footprint, linking to educational material or upcoming Gym+Coffee sustainability projects.

PACKAGING

 PACKAGING

There’s no escaping that the business we’re in requires packaging. Health and Safety regulations as well as ensuring our apparel gets to our community in pristine condition means we need to manufacture packaging as part of our offering. 

We’ve undertaken loads of research in this area and we’re really proud of the processes, technology and materials we’ve employed to create a sustainable line of bags, totes and boxes. 

100% Compostable

In 2021, we introduced 100% compostable packaging for all our delivery parcels. Each bag meets the European standard of compostability meaning instead of ending up in landfill, the bags will fully decompose over time and can be placed in your brown bin along with your food and garden waste! 

To be compostable, every element of the packaging must meet specific requirements including inks and adhesives used in package assembly. We’ve done all the work on our end to ensure that this is true so that easy end-of-life occurs and that decomposition won’t be impacted by any elements of the package. As always we'd recommend that you make sure to follow your local composting guidelines when it comes to disposing compostable materials.

This move was a major milestone and something we remain hugely proud of as a business and you can have a look at ways to reuse your G+C clothing bags here!

Recycled + Recyclable Cardboard

One of our community’s favourite things is our annual Christmas gift boxes. Heading into December each year, we package up bundles of G+C goodies, wrapped neatly in a specially designed gift box. 

Our boxes are made of recycled cardboard and are themselves 100% recyclable too. The boxes are Forest Stewardship COuncil (FSC) certified, meaning we know the paper materials have been sourced from responsibly managed forests. We use only soy ink for all printing too, meaning there’s less harm done in the process. Traditional inks typically have high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can be hazardous for humans and contribute to atmospheric pollution. Soy ink is low in VOCs and so is better for air quality and the health of print-industry workers.

Bags made from Fridges

From 2020, every Gym+Coffee customer has received their Clubhouse purchases in award-winning bags made entirely out of recycled fridge parts!  

The hard plastic inside fridges is called polypropylene (PP) and is the second most widely used plastic in the world but only 1% of PP produced is recycled. G+C partner, Waste2Wear, dismantles old fridges and other household items including washing machines, car dashboards and plastic containers, recycles the materials and produces our reusable ‘I Used to Be A Fridge' bags. We were the first and for a while, the only business in Ireland to be using this product and it’s been so encouraging to see more brands adopt this technology too.