Condor is launching a partnership with Swiss-based company Tide Ocean SA to support solutions against plastic pollution and poverty. Products labelled #tide ocean material are made with ocean-bound plastic waste collected by fishermen in Southeast Asia and Mexico. The project contributes to fair wages for fishermen, clean coastlines and reduced CO2.

Says Condor: ‘Every year, Condor Group provides millions of square meters of floorcoverings to live comfortably, work safely or exercise healthily. Many of these products are still made in a conventional way, but in recent years, more and more recycled materials have made their appearance. The newest collaboration is with #tide ocean material which isn’t just a recycled material, but ocean-bound plastic waste. Every year the plastic soup – the biggest environmental problem of our time – grows with 10m tons of plastic dumped in our oceans. Representing the equivalent of more than one truckload every minute. If no action is taken to slow down the current rate of plastic pollution in the ocean, it’s to be expected the oceans will contain more plastic than fish by weight by 2050 according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s 2016 report.’

Give nature a second chance
Condor Group says it has years of experience producing products with recycled content, but that the collaboration with Swiss Ethics Award-winning #tide ocean material is next level.

Thomas Schori, founder of #tide, says: ‘Our solution doesn’t only contribute to reduce CO2 and cleaner oceans, but we also work closely with NGOs and local communities to close the circle of plastic waste pollution. We organise beach clean-ups and pay fair wages to waste-pickers and fishermen collecting plastics. And we don’t stop there because prevention beats collection. To solve the problem of plastic pollution once and for all, it’s more important and impactful to prevent new plastic waste from ending up in the environment to begin with.’

Exactly this thinking fits perfectly with the Condor Group family business, it says. Jan Hoekman Jr, one of the family members of Condor Group, says: ‘The important CO2 reduction isn’t the only benefit of using #tide ocean material, the ecological and social impact is also a very important part of this cooperation. Giving local communities new opportunities and empowering them into restoring nature.’

‘Next step of textile innovation’
After the ocean-bound plastic waste is collected and granulated locally into new building blocks it’s shipped to The Netherlands. The final step is the inhouse extrusion of yarns and the production of floorcovering at the Condor Group production site in Hasselt and Genemuiden, The Netherlands. ‘This results in a bright collection of modern designed carpets, automotive textiles or artificial grass that are the next step of textile innovation.’

Also innovative is the way products can be traced back to their origin at all times, says the company, adding that by using advanced blockchain technology, it’s possible to see the exact location where the plastic waste was collected. ‘The tool provides clear insight into the origin of the material and increases transparency in the supply chain. In this way, we rule out greenwashing,’ says Kim Koning, marketing manager of Condor Group.

The future is now
Concludes the company: ‘With the use of ocean waste, the recently launched mono-material innovations and state-of-the-art production facilities in the heart of Europe, Condor Group makes carpets ready for the future and takes a leading role in the circular economy.’
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