Hot News: skai® VyP Coffee Receives European Green Award 2023
Truly visionary – with its high-quality skai® VyP Coffee upholstery fabric, Continental has succeeded in incorporating coffee grounds into the production process. This unique and above all sustainable approach has now been bestowed the European Green Award 2023 in the “Green Product” category by the European Institute of Applied Sustainability (EIAS) in Vienna.
Today, many people know and enjoy coffee-to-go. With skai® VyP Coffee, Continental is now making “coffee-to-sit-on” equally as widespread and popular. What exactly is involved? This product is an upholstery fabric that is especially but not exclusively suitable for restaurants and cafes. What makes this artificial leather so special? Its innovative approach, because it marks a milestone in the development of sustainable surface materials. With the material, the technology company has succeeded in incorporating coffee grounds into the production process, thereby replacing more than 65 percent of conventional chemical raw materials with natural and renewable ingredients.
Green, greener, skai® VyP Coffee
These facts are also what convinced the eight-member jury of experts at the European Green Award, which is why they have now granted the European Green Award 2023 to the upholstery fabric from Continental in the “Green Product” category.
For us, “skai® VyP Coffee is an excellent sustainable product because, here, an outstanding solution involving a recyclable materials circuit has been implemented on an industrial scale,” is how the jury explained its decision.
A good practice of transparent sustainability communication
Furthermore, the jury also recognized the efforts of Continental’s Weißbach production site in creating fair and sustainable working conditions for its employees. They further praised the consistently implemented regional production approach, which uses 100 percent renewable energy for manufacturing, largely generated in-house, resulting in a 70-percent reduction in CO2 emissions. This was a good example of transparent sustainability communication, which was also rated in positive terms.
Inspired by the European idea of a “Green New Deal for Europe” in 2019 and founded in 2020, the European Institute of Applied Sustainability (EIAS) has been bestowing the European Green Award in a total of seven categories every year since 2021. The non-profit organization’s mission is not only to recognize outstanding ecological and fair achievements by companies and individuals, but also to offer them international visibility as excellent sustainability players and future-shapers through this platform. “With their work, the winners are contributing toward the transition to a modern, resource-efficient, fair and competitive economy. This award deserves respect for the achievement made, which is why we are presenting it here as an inspiration and role model,” states the official website.
Every submission supports the aid organization “EinDollarBrille” (OneDollarGlasses)
This association does not pursue monetary goals, but focuses on the common good. This endeavor is also reflected in its support of the German aid organization “EinDollarBrille”, which has made it its task to provide affordable eyeglasses to as many people as possible living in the poorest countries of the world. Each participation in the European Green Award thus finances one third of a pair of eyeglasses for a schoolchild who cannot afford glasses themselves. This means that they can participate in classes and develop their potential through having access to education.
skai® rPET Pure Lux also impresses jury
Continental, however, has a further reason to be happy. Although the skai® rPET PureLux furniture foil fell just short of winning the award, the product is in future authorized to bear the title of “European Green Award Nominee". This is an honor that, among all the submissions, was only awarded to six other companies and individuals apart from Continental.
skai® rPET PureLux is a product in which minimalist elegance and robust properties such as high scratch resistance harmonize to perfection. This premium material also convinces by virtue of its high-quality matte look and special soft-touch feel. But no doubt the most important reason why the furniture foil impressed the jury is its sustainability concept. The surface material is manufactured with 100% recycled PET polymer under ecologically and socially compatible production conditions and a high level of responsibility toward people and the environment without sacrificing quality in any way.
