about boråstapeter
Environment & Sustainability
Our vision for a beautiful world – close to our hearts are both a responsible perspective on our environment and a holistic approach to sustainability.
DESIGN
Sustainable, by nature
Boråstapeter is one of few Swedish wallpaper producers that has all of its production facilities in Sweden. The process of creating and making our wallpapers, from the drawing board to the end product, takes place in Viared, close to the town of Borås. This means we have direct control over our processes and are thus able to take responsibility in decision making and at every stage of the operations. We have spent more than a century becoming better at what we do and how we do it. This applies to all aspects of our business, from product design and choice of materials, to production, logistics, energy and recycling. Responsibility for the environment and a life cycle approach to sustainability are at the heart of what we do.
An all-encompassing view of our environmental performance means we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, complying with all relevant legislation and regulations and developing more ways to contribute to a greener and better world. It also means caring about the people who work in our production areas and those who live in spaces where our wallpaper is hung.
Furthermore, the achievement of long-term sustainability. We are committed to making products with a style and quality that will stand the test of time.
Our strong focus on sustainability begins right at the design concept stage of a product. We monitor and create trends, but aim to produce designs and colours that will be appreciated for years to come. We also like delving into our large archives which contain many classic collections that we can be inspired by and reuse.
Sustainability at every stage is the promise Boråstapeter is making. It is the standard we set for ourselves and we monitor the wider markets and sector with curiosity and interest and strive constantly to improve our performance.
material
The right material sense
Our wallpapers are made from either paper or non-woven materials. A mixture of mechanically unbleached pulp and chemically bleached pulp forms the base for our wallpapers and gives them their optimal properties. The bleached pulp consists of so-called ECF pulp (Elemental Chlorine Free). The base paper is PVC-free and is produced in the most environmentally-friendly way possible. The non-woven wallpapers are based on a mixture of cellulose and polyester fibres. TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) cellulose is used for the majority of the grades, and ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) for the rest.
No solvent-based inks are used. We only use water-based, PVC-free printing inks that do not contain any environmentally-harmful substances, allergens or heavy metals. This is not a given in all countries.
The surface of the wallpaper is usually coated to make it more durable, stain-resistant and easier to wipe clean. The coating may also be applied to create a special finish or appearance. It consists mainly of a water-based acrylic and matting agent.
All packaging materials are recyclable. The wallpaper rolls are protected by a thin polyolefin covering and are delivered in cardboard boxes. The actual wallpaper can be incinerated to produce energy and is not classified as environmentally-hazardous waste.
Naturally, our factory is committed to driving improvements right across its environmental performance. This involves actively following technological developments to find even better material solutions. It also means sourcing ingredients and suppliers carefully and sustainably. Our main supplier uses environmentally-responsible forestry practices, without clear-felling, and with careful replanting, which helps capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reduce global warming.
6,35
Approximately how many tonnes of water that is cleaned annually in the treatment plant at Boråstapeter.
2,2
2.2 millions of kg of colour and paints are used annually, creating our designs. The left-over paint is saved and reused, when our colour experts make new colours.
2,2
2.2 millions of kg of colour and paints are used annually, creating our designs. The left-over paint is saved and reused, when our colour experts make new colours.
124
An equivalent of 124 peoples’ water use is annually purified in Boråstapeter’s own treatment plant.
124
An equivalent of 124 peoples’ water use is annually purified in Boråstapeter’s own treatment plant.
PRODUCTION
A heritage to dye for
Boråstapeter is based in Viared, close to the town of Borås in Sweden. The production facility is also located here at Borås Tapetfabrik. This gives us a clear overview and full control of our operations, and thus many possibilities to continuously improve the sustainability of our manufacturing process. From both a geographic and process perspective.
Since the ingredients and processes we use have minimal impact on the environment from the start, no advanced chemical purification systems with flue gas filters or similar technologies are required in the manufacturing process. The factory also offsets the limited carbon emissions that it produces. Moreover, only renewable electricity is purchased.
The factory focuses strongly on reducing the amount of energy consumed by both its suppliers and its own operations. A lot of the energy that is used in the printing, drying and other processes is recovered by heat exchangers and reused to heat the premises.
The factory has built an on-site water treatment plant to manage and further minimise impacts on the natural and local environment. The plant separates all ink residues from the process waste so that only clean and tested clear water is discharged into the municipal wastewater system for tertiary treatment. All emissions are measured and tested and are below all the current permitted limits.
The factory uses a systematic approach to achieving continuous improvements aimed at making production processes more efficient and reducing waste and residual materials. Any waste that cannot be recycled is sent to the municipal district heating plant which converts it into heat and energy and thus replaces a need for fossil fuels.
TRANSPORTS
Delivering with care
Our environmental responsibilities do not end when our wallpapers have left the factory. On the contrary. Transport is one of the areas where we have considerable responsibility, from the way we package our products, how we organise our logistics to whom we choose as our partners.
For example, we purchase all paper from northern Europe to minimise our carbon footprint.
Boråstapeter’s transport strategy is based on having our production processes in one place. This enables us to organise deliveries and thus reduce the number of transport runs and keep our environmental impact as low as possible.
All goods are distributed from Boråstapeter’s warehouse which is close to the factory. We are pleased that the logistics partner we work with in Sweden, db Schenker, is committed to sustainability and green logistics solutions and is therefore considered a pioneer in the transport industry.
For international deliveries, we partner with ups, a logistics company that shares our values concerning sustainable solutions that minimise negative impact on the environment.
Environmentally-friendly modes of transport and fuels, combined transportation and carbon offsetting are variables that reduce our impact on the environment.
600
In 2019, we delivered over 600 tonnes of combustible material to the local district heating plant, to be energy recovered and converted it into district heating water.
208,7
208.7 million hectares of world forests are currently certified by FSC. The material our wallpapers are made of comes from these forests. FSC guarantees, for example, replanting and acceptable working conditions.
208,7
208.7 million hectares of world forests are currently certified by FSC. The material our wallpapers are made of comes from these forests. FSC guarantees, for example, replanting and acceptable working conditions.
4
0.141 cubic feet per kg wallpaper, that’s how small the average transport volume is, including packaging. With optimised volumes, we reduce the number of transports and lessen the climate impact.
4
0.141 cubic feet per kg wallpaper, that’s how small the average transport volume is, including packaging. With optimised volumes, we reduce the number of transports and lessen the climate impact.
CERTIFICATES
Guaranteed responsibility
Our production operations are governed and regulated by numerous certificates and labels that guarantee environmental responsibility, safety, health and superior quality. They also apply to emissions, industrial design rights and codes of conduct.
The FSC®, Forest Stewardship Council, is one of the most important certificates in our industry. It means that the factory sources its materials exclusively from sustainably managed, FSC-certified forests with traceable origins. So we know that a new seedling is planted in the place of every tree that is felled for the production of wallpaper. The FSC certificate also guarantees that the entire production chain supports the conservation of biodiversity, ecologically valuable environments and cultural heritage, as well as the principles and rights at work and safe working conditions for the workers.
Our wallpapers are CE marked, which guarantees they comply with the requirements of applicable environmental, safety and health standards.
All our manufacturing processes meet and exceed the European environmental standards and the industry’s own product standards set by IGI, the Global Wallcoverings Association.
The wallpapers are also fire-resistance rated in accordance with the applicable product standard. To ensure a good indoor climate, the products are also tested and meet the product requirement for emissions of volatile organic substances in accordance with the M1 Emission Classification of Building Materials.
In addition, our products have certification from Sunda hus and Byggvarubedömningen (the Swedish Building Products Assessment).
