Uniforms that last and look good for a long time
We produce the uniform garments on order or forecasts from our customers – it is both our, and our customers’ interest to avoid excess production and left-over stock. New updated styles are phased in only when supply of existing outgoing products are used, thus avoiding superfluous leftover products.
Full loop uniform solution
- Raw materials
- Chemicals
- Textile and Garment production
- Wear and maintenance
- End-of-life
- Transportation
Raw materials
The main materials used for uniforms are wool, wool-polyester blends, cotton, cotton-polyester blends and polyester.
We are immersed in the development of sustainable and eco-friendly fibers and fabrics in order to offer you state of the art solutions for your uniforms in collaboration with our industry partners, trade organizations and public funded projects.
Recycled polyester
Recycled polyester made from used PET bottles reduces landfill as well as air- and water pollution and thus improves soil health.
The production of recycled polyester uses less energy and reduces the use of petroleum compared to conventional polyester and is a more environmental-friendly solution for our customers’ uniform solutions. The CO2 emission is reduced for recycled polyester compared to virgin PET.
However, recycled polyester is an oil-based material, end products are only recycled to a limited degree and it cannot be recycled over and over again. Recycled polyester does not prevent the spread of micro plastics.
Organic cotton
Compared to virgin cotton, organic cotton saves up to 91% of the water use - due to special techniques – when growing the crop. The production of organic cotton eliminates harmful chemicals. Thus, organic cotton is a better, more sustainable choice in comparison to virgin cotton.
We provide organic cotton options, all certified, currently:
Wool
Wool is the original renewable material for clothing. Wool is naturally hard-wearing and long-lasting, light weight and great for temperature regulation. It is easy to care for and is quite resistant to staining. No synthetic fiber can match the properties of wool.
Pure wool garments are easier to recycle than other garments. Wools market share of recycled fibers is already far greater than its total market share. Wool garments have long lifespans, meaning they are used or worn longer than other textile fiber products. During their lifetime, wool garments tend to get washed less frequently and at lower temperatures which has a lower impact on the environment.
At the very end of its lifespan, wool biodegrades readily in months and poses no environmental hazards.
Chemicals
Fabrics used for Olino uniform garments are certified according to Oeko-tex® 100.
This is the most widely recognized standard for protecting wearers against harmful substances.
Garment Production
We conduct business in an ethically and humanly responsible manner, and we expect our network of specialized factories to do the same.
Our main factories hold several ISO standards, e.g. the ISO 14001:2015 standard concerned with environmental management systems.
All subcontractors sign and comply with Our Code of Conduct. It follows the principles set out by UN’s Global Compact and includes globally agreed minimum standards for:
- human rights, including labor rights,
- the environment,
- anti-corruption, and
- animal welfare.
Our factories are state of the art and minimize waste and reduce energy consumption and emissions. E.g., factories optimize material usage by CAD/CAM systems that control automated cutting tables in the production facilities.
Use and Maintenance
Olino support uniform wearers taking care of their uniform. This helps prolong the lifetime, leaving a smaller impact on the environment.
Our basic uniform garments have a life prolonging Bionic finish®ECO. It keeps the uniform looking fresh for longer and greatly reduces the need for wash or dry-cleaning.
End of life
You can document what is end of life for your Olino-uniforms.
We take back used uniforms and make sure they are recycled to the extent possible. We place collection points in relevant places and ensure uniforms are returned to our state-of-the-art recycling plant. Here garments are sorted, shredded and reused.
Our processing plant create output such as felt for insulation panels for washing machines, sound reduction panels for the automotive industry, floor coverings, filtration systems and felt consumer products such as bags and door mats. Moreover, new yarns are made from recycled products which then again go into producing clothing and home textiles.
We offer a well-documented industrial process with full transparency. You will receive feedback as to what is made from your returned uniforms.
We donate used and expired uniform garments to social organizations and for educational purposes..
We participate in innovative projects, e.g. with the Odense Waste Management Company (organized under Odense Municipality) where we donate obsolete uniforms. The uniform garments are transformed into a completely new material that can be used for anything – from upholstery to a hard tabletop.
Transportation
We offer airlines a complete and responsible uniform solution, thus minimizing number of shipments. We compile orders from different end-users, thereby reducing our number of deliveries.
Our packaging practices are constantly improved to reduce the total volume and specifically the use of plastic and cardboard. Furthermore, we use FSC® certified packaging wherever possible.
