Snickers Workwear joins Icebug in large-scale climate program
Free solar panels will help lower emissions - rapidly. In late 2022, Swedish outdoor footwear brand Icebug and German solar vendor BayWa r.e. launched a quick and easy model to help shoe and apparel brands cut emissions and energy costs drastically. Today, Snickers Workwear announced that they will be the first Swedish brand to join the program.
-It was an easy decision to make since it comes with so many benefits, and possible outcomes well aligned with our Scope 3 climate target, said Maria Schartau, CRS Coordinator at Snickers Workwear.
Snickers Workwear has well-established, long-term business relationships, partnerships, and a deep understanding of their supply chain. This foundation enabled them to swiftly select and nominate one of its major business partners in Vietnam for the project.
-Our factories in Asia know that renewable energy is something that all their customers want. SOLROS presented a very clear and simple business case to the factory, who in turn also gets a lot for free. It’s a win-win for everyone, said Maria Schartau.
-We are thrilled to welcome Snickers Workwear into the program, as it’s a brand that puts sustainability high on the agenda. And through the SOLROS project, they’re not only taking responsibility for their own footprint, but if all goes well their solar energy will soon benefit all brands that produce in the same factory, said Icebug CEO David Ekelund.
The solar rooftop scaling program builds on a successful pilot that Icebug initiated together with four US apparel brands, led by the Clean Energy Investment Agency.
After 14 months and major financial investments, Icebug had found a way to cut their emissions radically – and actually save more CO2e than they emit themselves. Icebug emits approximately 4,000 tons of CO2e a year, but by helping their partner factories in Vietnam switch to solar energy, the brand will contribute to saving approximately 5,000 tons – for themselves and other brands producing at the same site.
-We have done a lot to decrease our climate footprint over the years, but this is by far our easiest and most straight-forward action to date, said Icebug CEO David Ekelund.
-When we saw how effective it would be to help assembly factories switch to solar energy, we knew it had to be scaled.
Well-known German solar vendor BayWa r.e. provided the best bid and the most effective way to help factories get solar panels installed – complete with service, permits and financing – and together Icebug and BayWa r.e. launched a zero-investment program for brands and factories to join.
- To secure a liveable future for our children we, the world, must halve our total emissions by 2030. Best practice must be shared and switching from fossil to solar energy in a country with a lot of sun is an absolute no-brainer. The fact that it comes with cost savings and increased energy independence should make it even more attractive to peers in the shoe and apparel industry, said David Ekelund.
Snickers Workwear accounts for around 15% of production in the affected factory, but once the solar power is installed, 100% of the customers at the site will have access to the renewable energy. It is not yet possible to determine the exact percentage of the factory’s energy consumption that will be offset by its own panels, but based on Icebug’s preliminary study, the conversion has the potential to have a significant impact.
- As a brand we have both a possibility and a responsibility to drive change. Every step count says Maria Schartau at Snickers Workwear.
In addition to Snickers Workwear, the Italian/Swiss outdoor brands, Mammut, Aku and Garmont have joined and David Ekelund sees only benefits in welcoming more.
- These brands are true sustainability pioneers, and we applaud their willingness to go the extra mile and show other companies that this is a program that is not only easy to realize – it will also deliver cost-effective energy and zero fossil emissions. I will be most pleased to welcome more partners as soon as possible. We must tackle climate change now!
How does it work?
•Despite a lot of sun, energy in Southeast Asia is most often based on oil and coal.
•Switching to solar energy will cut emissions radically.
•Brands and factories that join the program will get access to solar energy including installation, service, financing and permits through solar vendor BayWa r.e.
•There is no fee whatsoever, the factories just commit to buying the energy that the solar panels produce. This is likely to be cheaper than the energy provided by the grid.
Contact:
Maria Schartau, CSR CoordinatorMaria.Schartau@hultaforsgroup.com
Ph: +46 (0)707464075
Snickers Workwear We make the one tool that every professional craftsman and craftswoman need – durable and functional workwear. We do that with smart and clever solutions that make it easier for the people who wear our clothes to get their jobs done. And we do that with an attention to safety, comfort, longevity, and sustainability. That’s what we call Inventing workwear