Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1451361
5 2 G R A P H I C S P R O A P R I L 2 0 2 2 G R A PH I C S - PR O.C O M "is positions Easiway to have solutions in all areas, whether it is VOC limitations, RSLs, or local municipality requirements," she explains. "Printers can trust Easiway has a [safer and better] solution or is up for the task to customize one." Easiway measures success through tra- ditional means, like customer satisfaction, sales growth, market share expansion, and "being the rst choice by many companies that operate with strict environmental regu- lations, such as Reebok, 3M, Staples, Nike, Rutland, Microsoft, Adidas and Boeing," Schluter Broghamer says. A host of envi- ronmental awards also point to progress, including recognition for sustainable busi- ness operations, supply chain management, product development, and service. Schluter Broghamer believes any compa- ny can jumpstart a sustainability program. She advises starting small by researching products that impact environmental and workplace health. ATLANTIS CAPS Italian-born Atlantis Caps specializes in designing and manufacturing stylish head- wear that lasts. With three million items available in stock and innite possibilities in customization, President Alessandro Colle Tiz says Atlantis delivers more than 10 million hats worldwide each year. In 2018, Atlantis launched its rst green product collection, with an increased company-wide emphasis on economic, environmental, and social impacts ever since. "We live in a historical period in which people are rediscovering the pleasure of buying less and buying better," says Tiz, who pledges to be fully sustainable by 2025. At Atlantis, sustainability is not an ab- stract concept but a daily behavior. Tiz says it involves a 360-degree cradle-to- cradle approach, with a substantial focus on sustainable materials and production techniques. "e dierence between a traditional product and a sustainable product is hardly visible or perceptible to the touch; rather, it is to be sought in the low environmental impact that green materials guarantee in their production phase," he explains. For example, recycled polyester (or rPET) is made by breaking down used plastic into small, thin chips, which are processed and eventually turned into yarn. Choosing recycled polyester over virgin polyester means a 45% reduction in energy consumption and 20% reduction in water and CO 2 emissions, Tiz says. In addition, Atlantis opts for certied organic cotton grown through low envi- ronmental impact methods sans pesticides and toxic chemical fertilizers. Similarly, At- lantis prefers recycled cotton, which is a regenerated cotton ber made from repur- posed production scraps pre-consumer. Tiz says Polylana ber is also a low-im- pact alternative to 100% acrylic and wool ber used in knitwear. On the production side, he points to dope dyeing as a responsible technique for coloring synthetic bers such as acrylic, ny- lon, or polyester. In dope dyeing, pigments are added to the liquid polymer solution before synthetic bers are extruded. "With this approach, dyeing can be done by hot transfer without immersion in water, When formulating their products, Easiway says it steers clear of harmful raw materials altogether in order to stick to its mission. (Image courtesy Easiway) In 2018, At- lantis Caps launched its first green product col- lection.