Beautifully circular bathroom solutions with Cradle to Cradle certification

KALDEWEI is taking another big step towards the circular economy by offering Cradle to Cradle Certified® [C2C] bathtubs, shower trays and washbasins. In doing so, KALDEWEI is already paving the way for the global shift towards circular economic models. The driving vision behind this initiative is a healthy, fair and sustainable future. KALDEWEI is convinced that the construction industry will increasingly rely on C2C Certified® products and materials. The reasons for the increasing need for sustainable solutions are obvious: stricter regulatory requirements, economic advantages and the need to conserve the natural resources of our planet.

Even today, our linear economic system of “take-make-waste” – i.e., “buy – use – throw away” – offers no viable prospects for the future. Resource scarcity, environmental and human harm, the continued emission of greenhouse gases and the resulting global warming are no longer sustainable. The necessary transformation to a circular economy means that raw materials are reused at the end of their utilisation phase as the basis for new, pollutant-free products – without any loss of quality or significant reduction in quantity. The conditions for this must be established at the very beginning of product development, ensuring that pollutant-free materials can later be dismantled and sorted by type. KALDEWEI bathroom objects have always been made from steel and glass and at the end of their life cycle, they can be returned to the material cycle as 100 percent recyclable materials. This is now confirmed by independent Cradle to Cradle® certification.

Around 600 different KALDEWEI items in the Alpine White colour can now be described as Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver – including, of course, the most sought-after classics for both private bathrooms and project business. KALDEWEI is thus the first supplier of bathtubs, shower trays and washbasins able to demonstrate its consistently sustainable orientation with a C2C® certificate. This direct entry at Silver level highlights the ambitious goals of the bathroom manufacturer, which has long been a pioneer in sustainability – for example, by signing the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and by using CO₂-reduced steel. KALDEWEI is now moving towards aligning all processes and product development strictly with Cradle to Cradle Certified® standards. For the company, this certification — the result of a process that took more than one and a half years — represents not only an important strategic milestone but also another positive contribution to environmental protection.

The construction industry also benefits from C2C® certification, as it helps drive greater sustainability, economic efficiency and innovation. It brings environmental, health and financial advantages, while also helping construction companies adapt more quickly to evolving market and regulatory demands.

The C2C® certification is a globally relevant and cross-industry, multi-attribute standard aimed at a healthy, fair and sustainable future. It provides brands, producers and designers with guidance in the development and manufacture of products. At the core of the Cradle to Cradle® concept is an integrated and consistent circular economy in which waste is completely avoided and all materials are returned to either biological or technical cycles. Developed in the 1990s by Michael Braungart and William McDonough, the certification process assesses performance in five areas: material health, product recycling, air pollution control and climate protection, water and soil management and social fairness.

The scientifically based Cradle to Cradle® certification gives the sometimes overused term “sustainability” a new and serious relevance.

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