Working for a greener planet

Sustainability is tightly woven into the DNA of our business. Our circular business model is designed to reduce the overproduction of textiles and conserve natural resources.
Sustainability is tightly woven into the DNA of our business. Our circular business model is designed to reduce the overproduction of textiles and conserve natural resources.
Sustainability at Lindström

Helping our customers become more sustainable

Sustainability is in the very core of our purpose and strategy. We want to inspire businesses to grow in a sustainable way and help them become more sustainable with our services. As our business model is based on circular economy, we know that it is possible. For decades, we have been on a mission to avoid overproduction of textiles and optimise the use of natural resources.  

Textile waste recycling
Our goal is to recycle 100% of our textile waste by 2025. In 2022 we recycled more than 60% our textile waste. Read more how we are creating value from our waste in China.
Closed-loop solutions
Our target is that 30% of purchased textiles will include recycled or bio-based fibers. Read more how we are actively collaborating with our partners to create closed-loop solutions.
Carbon neutrality
We aim to reach carbon neutral operations globally by 2035. We are committed to Science Based Targets initiative to reach the net-zero by 2050.
Our goals, targets and results

Aiming for continuous improvement

million repaired textiles in 2022
>4.6
million repaired textiles in 2022
Textile waste recycled in 2022
68%
Textile waste recycled in 2022
savings in water and energy consumption per washed textile kilo in the past three decades.
50%
savings in water and energy consumption per washed textile kilo in the past three decades.
Journey towards net-zero
We started our journey towards net-zero to stay at the forefront of sustainable development and help our customers become more sustainable with our services.

We started our journey towards net-zero to stay at the forefront of sustainable development and help our customers become more sustainable with our services.

In 2021 we made of commitment to Science Based Targets initiative to verify that the targets are in line with the latest climate science to meet the goals of the Paris agreement. In the following year we set an annual 7% reduction target for our emissions. By 2030 we aim to halve our emissions from the base year level.

In the first phase of development, we will concentrate on three areas with the largest impact on our emissions. Thus, we will focus lowering the emissions from energy and customer deliveries as well as increasing the use of bio-based and recycled materials in textiles without compromising their durability.

Journey towards net-zero
Forerunner in circular economy
Lindström was named as one of the Finnish pioneers of circular economy. The recognition was given by Sitra, an independent Finnish innovation fund operating under the supervision of the Finnish Parlament.

Lindström was named as one of the Finnish pioneers of circular economy. The recognition was given by Sitra, an independent Finnish innovation fund operating under the supervision of the Finnish Parlament. The list consists of 41 pioneering companies offering circular economy solutions solving global climate crises. The circular economy provides some of the most effective tools to live within planetary boundaries.

The companies have been selected by a panel of experts from Sitra and its stakeholders. The selection criteria included appeal and scalability of the circular economy solution as well as its potential for stable business and impact from the perspective of circular economy. “Lindström is a forerunner in providing workwear and textiles as a service. Their work is solid and effective, all details of circular operations have been taken care of. The company aims to recycle 100% of its products, which is admirable,” comments the panel of experts.

Forerunner in circular economy
EcoVadis Gold certificate
Our continuous efforts at sustainability performance have now been rewarded with the gold certificate in EcoVadis.  EcoVadis is a leading sustainability rating provider that offers a common platform to evaluate sustainability performance.

Our continuous efforts at sustainability performance have now been rewarded with the gold certificate in EcoVadis.  It means that we are in the top 5% of the more than 100 000 evaluated companies and the top 2% in our own industry. We especially performed well in the environmental area with an outstanding performance of 90/100.   The rating covers the entire Lindström Group, all countries of operation.

EcoVadis is a leading sustainability rating provider that offers a common platform to evaluate sustainability performance with a universal scorecard, benchmarks and performance improvement tools. The rating covers environmental, labour & human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement themes.

 

EcoVadis Gold certificate
Our circular business model

Minimising environmental impact

Our service reduces textile overproduction by extending the lifetime of textiles and minimising the textiles in stocks. By using durable materials and designing for circularity, we promote sustainable practices at the very beginning. We avoid millions of kilos of unnecessary textile production by repairing and re-using our garments.  We manufacture additional orders on demand in our own workwear manufacturing facilities, Prodems, which is as effective way to eliminate the textile obsolete risk in our stocks.

To conserve natural resources, we optimise the use of water and energy in our laundries as well as our customer delivery loads and routes. Lower washing temperatures, shorter process times, and efficient energy use have improved energy-efficiency in our laundries in the past years. In the washing process, we recycle water and utilise heat from wastewater to warm fresh water. When textiles reach end of their lives, we recycle them as new products or raw materials.

Sustainability calculator

Compare home washing to Lindström's industrial washing process

Industrial washing
Home washing
Water Water
l / month
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water / year
with Lindström services
Detergent Detergent
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g / month
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detergent / year
with Lindström services
Energy Energy
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energy / year
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Carbon Footprint Carbon Footprint
kg / month
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Textile Waste Textile Waste
Expected repairs / month
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Expected repairs / month
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Stories about sustainability

Forerunners of Sustainability

The Forerunners of Sustainability is a series of stories in which our customers talk about sustainability and how we work together for more sustainable business. The stories are told by customers for whom sustainability is an important part of their company’s purpose and strategy.

S Group takes care of its personnel and promotes more sustainable future
Customer stories
S Group takes care of its personnel and promotes more sustainable future
The well-being and safety of employees is an important part of the Finnish retail group’s corporate responsibility work. Over the course of this year and…
#desiredpartner #sustainability #workwear
Sustainability guides ECOSTART’s actions
Customer stories
Sustainability guides ECOSTART’s actions
ECOSTART is a pioneering company in Slovakia that uses a fermented mixture of biodegradable waste as raw material for the production of green electricity. Plants,…
#carefortheplanet #desiredpartner #sustainability #workwear
The Olympic Stadium improved the customer experience while minimising the amount of waste
Customer stories
The Olympic Stadium improved the customer experience while minimising the amount of waste
In August 2020, the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland was reopened after being refurbished. It is Finland’s biggest arena to hold events, and it aims…
#carefortheplanet #desiredpartner #sustainability #washroom

More stories about sustainability

Future proofing in the food industry with – Samiran Das
Articles
Future proofing in the food industry with – Samiran Das
The food industry is transforming significantly, changing how we grow, buy, eat and feel about food. Shifting consumer preferences due to societal, technological and environmental…
#food #sustainability
Winter workwear made of plastic bottles
Articles
Winter workwear made of plastic bottles
Our goal is to offer carbon-free textile services to our customers by 2035 and to increase the use of recycled and bio-based fibres in textiles….
#circulareconomy #sustainability #workwear
Achieving EcoVadis Gold Certificate
Articles
Achieving EcoVadis Gold Certificate
It’s easy to claim that a company is sustainable but much harder to prove, especially when the operations are spread across geography and various levels…
#carefortheplanet #circulareconomy #desiredpartner #sustainability