Circular, smart and sustainable – garment hangers made of FSC certified cellulose manufactured in an AP&T press line
For Ekoligens in Kungälv, Sweden, sustainability is not just an important part of operations - it is the basis for their business idea. The company is the first in the world to serially manufacture 3D formed garment hangers made from sustainably sources cellulose. Their climate-smart, circular product lays the groundwork for significantly reducing the fashion industry’s environmental impact. And they are produced with the help of AP&T equipment.
“Considering more than 10 billion plastic clothes hangers are produced globally each year, there is an enormous potential for us to help the fashion industry along in transitioning from fossil-based sources to renewables and to reduce plastic waste,” says Ekoligens’ CEO Christian Capurso.
A lot of fashion companies have shown great interest in Ekoligens’ products but changing habitual purchasing patterns and established supply chains takes time. That is why Ekoligens has spent the past year focusing on reinforcing their customer collaborations and developing their production process and product offering in order to truly fulfill the needs of the market.
The backbone of production is a fully automated two-press line from AP&T which is used to form cellulose blanks into garment hangers. When fully utilised, it has the capacity to produce well over 2000 products per hour. The line was delivered in the summer of 2021 and has since been integrated into the other equipment, tested, tweaked and used for small-scale production, all with the help of AP&T.
“Sustainability is central to AP&T. We’re happy to be able to provide expertise and equipment that will contribute to more sustainable products and production, for instance, through low energy consumption, short cycle times, high reliability and long service life. Ekoligens has an exciting product with great room for growth, making our collaboration strategically interesting,” says Dr. Christian Koroschetz, Chief Sales Officer at AP&T.
Now in 2022, it is time for Ekoligens to break new ground and fully commercialise their operation. “It’s a very important step for us and we are grateful to be able to take it with a well-established partner like AP&T. Our ambition is to continue to grow our production facilities in Europe and eventually into the other parts of the world where we see customer need. Through this already established, trustworthy partnership our companies will continue to share risks and opportunities that allow a sustainable future for both of us,” says Capurso.
June 2022
Facts
- Ekoligens manufactures cellulose garment hangers in an efficient production process.
- The company has its 8,000 square meter production facility in Kungälv, Sweden.
- Manufacturing is done in a fully automated production line consisting of two presses and a number of SpeedFeeders from AP&T.