FREITAG as a reference for circular economy
Our colleague Dr. Kristin Trommer recently visited FREITAG lab. AG in Zurich. For many years, FREITAG has been using recycled truck tarpaulins to manufacture durable bags and is therefore considered a benchmark for practical circular economy practices.
Development of a "NextGen" truck tarpaulin
Together with industry partners, FREITAG is now working on the next stage of development: a recyclable truck tarpaulin that, after its use in transport and a second life as a FREITAG bag, can be recycled again. This includes the development of a bio-based, recyclable "NextGen" truck tarpaulin, whose material cycle is intended to be closed in the long term through mechanical recycling of tarpaulins and bags at the end of their service life.
Contribution of our team
In a ZIM project, Dr. Kristin Trommer's team, together with industry partners Linotech GmbH & Co. KG and MehlerHeytex – a brand of Freudenberg – has already developed key technological foundations – from material formulations to design-for-recycling approaches – and further refined these in direct collaboration with FREITAG. This results in practical circular economy solutions at the intersection of materials technology, product design, and sustainability strategy.
Outlook
We thank Moritz Fierz and Peter Hollerstein for the constructive exchange and look forward to further cooperation.
