EMPOWERED BY A VISION
Silhouette produces carbon-neutral with offsetting
As a family business, Silhouette Group thinks long-term and has the future of the planet in mind. Since September 2022, the company’s eyewear production is carbon neutral thanks to carbon reduction actions and offsetting projects. The full-service eyewear brand is continually working to slash CO2 emissions even further through its environmentally friendly policies. And the results speak for themselves: In just seven years, the company has cut its CO2 emissions in half, reducing them to around 2,000 tons last year. The Silhouette brand is also Europe’s first and only eyewear brand with EMAS certification (the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme of the European Commission).
Reducing carbon emissions
SELF-GENERATED POWER
By 2023, Silhouette Group plans to have installed solar panels on all suitable roofs of the production and administrative buildings at its company headquarters. From 2020 to 2021, the company installed over 35,000 m2 of rooftop solar panels. Another 43,000 square feet will be installed by the end of 2023. After that, Silhouette Group will be able to self-generate 13% of the energy it needs to produce its eyewear each year (1,142,000 kWh). This will prevent 450 tons of CO2 emissions annually. This is equivalent to the amount of CO2 that it would take 13,361 trees to absorb. Silhouette Group is also switching to using electric vehicles. Currently, over a quarter of the company’s fleet is already electric or hybrid.
PURCHASE OF GREEN ELECTRICITY
To create its premium eyewear, Silhouette Group relies on the help of some powerful elements: sunlight, wind and water. As a result, the global market leader in rimless premium eyewear uses only CO2-free, sustainable, green electricity. This results in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, because electricity is the most widely used form of energy in eyewear production.
E-MOBILITY
Currently, a quarter of the vehicles of Silhouette’s business motor pool are already electric or hybrid. 14 solar-powered charging stations available on their premises build the basis to expand e-mobility at Silhouette Group headquarters.
Offsetting activities
Silhouette Group is offsetting their current amount of around 2000 tons CO2 by purchasing certificates for social Gold-Standard Projects in the global south. Projects that are proven to reduce greenhouse gases while protecting the interests of local environments and populations.
The Silhouette brand is focusing on visionary energy captured by solar power plants. For the first year the brand supports a 6-megawatt solar energy farm in Global South, which causes an annual reduction of around 9,500 tons CO2. Silhouette Group is committed to projects that continuously reduce its carbon footprint.
Silhouette & sustainability
“When we look back on our company’s history today, we can see that sustainability has always been an intuitive aspect of what we do. It has been a factor behind every decision we’ve made, and it continues to guide us throughout the years.”
Silhouette has been making eyewear in Austria since 1964. As a manufacturer of premium eyewear, Silhouette considers it is their duty to protect the environment and conserve their natural resources. This enables them to operate their production facility at full capacity, even though it is located in a water conservation area. Their internal policies go even further than the legal requirements, making them a forerunner in the field of sustainable innovation and environmental protection.
FAQ
What is the difference between carbon neutral and carbon free?
Carbon neutral means that any CO2 released into the atmosphere from a company’s activities is balanced by an equivalent amount being removed.
Net-zero carbon emissions or carbon free means that an activity releases net-zero carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Why is the Silhouette production carbon neutral and not the products?
Silhouette’s products are not carbon neutral as logistics has not been considered to their CO2 calculation so far.
To have a carbon neutral product Silhouette would have to take into account transportation, delivery, etc., which is out of their control. For the moment, what they can control is carbon neutral.
For now Silhouette is able to produce their eyewear with zero CO2 emissions and after this successful first step, they are now working on additional reducing projects to also reduce their carbon footprint when it comes to material procurement, transport, business trips, etc.
What is a carbon credit?
A carbon credit, sometimes called a carbon offset, represents the certified reduction or removal of one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) from the atmosphere. To try and put this into context, one tonne of CO2 is the equivalent to the average monthly carbon footprint of someone living in Europe.
Carbon offsetting is the purchase of carbon credits, generally in an amount equivalent to the carbon emissions that a lifestyle or business has created. After making every effort to reduce emissions as much as possible, purchasing carbon credits is a way to be accountable for a climate impact and to take climate action beyond one’s own area of influence.
What is carbon offsetting?
Carbon offsetting allows an organization to be accountable for its unavoidable emissions, reducing its impact on the environment and helping to drive the low-carbon transition in a cost-effective way.