Kipling Honeybee Backpack

KIPLING HONEYBEE BACKPACK
PRODUCT PROFILE
PRODUCT INFO
PRODUCT NAME
Honeybee Women’s Backpack
SPECIFICATIONS
Dim: 9”x14”x7.75”
Weight: 15oz
MANUFACTURER
Kipling by VF Corporation
SALES
Kipling is sold in over 60 countries, 6 million bags and accessories sold per year.
COTTON
RAW MATERIAL
MY STORY
Kipling was founded in Antwerp in 1987 by three women. I became quite acquainted with the brand while spending
my childhood and teenage summers in Belgium visiting my family. I loved the bold aesthetics, the big zippers and
crinkled fabric, and owned a variety of their products.
I acquired this particular bag around 2001. Two summers ago, while my Kipling bag was resting in my closet, used
only ever so often, I decided to buy a similar sized, well-priced Baggu backpack. Designed in Brooklyn with simple
shapes and materials (recycled canvas), the product turned out to be quite dissapointing. A first wash washed away
part of the dye, a couple months of use, left the closing cords fraying.
Last year, I decided to go back to my Kipling bag, which still feels like brand new. It’s still pretty, comfty and lightweight. I have never considered throwing it away.
HABITAT ALTERATION
ECOTOXICITY
WATER EUTRIPHICATION
HUMAN HEALTH
RESOURCE DEPLETION
Crinkled nylon outer fabric
20,000 LITERS OF
WATER
Washing and
Bleaching
Cotton Linters
(or Wood Pulp)
Nylon fabric edge lining
Cuprammonium
Liquor
Aging and
Deaerating
Inner zipper
Zinc plated brass hardware
Solution
Mixer
Cotton cords
15 KG OF PESTICIDES
Filter
& FERTILIZERS
TO PRODUCE THIS
Nylon fabric lining
Cotton straps
Skein Spinning,
Filament Yarn
Outer zipper
Continuous Spinning,
Filament Yarn
Coagulating
Liquor
Spinning for Staple
Fibre
COTTON TSHIRT
Cotton & velcro
Closing fastener
Exposed zipper
Selected Production
for Dope Dyed Yarn
Chip Hopper w/
innert
environment
Extruder
Nylon fabric
Branding
Spinning Pump
& Spinneret
Pack
Spinneret
Cool Air
Undrawn Nylon
Spin Roll
Finished Nylon
1991 PERSIAN GULF WAR
240,000,000 GALLONS
OF OIL SPILLED.
GLOBAL WARMING
ACID RAIN
HUMAN HEALTH
INSTABILITY / HUMAN CONFLICT
RESOURCE DEPLETION
Etty Beke
IND 487P/587P Sustainable Production Methods
Professor: Frank Millero
SP2013
Faux leather strap
Reinforcement
Pom plastic
Hardware
Silicon & faux
leather branding
OIL
RAW MATERIAL | SOURCE OF ENERGY | TRANSPORTATION
KIPLING HONEYBEE BACKPACK
POLYOXYMETHYLENE (POM)
PROCESS TREE
NYLON
Clips & Buckle
COTTON
Fabric
POLYURETHANE FAUX LEATHER
Straps
Straps Bindings with cotton backing
ENERGY
WATER
PESTICIDES
FERTILIZERS
ENERGY
ENERGY
WATER
PESTICIDES
FERTILIZERS
ENERGY
ENERGY
RAW MATERIALS
ENERGY
ENERGY
WATER
ENERGY
CRUDE OIL
EXTRACTION
PETROLEUM
REFINEMENT
PROCESSING INTO
MONOMERS
CO2
VOCs
CO2
VOCs
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
WATER
ENERGY
ENERGY
CRUDE OIL
EXTRACTION
PETROLEUM
REFINEMENT
PROCESSING INTO
MONOMERS
POLIMERIZATION
CO2
VOCs
CO2
VOCs
CO2
VOCs
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
ENERGY
WATER
BLEACHING
SOLUTION
CULTIVATION
HARVESTING
GINNING
SCOURING &
BLEACHING
CO2
VOCs
WASTE WATER
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
ENERGY
WATER
BLEACHING
SOLUTION
CO2
VOCs
WASTE WATER
DYEING
Branding
Hardware
HARVESTING
ENERGY
CO2
VOCs
GINNING
ENERGY
ENERGY
WATER
LIME
CHEMICALS
AIR
CO2
CO2
ENERGY
VOCs
WASTE WATER
SCOURING &
BLEACHING
ENERGY
ENERGY
WATER
DYES
BRASS
CO2
VOCs
WASTE WATER
COTTON CULTIVATION
CO2
ENERGY
WATER
ENERGY
WATER
DYES
SILICONE
CO2
VOCs
WASTE WATER
DYEING
SPINNING
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
LEAD
PETROLEUM
REFINEMENT
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
WATER
ENERGY
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
CO2
VOCs
WASTE WATER
CRUDE OIL
EXTRACTION
PROCESSING INTO
MONOMERS
POLIMERIZATION
(POLYURETHANE)
COPPER ORE MINING &
CRUSHING
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
GRINDING
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
FROTH FLOTATION
SMELTING
CO2
VOCs
ELECTROLYTIC
REFINING
CO2
VOCs
CO2
VOCs
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
SILICA EXTRACTION
FROM SANDSTONE
CO2
ENERGY
WATER
CO2
PINE OIL
VOCs CHEMICALS
AIR
ENERGY
ENERGY
LEAD
ZINC ORE MINING &
CRUSHING
CO2
VOCs
GRINDING
CO2
VOCs
FROTH FLOTATION
CO2
VOCs
SMELTING
CO2
VOCs
REFINING
CO2
VOCs
ALLOYING
CO2
VOCs
DIE CASTING
CO2
VOCs
WEAVING
ENERGY
INJECTION MOLDING
CO2
VOCs
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
ENERGY
STRAND FORMING
WEAVING
PRODUCTION
ENERGY
COPOLIMERIZATION
CO2
VOCs
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
WATER
ENERGY
SPINNING
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
WATER
WEAVING
CO2
VOCs
COAGULATION
DRY PROCESS
ENERGY
DYE
ENERGY
WOOD PALLETS
CARDBOARD
PLASTIC
USE
ENERGY
PACKAGING
HUMAN ENERGY
ASSEMBLY
CO2
BULK PACKAGING
CO2
DISTRIBUTION CENTER
PURCHASING
CO2
PACKAGING
LONG TERM USE
DISPOSAL
ENERGY
LANDFILL
CO2
VOCs
ENERGY
MINERAL DYE
KEYWORDS
STORES WORLDWIDE
END OF LIFE
HAZ. HYDROGEN
CHLORIDE FUMES
ENERGY
ENERGY
HAND LABOR
Etty Beke
IND 487P/587P Sustainable Production Methods
Professor: Frank Millero
SP2013
COMBINE W/ CHEMICALS
CO2
CH4
SOLID WASTE
Kipling
Honeybee Kipling Backpack
Women’s Backpack
Production
Methods
Nylon
Brass
Copper
Zinc
Plastic
Mining
Cotton
Faux Leather
Silicone
Strand Forming
Polymerization
Hardware
Plastic Hardware
Velcro
Buckles
Clips
POM
Electro Plating
Coagulation
Smelting
Froth Flotation
Die Casting
Injection Molding
Landfill
Emissions
Hazards
AZO
Dyes
Chemical
Organic
Standards
Recycling
Programs
Oil
Environment
Impact
Spill
Clothing
Textile
Cultivation
Sustainability
Social
CAST INTO MOLD
CO2
ENERGY
WATER
ZINC PLATING
CO2
VOCs
WASTE WATER
SOURCES
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.Np. 6 Big Oil Spills, and what they cost. CNN. http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/fortune/1005/gallery.expensive_oil_spills.fortune/5.html
.Np. Gulf War Oil Disaster. Counterspill. http://counterspill.com/article/gulf-war-oil-disaster-brief-history April 10, 2011
.Np. Cotton Picking in China, Ecouterre. http://www.ecouterre.com/welcome-to-ecouterre/cottonpickingchina/
.Np. Corporate Responsibility Across VF. VFC. http://www.vfc.com/corporate-responsibility/environmental/across-vf
.Np. New Method Cleans Up Textile Industry’s Most Dangerous Chemicals. September 27th, 2011. Science Daily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926102803.htm
.Np. Manual for the Implementation of the Global Organic Textile Standard. http://www.global-standard.org/images/stories/gots-manual_01march2011.pdf
.Np. American Textile Recycling Services. http://atrscorp.com/
.Np. How is cotton Recycled? Living Bag. http://www.living-bag.com/how_cotton.html
.Np. I:CO. http://www.ico-spirit.com/en/about-ico/
.Np.Eco-Gear. Comparative Study of the environmental impact of recycled cotton yarns vs conventional cotton yarns. http://www.eco-gear.ca/ecogear-Comparative-Study.pdf
.Np. H&M Garment Collecting. http://about.hm.com/AboutSection/en/About/Sustainability/Commitments/Reduce-Reuse-Recycle/Garment-Collecting.html
.Np. BASF Climate Protection. http://www.performancechemicals.basf.com/ev-wcms-in/internet/en_GB/portal/show-content_tc/content/EV/EV8/about_us/climate_protection
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.Np. Baggu Eco-Thics Info Sheet. Baggu, http://baggubag.com/static/Catalogs/Baggu_EcoEthicsSheet_2013.pdf
.Np. Recycled Cotton, and Patagonia’s Examined Life. Treehugger Warren McLaren. http://www.treehugger.com/culture/recycled-nylon-and-patagonias-examined-life.html October 11th,
2007
.Np. New Green Outdoor Fabrics from Toray. Treehugger. Warren McLaren. http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-fashion/new-green-outdoor-fabrics-from-toray.html April 4th, 2007
.Np. Recycle Your Blues. Gap Social Responsibility. http://www.gapinc.com/content/csr/html/Goals/environment/our_program_in_action/recycle_your_blues.html
.Np. Fiber watch: nylon gets a new (recycled) life. Ecosalon. http://ecosalon.com/fiber-watch-re-vamping-nylon/
.Np. NILIT® Specialty Yarns & Brands » NILIT » Eco Fibers. Nilit Fabrics. http://www.nilit.com/fibers/brands-NILIT-ecocare.asp
.Np. Mills and Sundries working group. The Business of a Better World. http://bsr.org/en/our-work/working-groups/apparel-mills-sundries
.Np. H&M to boost organic cotton use by 50% in 2009. Andrea Donsky. January 30th, 2009. http://www.treehugger.com/style/hm-clothing-to-boost-organiccotton-use-by-50-percent-in-2009.html
.Np. Cotton Vs. Polyester. Coral Rose. http://coralrose.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/07/polyester-vs-co.html July 30th, 2008
Market Research:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kipling_(brand)
http://www.kipling.com/int/
http://www.vfc.com/ (VF Corporation)
http://www.zappos.com/
KIPLING HONEYBEE BAKCPACK
PROPOSALS TO LESSEN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
PROPOSALS
RECYCLED COTTON CANVAS STRAPS
The following proposals encompass ideas related to the improvement of the
physical qualities of the product and kinds of production methods used, as well
as proposals related to systemic changes that touch on the company’s sustainability culture and its relation to the customer.
All cotton elements to be manufactured from recycled cotton, eliminating
the great ecological impact on cultivation, harvesting and ginning of
cotton.
The Kipling brand is part of VF Corporation, a large consortium of companies, including Timberland, Nautica, Reef and The North Face which have already
started different kinds of sustainability programs. Through sister companies and
the great access to facilities and technologies, these big name brands have the
power to promote a higher production standard worldwide.
DEMATERIALIZATION
Baggu Backpack ethically made
in China from 100% recycled
cotton.
Determine, through market research, all unused or unnecessary elements without comprimising the design of the product. Replace parts like interior zippers
with snap buttons, keeping in mind less intensive production methods and striving for disassembly.
Removal of 3”x 4.5”
Pencil Pocket
(Nylon fabric)
Removal of 1”x5”
Keychain Holder
(POM, Cavnvas, Stainless
Steel)
Replacement of 7”L
Interior Zipper with
Snap Button
Nylon fabric, Nylon coil,
Stainless Steel.
RECYCLED CRINKLED NYLON FABRIC
Upgrading iconic Kipling crinkled nylon fabric by incorporating recycled
nylon content.
IN-HOUSE SUSTAINABILITY CULTURE
Using Rudyard’s literature and the culture of adventure, which originally inspired the creators of the brand, as
a starting point to develop a culture of sustainability inside the company. Improve facilities, provide conditions for more sustainability practices, educate and set standards throughout company to incorporate sustainability in the conception, design, manufacturing, distribution and sale of product lines. Engage employees with social and environmental causes, like Reef’s Redemption Paid Volunteer Plan.
OUT OF THE LANDFILLS
By partnering with i:co, a company dedicated to used garment collection and the development of a closed loop production cycle, Kipling can engage customers in its sustainability efforts while working to develop a system that keeps
products out of the landfills.
Patagonia developed, in conjuction with japanese factories,
recycled nylon and polyester
fabric for their products.
IMPROVEMENT IN WATER AND ENERGY
MANAGEMENT
Kipling’s use of dyes is guided by the European Legislation that bans many
of the AZO Dyes. These set standards are higher than what is commonly
used in many other parts of the world, including the US.
A next step would be to upgrade to more efficient dyes. BASF Performance
Chemicals greatly reduce the amount of water and energy used in the dying
process.
In addition to this, the incorporation, once the technology is available, of
waste water treatment that uses biological and chemical agents and lessens
the impact on the environment. The research and application, by Maria Jonstrup from Lund University, is currently under development.
Etty Beke
IND 487P/587P Sustainable Production Methods
Professor: Frank Millero
SP2013
The North Face, a sister company, has already established a
Clothes The Loop program with i:co, which Kipling, and ultimately all other sister brands, could tag along. Customers
are invited to bring in their used clothes and shoes and are
given a voucher in exchange.