Sustainability and Manufacturing

Sustainability is one of the core values of Teko. In terms of products and manufacturing, sustainability means a product can be assembled, taken apart, and put together again without needing extra parts or sacrificing quality and purity.

The industrial revolution provided a tremendous boon to the technological and social development of human beings. The premise behind this revolution, however, was that there is an inexhaustible amount of resources and energy. Education and experience as well as pollution and material shortages in recent years have demonstrated that earth cannot support unecological manufacturing for much longer.

This does not mean, however, that we have to stop making new products and using energy to improve our lives. We merely need to learn how to operate within the rules of our ecosystem.

Playing by "nature's rules" can be quite difficult when trying to combine synthetic and organic materials which have been modified by synthetic or organic chemicals. How can all these items be separated and returned to their original state, or at least a similar state, of equal quality and quantity?

A major part of "playing by the rules" of sustainable manufacturing is that all by-products, wasted, or modified materials that are leftover cannot be forgotten. Rather, they are considered to be a part of the final product (though not physically attached or passed on to the end-user.) This makes choosing the right processes and materials even more necessary.

Creating quality products is also core to sustainability. Expending energy and materials on products which aren't useful, is not sustainable because of the failure to create a whole of equal value to its parts.

The above concepts are just part of what Teko evaluates when developing our products. Teko strives to reach the ideals of sustainability. Unfortunately, unsustainable practices have become engrained throughout the world. This makes it infeasible to use only "no impact" materials and processes, while still meeting consumer's expectations. The expense of changing industrial practices and societal habits will make this a gradual process. Just because we cannot immediately maintain our ideal is no reason to give up. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Our aim is to have quality products that leave the minimal environmental impact. The more we strive to minimize our impact, the closer we get to true sustainability.

A great example of our focus is using Ecopoly recycled polyester in our socks. Using recycled material is essential to sustainability. The more we can use Ecopoly to replace fresh, more toxic materials, the lower the environmental impact our products have.

Striving to use materials and methods with the least environmental impact means we are always looking for better ways to do things. It is Teko's belief that by heading in this direction we set a positive example that our ecosystem doesn't have to be compromised for high performance apparel. In fact, nothing would thrill us more than if "the least environment impact" became an essential part of product competition. This would be the start of transforming the industry into a more sustainable trade.

Here at Teko we believe that true sustainability works within both social and ecological structures. Whether desired or not, we cannot deny the interconnection between social and environmental concerns. We therefore aim to work with suppliers and manufacturers who understand the societal and environmental impacts of their work.

Teko recognizes that we still have a ways to go to attain the ideal of a sustainable company. We are always open to learning more about sustainability as well as to sharing our ideals. Please feel free to contact us.