VAPESOL has been focusing on the sustainability of its products and its production activity. At the end of 2020, the company achieved certification of its environmental management system in accordance with the requirements of the NP EN ISO 14001:2015 Standard.
For the year 2021 Décio Pereira, company manager, bet on the certification of recycled soles and VAPESOL is the first national shoe sole company to obtain product certification under the GRS – Global Recycled Standard 4.0 standard.
GRS certification has been awarded to soles produced in TR and TPU that contain at least 56% pre-consumer recycled material, but can reach up to 100% recycled content. The certification process involved a vast VAPESOL team that had the support of the CTCP in implementing the demanding requirements of the GRS standard.
The GRS standard is a product certification standard, is voluntary and belongs to Textile Exchange promoting 4 guiding principles that have been audited and verified by the Intertek certifying body:
– the use of recycled materials in products
– compliance with social responsibility practices
– compliance with environmental management requirements
– chemical management and restricted substance control compliance
The GRS certification of TR and TPU soles produced by VAPESOL is an important lever for its customers, who thus find a solution to the requirements of the big brands that use Portugal for the production of footwear, namely recycled footwear.
The GRS standard is based on the principle of traceability and transparency, which requires from VAPESOL a high level of control over the origin of raw materials, their segregation, processing and dispatch, which further contributes to the degree of organization that characterizes the company.
In 2022, VAPESOL will continue to collaborate with CTCP in the continuous improvement of its environmental management system and the sustainability of its products.