Launches “ReTurn” take-back concept for edgebands

The fact that Rehau takes the issue of sustainability seriously has been demonstrated by the company’s concrete actions in the past, including for the “Raukantex” edgebanding solutions. Now the Interior Solutions Division is taking the next step: “Rehau ReTurn” is a new component in the “Raukantex eco.protect” portfolio. The take-back concept is a first step towards keeping edgebanding in a raw material cycle in the long term. Effective immediately, customers can return unprocessed edgebandings in their original packaging to Rehau free of charge, and Rehau will then process them into new products.

“Sustainability is not a trend for us, but part of our corporate philosophy,” says Daniel Elfe-Degel, Team Leader Product Management and Sustainability Officer for the Interior Solutions Division at Rehau. With edgebands and surfaces produced in a resource-saving manner, this sector offers the interior industry ever new opportunities to design living environments in a sustainable manner. Now the division is opening a new chapter in its sustainability portfolio: With immediate effect, customers can return unprocessed edgebandings – preferably in their original packaging. Rehau then returns them to the raw material cycle. “This is in line with the triad we are aiming for,” says Daniel Elfe-Degel. “Conserving resources, producing sustainably and keeping products, or raw materials, in the cycle. These three points lead to an environmentally friendly economy.” To implement these goals, Rehau is taking concrete measures for the individual product lines. For example, the recycled content has already been increased in the production of “Raukantex” edgebands and other alternative raw materials have been used. In order to avoid the thermal recycling of edgebandings that are no longer needed, the first stage of the take-back concept has now reached a further milestone on the road to a circular economy.

The closed-loop initiative is the next logical step in the evolution to the “green” edge. But it is only one building block in the mosaic of activities that Rehau has been expanding for years: Since 2020, for example, production in all European edgebanding plants has been powered 100 percent by renewable energy sources generated within the company’s own operations. In addition, two sustainable product lines were introduced: “Raukantex eco,” which uses 50 percent post-industrial recyclates in manufacturing, and “Raukantex evo,” which, compared to a conventional polypropylene edgeband, ensures that non-fossil feedstocks are used in manufacturing instead of crude oil. “And the phase-out of PVC edgeband production has also already been implemented for the countries in the EMEA region,” says Daniel Elfe-Degel. “We will consistently continue on this path – and we have taken a major new step with the ‘ReTurn’ take-back concept.”

All details on “Rehau ReTurn” and the “Raukantex eco.protect “ concept: https://www.rehau.com/de-de/raukantex-eco-protect