PIP’s Commitment to Sustainability

As a global provider of hand protection and PPE, we are committed to continually identifying opportunities to minimize our environmental footprint to support a more sustainable, safer future. We are focused on leading the way along with our industrial distributors and retailer partners by offering products and solutions that minimize our impact while maximizing protection against occupational hazards. This extends to multiple aspects of our business including Manufacturing Processes, Sustainability-Driven Programs, Recycled Products, Social Sustainability and Future Initiatives.

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Helping to protect life, earth and community.

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Manufacturing Processes

  • PIP® has a heightened focus on developing products in a sustainable way while remaining compliant with globally recognized industry standards. The following are a few examples of how PIP® excels at reusing and recycling byproducts of the manufacturing process.

  • Sprue leftover plastic resulting from the molding process of our EZ-Twist™ ear plugs is reused in a 20% mix ratio when molding new plastic stems.

  • PIP® collaborates with companies who transform excess Aramid yarns that are used when making Kut Gard® and Claw Cover®gloves and sleeves into materials that can be repurposed for additional use. Aramid fibers are an excellent alternative to asbestos as the reinforcement component in automobile brake pads.

  • We work with metal processors to recycle the highly coveted high-grade stainless steel scrap that emanates from the manufacturing of metal mesh gloves.

Sustainability-Driven Programs

  • Recycling

    Each PIP® facility ranging from manufacturing plants to warehouses and offices is engaged in a variety of initiatives to reinforce our commitment to operating in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly manner.

    PIP® also is among the first to introduce a true PPE recycling program for customers who want to go the extra mile in ensuring that consumed safety products are recycled instead of filling up landfills or ending up on our streets. By teaming customers up with onsite waste recuperators who collect, sort then repurpose used PPE into new products, we've developed a turn-key approach to PPE recuperation. Learn more about the PIP® 3R™ Sustainability Program here.

  • Packaging

    All facilities have active recycling programs for high-volume packaging materials such as cardboard, paper and plastic wrap. Ongoing efforts are also underway to replace plastic film bags with biodegradable films that are more easily broken down to address the challenges related to the increased need for hygienic individual packaging in today’s post pandemic reality.

  • Repurposing

    Our North American manufacturing facilities recycle unused materials and repurpose them for use in other PPE components. With HDPE plastic, we regrind the excess to produce ear muff caps, bump cap inserts and headgear brackets. PIP’s manufacturing teams are on a continual mission to identify new ways to repurpose safe, viable byproduct that results from standard operating procedures in an effort to minimize waste.

  • Reallocating

    Across PIP’s facilities, miscellaneous scrap metal, refundable bottles and cans are collected so the proceeds can be applied toward employee team building activities including community fundraising runs, summer outings and participation at philanthropic events.

  • Paperless Office Policy

    PIP® adopted a paperless office policy nearly a decade ago. This has led to a reduction in the amount of paper used in order treatment, invoicing and payment by more than 80% thanks to an investment in software that links to customers’ systems for a paperless interchange. All PIP® invoices are electronic and 90% of checks received or paid are electronic. Today, even our recycling bins are nearly empty due to the successful implementation efforts of this policy.

    An extension of this policy is the decreased reliance on photocopiers and office printers which has seen a nearly 70% decline over the last two years. Investment in office systems and documentation software has also netted higher efficiencies and a reduction of office waste by nearly 40% and toner ink by nearly 70%. The company's headquarters has also experienced a nearly 40% decrease in the receipt of physical mail due to our paperless efforts.

  • Logistics

    Our logistics teams have worked diligently with both PIP's Customer Service team and our customers to reduce multiple releases on single orders. They also are hyper-focused on optimizing available space on shipping containers to prevent having even a square inch of space left unused. These economic-related initiatives can significantly contribute to reducing the company's carbon footprint.

  • Flexible Work Schedules

    In response primarily to the pandemic, PIP® made significant investments to upgrade employees' computer hardware to allow for greater portability, functionality and flexibility so that work-from-home is possible when just two years prior, it was nearly impossible. The use of carpooling and public transportation is also strongly encouraged for days spent in the office.

  • In-Person Events and Meetings

    In the face of the pandemic, we’ve reduced our participation in large-scale tradeshows due to new realities, further reducing the carbon footprint associated with heavy truck hauling of display equipment, products and overall resources associated with in-person events.

    Our Sales team has also adapted to changing expectations related to face-to-face customer meetings, embracing video conferences and demos with multiple stakeholders. This adaptation has resulted in a reduction of carbon emissions due to decreased travel as well as printed materials – which has reduced our use of paper materials by nearly 80%.

Recycled into New Products

  • PIP® is proud to work with longstanding partners – which include raw material suppliers and factories – that help us develop products that maximize recyclability and reduce our carbon footprint. We work with advanced factories that make use of closed-loop systems and on-site water treatment to help ensure eco-compliance and good manufacturing practices.

  • More and more gloves and hi-vis garments are using recycled polyester fibers. By working with progressive fiber manufacturers, such as DSM Dyneema®, we’ve introduced cut resistant gloves using yarns from the world’s first bio-based HMPE fiber technology.

  • PIP® also pioneered the use of recycled P.E.T. water bottles – shredded and extruded to make fibers and yarns for our G-tek® ECOSeries™ gloves – then stepped up the use of these recycled yarns with some of the newest gloves containing up to 70% of recycled content.
    Click here to watch the video

  • PIP’s recent acquisition of Uniform Technology, which specializes in launderable protective garments used in cleanroom manufacturing plants, laboratories and paint rooms, markets their products as high-performing sustainable solutions with an up to 10-to-1 use ratio when compared to single-use or disposable spun-bonded polyester.

Social Sustainability

  • PIP® has always believed in giving back to its community. This includes supporting a variety of philanthropic causes including the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, organizations with a mission of combating cancer as well as annual participation in the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program which provides new clothing and toys to more than one million children and families in need each year.

  • In addition to strongly believing in giving back to its community, PIP® also is passionate about giving back to its employees and supporting their overall wellness. This includes covering employee registration fees for local charitable races whose proceeds go to underwriting a variety of initiatives including college scholarships, grants and programs that encourage grade school children to run for exercise and fun. Onsite flu vaccination clinics are also held annually to promote overall employee health and wellness.

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FUTURE
INITIATIVES

PIP® will continue to strive to utilize resources and make investments in ways that further our commitment to sustainability. While our work will never be done with this ongoing initiative, a selection of future plans that are in place relate to:
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    Implementing a new program related to converting all overhead lights used throughout our facilities to LEDs with a target completion within the next year. This includes exterior parking lot lights as well as outside building lights. Another element of this program is incorporating programable timers to automatically turn the lights off or on at dusk or dawn to reduce energy consumption.

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    Our new state-of-the-art warehouse in Olive Branch, MS is a LEEDS building that’s built to operate with the latest in sustainable materials and energy processes.

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    Focusing efforts on converting some of the world’s largest food processing plants to our proprietary extended-use disposable gloves, which to date has been shown to eliminate up to 30% of waste when compared to single-use disposable gloves.

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    Developing products that are a more sustainable, environmentally friendly solution to traditional approaches – such as reusable work gloves with enhanced barrier protection to replace the use of disposable gloves in industrial settings – that help reduce unrecyclable waste.