At Erfurt & Sohn, responsibility doesn’t start with recycling – it begins right at the design stage.
With the Cradle to Cradle certification of our products, we demonstrate that the foundations for a closed-loop system are laid right from the product development stage. Our wallpapers combine the highest design standards with environmental and social responsibility. They are free from harmful substances, produced in a resource-efficient manner and fully recyclable back into the material cycle. With Cradle to Cradle certification, we underline our commitment to a sustainable building and living culture – and invite architects, designers, retailers and end customers to join us in creating sustainable spaces.
SUSTAINABILITY AS A MATTER OF COURSE
Since its foundation in 1827 and now in its 8th generation, Erfurt & Sohn has stood for responsible action in the interests of future generations. This ethos has shaped our work and our products for almost 200 years. We have been using recycled paper as a raw material for over 50 years and remain the only wallpaper manufacturer to use recycled raw materials and consistently design its processes to be circular. We align ourselves with the goals of the EU Green Deal, focusing on sustainable product design across the entire life cycle and adherence to the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Climate Agreement. For the assessment, all ingredients are tested by independent third parties, and the product is thus certified for the main category of material health. ERFURT has undergone the certification process in collaboration with the accredited assessor epeaswitzerland. The successful assessment was confirmed by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. The Cradle to Cradle Certified® seal stands for a continuous improvement process: to ensure ongoing product and process optimisation, recertification takes place every three years.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS
The Cradle to Cradle Certified® programme is regarded as one of the world’s leading, science-based standards for the design and manufacture of modern products aimed at a healthy, fair and sustainable future. The certification is a registered trademark of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII).
This woodchip wallpaper, made from paper and wood fibres, is remarkable for its versatility and health benefits. ERFURT & SOHN KG uses 75% recycled fibres and 25% renewable fibres in its woodchip wallpaper.
Due to the use of these resources, woodchip wallpaper generates CO₂ emissions of just 0.141 kg/m² compared to PVC wallpaper. Woodchip wallpaper from ERFURT & SOHN KG is innovative because it is recyclable and can be repainted multiple times, ensuring a long service life (up to 35 years).
This innovative combination of environmental friendliness and practicality sets new standards for sustainable building and living. The use of recycled paper as a raw material enables the natural fibre to be reused across up to five life cycles. It opens up new, recyclable possibilities for wall design and in timber construction.
The smooth non-woven wallpapers from the ERFURT Variovlies range are a healthy alternative to bare walls. Variovlies improves the indoor climate, evens out uneven surfaces and creates a smooth, plaster-like finish. These breathable, moisture-regulating natural products are free from PVC and harmful substances.
Paper waste generated during paper manufacturing and packaging is returned to the production process. By investing in stock preparation systems, particularly stock pulpers, wet-strength papers can also be reprocessed in paper production and thus made available as a raw material. Through partnerships with waste management companies, customers’ used wallpaper can also be returned to the material cycle.
This healthy and smooth wall covering is not only environmentally friendly, but also impresses with its outstanding technical properties. The new and improved material is characterised by excellent substrate coverage and high wet strength. By using 100% defined grades of the finest recycled paper, the non-woven fabric achieves this brilliant white colour without any additives. Its sustainability is also evident in the very smooth surface, which requires minimal paint consumption.
