Sustainability

Nature & sustainability - an important task for Holst Porzellan

 

In the struggle for attractive sales arguments, many suppliers use terms that we often don't understand. Buzzword number 1: sustainability. We don't understand what is supposed to be "sustainable" about an instant packet soup, a plastic pad detergent or a confectionery product. We also don't understand why a 10-litre plastic canister of Ad-Blue is good for the environment, or that lithium mining for the electrification of global mobility can be done without damaging the environment. But that's another topic.

We are currently at a turning point in the development of mankind. Behind us lies the development of prosperity through industrialisation and global world trade. Ahead of us lies its ecological repair and responsibility for the environment. The environmental footprints of many products have not yet been written and compared. Scholars argue almost daily with short-sighted and entertaining comparisons and statistics in order to defend their respective opinions as the correct ones. Mostly it is about economic aspects.


 

The ecological expertise of Holst Porzellan

 
We at Holst Porzellan cannot save the world. Nor can we judge whether "bio-electricity" or "disposable nappies" are sustainable. Nevertheless, we can do something! We make sure that our porcelain does not come in unnecessary packaging and have been avoiding all types of plastic and blister packaging for more than 20 years.

We encourage our factories to collect their old, worn-out plaster moulds for road construction, to return surplus materials from production and to build heating ducts for drying rooms. Above all, however, we do not allow our defective goods (c-grade) to simply be destroyed, but to be distributed to employees and the needy in the producing countries. Very few consumers realise that almost all well-known brands insist that III. and IV. Choice simply has to be destroyed because of the brand logo. What madness!

On the one hand, they boast of complying with social norms with BCSI and other standards. On the other hand, they prohibit the distribution of surplus goods to those in need. That doesn't make sense to us.


 

 

 

Porcelain & sustainability 

Honestly? Porcelain is not environmentally friendly! This product requires a lot of energy and uses high-quality raw materials.

Are there alternatives to porcelain? And "how good" are they? For around two years, a wave swept through our society and everyone cheered reusable bamboo cups. In hindsight, a disaster for people and nature. Melamine and plastic crockery - also only after several years of realisation - are in fact no substitute. Whatever has tried to replace porcelain in the last hundred years has not succeeded. If you set the longevity of porcelain against its energy consumption, the expenditure of resources appears in a completely different light. Genuine hard porcelain has a virtually unlimited shelf life. The intended use determines whether porcelain has a lifespan of 1, 10 or 100 years. If the museum pieces from 2,400 BC (Vietnam) or 1720 - 1790 AD (Meissen or Fürstenberg) were not so valuable, you could still eat or drink from them today. Just like on the first day.

(Royal Fürstenberg porcelain from 1773)

  

Resources for truly sustainable products 

Genuine feldspar porcelain is only comparable to glass in terms of weathering-free, low-corrosion, light- and temperature-resistant stability. However, glass needs firing temperatures of 1,800 °C and we "only" need 1,320 °C. However, more stable tempered glass (potassium silicate glass) is subject to considerably more corrosion than porcelain. In terms of hygiene and antibacterial properties, porcelain is also almost unrivalled - and last but not least: it is also beautiful!

However, we dare to doubt whether the advancing mechanisation with its incredible machines and equipment is superior to traditional porcelain production from an environmental point of view. There are porcelain factories in Germany that advertise with an "environmental seal". Energy-saving kilns - hallelujah. Next to it is a "sprayer" that quickly releases 133 million litres of hot water vapour into the environment for 12 tonnes of raw material. Porcelain firing with environmentally friendly natural gas - hallelujah. But this is also a finite fuel.

 

 

In most cases, however, such "environmentally friendly measures" lead to a reduction in the firing temperature or a decrease in the purity of the raw materials. Hallelujah. Although the porcelain still looks the same, it is much softer, but has a lower density or less stability. The lifespan of such crockery - including so-called porcelain imitations - decreases significantly and the environmental footprint is considerably reduced. Plates and platters become unsightly and unusable after less than 6 months.

We make sure that our products are manufactured in the most environmentally friendly way possible. We have completely removed porcelain that is still fired in coal-fired kilns from our collection.

We attach great importance to

  • Filter systems in the flue gas duct,
  • Waste heat utilisation and a
  • environmentally friendly disposal of all production waste as well as on
  • a clean production environment.
We completely dispense with unnecessary packaging waste such as gift boxes and elaborate displays. You can find out more about our production sites and their criteria on the Production page.

In the end, our commitment will not save the world. Perhaps fully automated mass production is more ecological after all. But as long as you need 10 machines to produce a new machine, which in turn needs three machines to run, we have our doubts.


 

Packaging - an important criterion for sustainability

 

We are one of the few manufacturers in our industry to have completely dispensed with environmentally harmful plastic gift packaging, film, blister packs and shrink-wrap since 1998. Holst Porzellan is only packaged and sold in recyclable cardboard packaging. It is not our philosophy to add 20% or more packaging to items. In line with our motto "Simple & Strong", we limit ourselves to recyclable cardboard and paper.

Porcelain for commercial use does not require expensive packaging, which ultimately only pollutes the environment!

Read more about our environmentally friendly packaging.

 

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