3oTrimestre15 | PROTECCIÓN LABORAL 15 Trade reports tion AFNOR and classified at “Progress” level, reflecting the company’s commit- ment to a clear product strategy. Recycling scraps from protective clothing production With the help of the regional Fibre Compe- titiveness Center, Kermel launched a tech- nical analysis on the scraps from protecti- ve garments. This analysis demonstrated the feasibility of processing and recycling the products at the end of their useful life. Kermel’s objective was to offer an extra service, setting up a branch to collect and recycle end-of-life fire protective clothing. For all of their sustainable development work, Kermel was awarded 1st Prize in the Alsace Innovation Sustainable Deve- lopment competition in 2012. Initially, the company created and structu- red a new network for the collection and use of the fire fighters’ clothing at the end of their working lives. They acquired some one hundred metallic containers which were installed all over in France in the Fire and Rescue Services where the used gar- ments are sorted. As per today, about 3/4 of the French FRS are equipped with con- tainers made available by Kermel. For the collection of fire suits, an agreement was reached with Le Relais, a company with a social-economic purpose, which is the lea- der in textile recovery in France. After collection, it is necessary to take the used garments apart to eliminate everyt- hing that is not fabric, particularly but- tons, zippers or reflecting strips. Finally, after this dismantling, the fabrics obtained are sent to an industrial partner who carries out the step of shredding to obtain the recycled fibre. This approach led to the registration of a new trademark, Nova Vita®. Development of recycled aramid solutions New products using recycled Kermel® fibres are now under development for a range of applications in such diverse fields as textiles, transport or construction, woven fabrics for fire-fighters, nonwovens for electric arc protection and fire-fighters. Kermel has developed a new futon-type fire-resistant mattress with a fabric cover made out of Kermel® fabric and a filling of recycled fibres from used fire fighters’ clothes. It’s being used by the Chilean peni- tentiary administration to address the pro- blem of fires in cells. The new mattresses have excellent resistance to flammability and they release very little smoke. Kermel has also developed new fire jackets which include an internal thermal barrier made from recycled fibres. And it is now developing a bi-layer coverall made from recycled fibre which would be one of the lightest for electric arc protection.