Case: Reusing Disposable Textile Gloves 

By washing and reusing disposable textile gloves, ABENA has helped one of our market-leading customers save up to 74% CO2 eq. per 1000 gloves compared to incineration after first use.*

Disposable textile gloves have long been preferred in the food industry to maintain food safety and avoid cross-contamination. 

As part of our 2030 climate targets, we aim to adapt our product assortment to close the circularity gap - and we are ready to help you do the same.

In collaboration with a leading cross-border slaughterhouse, we have been exploring the possibility of reusing disposable textile gloves by washing them and testing different material compositions. 

The project was initiated at two production plants. After first use, the textile gloves were sent to a facility in Odense to be washed. From there, they were transported back to the respective plants.** 

For now, the gloves go through the use-and-washing cycle about three times before they reach their end-of-life and are incinerated. 

* The modeling and calculation methods are based on ISO 14040/44. The impact categories and result reporting are based on EF 3.0 (PEF - Product Environmental Footprint). The calculations are done per 1000 pieces, and with incineration at the end of life. Learn more about ABENA’s life cycle assessments here: https://www.abena.com/sustainability/lca 
** Calculations have been done on all the transport involved – from the place of sourcing to the production plants – as well as from the production plants to the site of washing and back to the production plants.