To meet the increasing global demand for sustainable apparel, Prym Fashion, one of the world’s leading fashion and apparel accessories suppliers, today announced the introduction of L.I.F.E. Certified fasteners, which are manufactured to significantly lower the process and environmental footprint of Prym Fashion products compared to conventional manufacturing processes.

Brian Moore, chief executive officer of Prym Fashion

“The production of metal fasteners for apparel and leather goods involves a broad spectrum of processes and finishes, including electroplating, chemical coloring and coating – all of which require a substantial amount of resources and materials. Our goal for our L.I.F.E. Certified program is to produce a wide range of finishes through more environmentally friendly processes, allowing customers to use Prym fasteners that contribute to their overall sustainability objectives.” And: “We are able to significantly reduce the environmental and process footprint used in the finishing of our metal fasteners, which in turn will help Prym Fashion reduce its global footprint. We see this as a big first step in our sustainability journey, and we will continue to build out the range of products that fit within our Low Impact Fastener Ensemble strategy.”

Philipp Osthaus, manager of sustainable products for Prym Fashion

“There are four primary principles to produce fasteners with a lower environmental footprint, which are fewer harmful substances, fewer chemical inputs, the elimination of heavy metals, and less energy. Any Prym Fashion fastener that is L.I.F.E. Certified will adhere to one or more of these principles, regardless of where they are produced, and we look forward to introducing additional products in the months ahead.”

Produced by Prym Fashion Italia

The initial collection of L.I.F.E. Certified metal fasteners will be produced by Prym Fashion Italia, a recognized leader in the snap fastener and rivet industry, in their plant in Lecco, Italy. Prym Fashion Italia has spent several years perfecting the finishing processes used in the L.I.F.E. Certified fasteners to minimize the environmental impact while also ensuring the quality and longevity of the finish.

The environmental impact of nine metal L.I.F.E. Certified fasteners compared to conventional processes, which were validated by Made-By, a recognized not-for-profit organization with a mission to make sustainability common practice in the fashion industry, include the following:

Water reduction of 65 percent

Electricity reduction of 16 percent

Chemicals reduced by 98 percent

Hazardous waste reduced by 85 percent

Prym Group - founded in 1530

Founded in 1530, The Prym Group is the oldest industrial family-owned business in Germany and one of the oldest in the world. The company consists of four divisions, Prym Consumer, Prym Fashion, Prym Intimates and Inovan. With more than 3,600 employees and offices throughout Europe, Asia, America and Africa, Prym is a global leader in the supply of fasteners and accessories. The company collaborates with many of the world’s leading brands in jeans, activewear, men’s and women’s wear, baby and kids clothing, work apparel, technical textiles and luxury leather items. For more information, visit Prym Group.

Prym Group at Première Vision; Paris

12–14 February at Paris Nord Villepinte.

Hall 4, Stand D37