OLP is pleased to announce a range of our products have now been AFRDI Green Tick approved. These products include OLP’s Slimline Mobile Pedestal, Trimline Mobile Pedestal, and Trimline Mobile Caddy.  

AFRDI’s Green Tick is an eco-labelling certification. The standards have been researched and developed by the Australian Furnishing and Research and Development Institute, a not for profit testing and certification organisation based in Tasmania. Standards regulate many activities in manufacturing, ensuring products meet strength and durability requirements, that they are fit for purpose and do not contain toxic products. The organisation places an emphasis on environmental sustainability and takes into consideration factors like how raw materials are sourced and if components are recyclable.

To be awarded Green Tick Certification, a product must meet the requirements of AFRDI 150:2012 Sustainability Standard - Commercial, incorporating a points-based assessment.

Green tick products are also proudly recognised by the Green Building Council of Australia and are deemed compliant with the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and Formaldehyde Minimisation credits in Green Star rating tools.

In meeting AFRDI’s Green Tick standards, OLP has demonstrated the ethical sourcing of raw materials and labour, the responsible use of water and energy during manufacture, waste minimisation, the longevity of the product and recyclability. For example, OLP has focused on making most of our packaging recyclable. This has resulted in an investment into a new type of honeycomb cardboard being used as the packaging material, which is not only recyclable but has also been drop tested to ensure the product maintains in a new condition throughout the product transit period. Additionally, we have designed our products so they can be easily disassembled for component re-use or recycling.

Green Tick Certification is important for a number of reasons:

• It encourages other furniture designers and manufacturers to adopt more sustainable practices in order to remain competitive in the industry which has huge benefits for the environment and the then end-user.

• There is a growing expectation from consumers that furniture is not of only the highest standard but meets certain environmental and sustainability specifications.

• Furthermore, “green” products are fast becoming a requirement in tendering to supply office furniture in both government and private sectors. In time, products that do not comply with these certifications may potentially be excluded from much of the marketplace.

According to AFRDI board chairman Peter McCutcheon, in a statement released on their website, AFRDI’s sustainability standard, in effect, has two bottom lines.

“One is that as a society, we have to be more responsible about the way we use precious resources,” he said.

“You could say that … a standard like this one signals the beginning of the end for the throwaway society, where you buy goods cheaply, and simply toss them out in a few years time.

“The second bottom line is that the consumer is going to get a much better product, one that will last a long time, and when the end of life comes, it will be recycled or remanufactured. That’s a plus for society”

By receiving Green Tick Certification, OLP’s customers can be confident they are receiving a high-quality, ethically sourced product that will last a long time, and when the end of life comes can be recycled.

Read more about OLP’s Ethical Sourcing Program here.

Find out more about AFRDI here.

For more on the Green Building Council of Australia visit https://new.gbca.org.au/