As green and low-carbon consumption gradually becomes a conscious choice for the public, concretizing the concept of low-carbon makes it easier for consumers to intuitively perceive and understand the green attributes of products, becoming a key factor for products to enter the low-carbon consumer market.
Entering the field of daily consumer goods, insulated cups have considerable market prospects as essential items per capita. Compared to cups and bottles made of paper or plastic, insulated cups and thermoses can be reused, and their recycling capabilities are better after disposal. Their insulation properties can greatly reduce the energy consumption associated with heating or cooling drinking water, making them more environmentally friendly and low-carbon. So, how much carbon emissions are generated from producing an insulated cup or thermos before use?
Leyue bottle physical picture, image source: SOLID
With the support of Carbon Newture's digital carbon management platform, Shanghai SOLID Stainless Steel Products Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Shanghai SOLID, successfully completed carbon footprint accounting for its best-selling core products, "Leyue Bottle" and "Lede Thermos". These products have become the nation's first stainless steel insulated product series to achieve carbon neutrality based on the international carbon neutrality standard ISO 14068-1. The carbon neutrality certificate was issued by the internationally recognized authoritative third-party certification body TÜV SÜD.
Leyue bottle carbon neutrality certificate and product carbon information QR code
Lede thermos carbon neutrality certificate and product carbon information QR code
A Lifetime, Making a Good Cup
As a Chinese national enterprise dedicated to the research, development, manufacturing, and brand terminal services of cups and thermoses, SOLID adheres to the philosophy of "A Lifetime, Making a Good Cup". For over thirty years, it has been deeply involved in the industry of stainless steel insulated vessels (cups, thermoses), forming a core brand system centered around "SOLID","LUOTUO", and "SOLIDWARE". Its products are exported to more than fifty countries and regions including Europe, America, Japan, and Australia.
Leyue bottle physical picture, image source: SOLID
SOLID's "Leyue Bottle" has consecutively won two prestigious international design awards—the German "iF Design Award" and the "Red Dot Award". The "Lede Thermos" also secured the German "Red Dot Award". The "Leyue Bottle" features an environmentally friendly and reduced plastic design, with the entire body made of austenitic stainless steel SUS304, except for the silicone rubber sealing ring. The "Lede Thermos" has an inner liner and outer tube made of austenitic stainless steel SUS304, while the lid is made of food-contact PP material. Inspired by woodpeckers, the thermos has sleek lines, a large capacity, and a distinctive "cavity" design.
Lede thermos physical picture, image source: SOLID
As a leader in the international premium cups and thermoses manufacturing industry, SOLID is acutely aware of the significant challenges posed by climate change to business, society, and the environment. Therefore, it is determined to take concrete actions to fulfill corporate social responsibility and bring truly low-carbon products to consumers.
After comprehensive consideration, SOLID has selected the "Leyue Bottle" (SVF-X series) and the "Lede Thermos" (SVP-NB series) as the first batch of carbon-neutral products. These products have high market share, receive significant customer attention, and are supported by readily available data and technology. By doing so, SOLID aims to set a low-carbon benchmark in the cup and thermos product category, leading the way in promoting green consumption.
SOLID's path to carbon neutrality practice
Thanks to the environmentally friendly reduced-plastic design concept of the products and the company's commitment to sustainable management, the "Leyue Bottle" and "Lede Thermos" have a solid foundation for low carbon. However, achieving carbon neutrality requires addressing the "last mile".So, how did SOLID reach and complete this "last mile" to achieve carbon neutrality?
SOLID has consistently practiced green and low-carbon production, continuously optimizing product design and production processes. Additionally, they have established a systematic carbon neutrality management plan and gradually implemented it. In recent years, SOLID has vigorously developed green energy projects. Currently, they have completed three phases of a 1000KVA photovoltaic project, generating 1.25 million kWh of green electricity annually. Both the photovoltaic power generation and usage exceed 1 million kWh, with the proportion of green energy exceeding 35%. Furthermore, SOLID continues to increase the proportion of clean energy usage. The shortfall is offset by purchasing green certificates, significantly reducing carbon emissions generated during the production phase.
SOLID's factory photovoltaic scene, image source: SOLID
As shown in the diagram below, taking a 500mL "Leyue Bottle" as an example, after using green electricity, carbon emissions from the production and transportation stages only account for 11%, while the raw material acquisition stage accounts for 89%. Therefore, carbon emissions generated in the raw material acquisition stage become the key "last mile".
The carbon footprint distribution of SOLID's "Leyue Bottle"
After implementing a series of carbon reduction measures such as using green electricity and optimizing product design and production processes, SOLID offsets the remaining carbon emissions by purchasing carbon credits(A 500mL "LeYue Bottle" needs to offset 2.2904kg CO2). SOLID has completed this "last mile" in terms of carbon footprint data.
However, achieving carbon neutrality through purchasing carbon credits can only serve as an early-phase approach for corporate carbon neutrality development. As carbon neutrality initiatives develop domestically and internationally, in accordance with the requirements of the international carbon neutrality standard ISO 14086-1, companies need to gradually reduce the use of carbon credits.
Source：ISO Official Website
Therefore, companies also need to manage carbon emissions in the supply chain, urging upstream suppliers to collectively reduce emissions, in order to reduce carbon emissions at the source (for SOLID's insulated products, this means reducing carbon emissions generated in the raw material acquisition stage). SOLID has set short-term goals in its "Carbon Neutrality Plan": to encourage 70% of suppliers to conduct greenhouse gas accounting and develop emission reduction plans, striving to complete the "last mile" in the supply chain context.
Conclusion: The butterfly effect - carbon neutral products driving emissions reduction across the supply chain
The launch of a carbon-neutral product not only provides a brand with a competitive edge in the market, driving an increase in consumer demand for low-carbon products and bringing economic benefits and brand effects to the enterprise. Simultaneously, it also has a positive catalytic effect on the industry chain and consumer market. The demand for low-carbon development at the brand end, like the butterfly effect, triggers a chain reaction of low-carbon development, driving suppliers and logistics partners towards low-carbon development. This, in turn, leads to the transformation of the entire industry in low-carbon technologies and management practices.