Cradle to Cradle Certification

Cities continue to grow at an accelerated rate, each year more people are involved in the consumption of goods. This situation has led to an effect on our environment that forces us to think about a sustainable growth plan based on the protection and conservation of the environment.

One of the tools that certifies that a company has a commitment to such a respectful growth plan is the Cradle to Cradle certification.

This certificate, also called “De la cuna a la cuna” in Spanish, is based on the circular economy. The circular economy supports an industrial system inspired by our natural environment, stand on the use of sustainable materials and resources, with a complete use of everything that its processes produce in an infinite circular cycle.

WHAT IS CRADLE TO CRADLE?

The Cradle to Cradle certification represents a change in the paradigm of the ecological and sustainable industry. Traditionally, ecological developments are based on 3 main pillars: Recycling, reuse and reduction. This traditional concept supposes a lower impact of the human being on the environment, reducing the speed in which it degrades due to our effect, but leading us to the same end of inevitable destruction.

This way of looking at sustainable growth needs a change of vision, it is not about reducing the speed at which we degrade the environment, but about solving these problems from the source.

This is the concept that the Cradle to Cradle certification brings us, founded on solving problems from the very design of the production processes, taking into account all the factors that may be involved:

• Resource extraction
• Manufacturing
• Waste disposal
• Product use
• Reclycling
• Reuse
• Etc

The control and analysis of these factors always seeks that the balance of all these factors is positive.

Aware of the importance of this positive balance in all company processes, since 2015 Graphenstone works according to the principles of Cradle to Cradle.

BIOLOGICAL CYCLE AND TECHNICAL CYCLE

This certification tries to change the linear conception of production to rise a manufacturing method with two closed cycles: biological cycle and technical cycle.

This way we find two metabolisms: a biological metabolism related to the cycles of nature and a technical metabolism, linked to industry.

The biological cycle is made up of those product components directly related to the Biosphere, seeking products that are biodegradable and that become food for soil microorganisms.

On the other side we have the technical cycle, made up of components linked to the Technosphere, pretending that these components remain within this technical cycle.

By maintaining these cycles, it is sought that the waste generated by these production processes does not leave the cycle, so that its negative conception as an impact becomes a resource for the process.

Download – Graphenstone Certification Catalogue

5 QUALITY CATEGORIES AND C2C CERTIFICATION LEVELS

To guarantee that the production processes are aligned with the principles of this certification, a rigorous evaluation is carried out according to five categories:

• Material condition
• Material use
• Renewable energy management
• Water management
• Social equity

Once these categories have been analyzed, the company can obtain 5 levels of certification:

• BASIC
• BRONZE
• SILVER
• GOLD
• PLATINUM

GRAPHENSTONE – “De la cuna a la cuna”

Since the beginning of Graphenstone, the company works based on values ​​linked to ecology, sustainability and products that respect the environment complying with the principles of circular economy. With these values ​​and a spirit of innovation, Graphenstone was the first company to achieve GOLD certification for its liquid paint.

It should be noted that Graphenstone has acquired platinum certification in terms of water reuse, showing essential aspects like discharging zero polluting waste and the reuse of washing water for the manufacturing process.

Timeline

2016 – White lime paints (Gold) y Colour lime paints (Silver)

2018 – Mortars (Gold)

2020 – GrafClean (Bronce)

Graphenstone continues working to show maximum excellence and respect for the environment in its entire range of products.