Watson Gloves
Committed Since: May 2021
7955 North Fraser Way, Burnaby, British Columbia V5J 0A4, Canada
Accomplishments
We are proud of our sustainable causes and innovations and are driven in our sustainability journey. Check out our major environmental accomplishments below, and keep your eyes open for updates as we continue to elevate the PPE industry with our sustainable mission.
We've now diverted over 3,000,000 Plastic Bottles from Landfills & Oceans!
February 2024
In under 4 years of production with our WasteNot™ eco-conscious yarn, we've prevented over 3,000,000 plastic bottles from ending up in the landfill and ocean. While our team is ecstatic about this accomplishment, it is only the "tip of the iceberg" for the impact this innovative material will have. Our WasteNot™ product line has expanded to 65 glove styles since the initial debut in 2020.
Partnership with 3M to Use Sustainable Insulation in Work Gloves
December 2022
Watson Gloves partnered with 3M™ Thinsulate™ to release a new line of industrial gloves made with sustainable insulation. Available fall 2023 in 15 styles, the new line features 3M Thinsulate Type EC, containing 78% fibres made from post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles. The insulation is Global Recycled Standard certified and produced in mills that are Bluesign and Oeko-Tex certified.
First Company EV
December 2022
Two years after installing our first electric chargers, Watson Gloves doubled-down on its commitment to electrification by adding an EV to our company fleet.
Pollinator Patio Debut
July 2022
Watson Gloves is proud to give employees, as well as local wildlife, the space they need to thrive. The Pollinator Patio at our Burnaby branch features seven planters and a couple of picnic tables. Given the popularity of the patio (amongst employees and local bees), there is talk of setting up patios at other branches as well!
Introducing the First Biodegradable Nylon Gloves in the Market
April 2021
Continuing from the success of our Green Monkey™ biodegradable disposable gloves, we have been able to add Reclaim™ additive, the compound that accelerates biodegradability in landfill conditions, into two new nylon glove styles, Jade and Zero. This move makes Watson the first in the market to release landfill biodegradable nylon gloves. Instead of 50+ years it takes for regular seamless knit gloves to decompose, it takes 5 years for our biodegradable nylon gloves to degrade (ASTM D5511). Like Green Monkey™ disposables, the new biodegradable nylon gloves go through a process of decomposition when disposed of in landfills—microbes turn the gloves into organic matter and then biogas, which is harnessed in modern landfills to generate clean renewable energy.
Making All Watson Kitchens Waste-Free
January 2021
A company-wide program was implemented to make everything in our office kitchens either reusable or compostable. This involved supplying reusable dishes, cutlery and cups and replacing trash-bound coffee pods with fully compostable, Fairtrade® pods from OneCoffee™.
Installing Electric Vehicle Chargers
April 2020
To encourage our employees to make the switch from gas to electric vehicles, we installed two electric vehicle chargers at our Burnaby, BC branch. More chargers are planned to be installed as demand for electric vehicles rises. Update: As of February 2024, due to increased demand, we now have 8 EV Chargers available for staff usage.
Introducing the First Gloves Made From Plastic Bottles with WasteNot™ Yarn
February 2020
A major milestone in our sustainability journey is being the first company to release gloves made from recycled plastic bottles, thanks to WasteNot™ yarn, which uses post-consumer plastic bottles as material. By using RPET in our WasteNot™ gloves, we not only divert bottles from landfills but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and resources in our glove production. Gloves made of WasteNot™ yarn use up to three bottles per pair. Through our WasteNot™ eco-conscious line of products, over 800,000 plastic bottles have been diverted from landfills and oceans, as of April 2021. Since the initial debut, the WasteNot™ product line has now expanded to 10 glove styles and 4 slipper styles.
Introducing Biodegradable Disposable Gloves with Reclaim™ Technology
June 2019
Green Monkey™ gloves are Watson Gloves' first foray in developing landfill biodegradable gloves. Green Monkey™ biodegradable disposable gloves are made with Reclaim™ additive, a compound that boosts biodegradation in landfills. Thanks to this revolutionary compound, Green Monkey™ gloves biodegrade in 10 years (ASTM D5526), compared to the 200+ years it takes for regular disposable gloves. Additionally, the gloves are not just broken down into smaller pieces—the Reclaim™ additive attracts microbes that turn the material into biogas, which is then converted into clean energy. Green Monkey™ gloves was initially released in 4 mil thickness—the Green Monkey™ collection has now expanded with a variety of thicknesses, including 5 mil, 6 mil, and 8 mil.
Supporting Critter Care Wildlife Society™
January 2019
Watson Gloves proudly supports Critter Care Wildlife Society™, an organization that specializes in the treatment, care, and release of sick, injured, and orphaned native mammal species in BC. We donate a variety of gloves to Critter Care Wildlife Society™ so that their staff can safely perform their important care-giving duties.
Implementing Comprehensive Recycling & Composting Program
July 2018
By implementing this program in our offices and factories in 2018, we have been able to divert the following, as of January 2023: 1) 10,034 lbs of food scraps; 2) 39,917 lbs of leather scraps; 3) 6,473 lbs of plastic strapping; and 4) 12,358 lbs of plastic wrap.