Bix - Environment
During Bix development process we considered environmental impacts of our decisions at every stage of the product’s lifecycle.
Life Cycle Assessment
The Bix is manufactured in Sarrebourg and Wisches, France, by Steelcase. Thanks to the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, Steelcase can quantify the product’s environmental impacts to set the stage for further improvements. This method, based on ISO 14044, is selected by the European Union for environmental evaluation. It allows us to measure the environmental impact of our products throughout their lifecycle.
Bix Life Cycle
Materials
Like all the Steelcase products, Bix contains no hazardous materials (i.e. no Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Chrome VI), no dangerous materials such as PVC, and no hazardous flame retardants such as halogenated flame retardants. The Bix table contains 20 % recycled materials, by weight. The packaging consists of 30% recycled cardboard and 30% recycled LDPE film (Low Density Polyethylene) and PE foam. To reduce overall material usage, the Bix table is made with a minimum number of components and different materials (6 types of materials). Paper and packaging have prints with water-based inks i.e. without solvent.
Production
Powder-coat painting is VOC-free and free of heavy metals; unused paint that does not attach to the product can be directly reused in the process. The glue is water based and releases no VOCs. The manufacturing plant is ISO 14001 certified.
Transport
To reduce shipping, Bix is manufactured close to customers. Minimised packaging volume helps us improve filling rates and thus require less energy for shipping.
Use
Bix was designed for a long product life, with replaceable legs. Maintenance information is available on Steelcase village.
End of life
Bix is 98% recyclable by weight. The cardboard and LDPE film used for packaging is 100 % recyclable.
Bix Environmental Certifications
The polyester fabric is labelled with the “Oeko-Tex 100 Standard”.
The pure wool fabric is labelled with the “European Flower”.
The wooden components of Bix are labelled with PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification).
The particle boards comply with the low emission “E1 Standard” (EN13986).