Cintas Corp. recently cooperated with Honda to help give new life to end-of-life rental uniforms. The uniforms were worn by Honda associates at their U.S. manufacturing and research and development facilities. The end-of-life uniforms were turned into special shredded fibres that were used in sound-absorbing insulation in Honda and Acura automobiles.
The company’s involvement in Honda’s program strengthened its ambition to find new ways to extend the usable life of its products and create circular economies when possible. Moreover, working with customers and business partners is a key part of Cintas’ innovation efforts.
The process was as follows: the uniforms worn by Honda associates were evaluated after the laundering process. Recyclable end-of-life garments were then sent to a vendor to make ‘shoddy’- a textile created by shredding existing fabrics and re-spinning them into a new textile. Once the shoddy was created, it was sent to one of Honda’s vendors to be made into insulation, which was then installed during the production of new Honda and Acura vehicles. Although the program was unique to Honda, Cintas anticipates its efforts to partner with customers and suppliers to identify new uses for end-of-life products will continue.
