Vode Lighting works with lighting designers, architects and interior designers to create highly efficient linear LED architectural lighting systems for public, commercial and education projects. The company has already transitioned their best selling product family, ZipTwo, to Hydro CIRCAL and aims to convert their remaining products to low-carbon recycled aluminium when possible.

“We are impressed by Vode Lighting’s continuous commitment to reducing the embedded emissions in its products and are thrilled to see the company will be the first to manufacture its consumer products with Hydro CIRCAL in this market. Aluminium’s endless recyclability and superior performance characteristics make it the smartest material choice, and with recycled post-consumer scrap, it is also the most sustainable,” says Duncan Pitchford, Head of Commercial, Hydro Aluminum Metals USA.

Invested in recycling in North America

Vode Lighting will use Hydro’s premium recycled product, Hydro CIRCAL, a prime quality recycled aluminium made with a minimum of 75 percent recycled post-consumer scrap. The metal is certified by an independent third party (DNV) on a batch-by-batch level and has the lowest carbon footprint in the aluminium industry, with 1.9 kg CO2 or less per kilo of aluminium.

Over the last few years, Hydro has invested in new recycling facilities in North America, including state-of-the-art sorting technology, to serve forward thinking and sustainability minded companies in the market. The investments, in turn, help these companies deliver goods that meet the rising demand from consumers for more sustainably produced products.

For Vode Lighting, the material selection reflects their long-term design philosophy of reduction and simplification.

“We always look at the full lifecycle of our products, from the initial design phase to the final delivery. Knowing that 80 percent of our embodied carbon footprint comes from material production, finding the right material partner and supplier is imperative to support our strategy of creating environmentally conscious lighting solutions. We are proud to be the first to produce with Hydro CIRCAL. We hope that by talking more about the importance of material selection, we can inspire other U.S. manufacturers to make greener choices that will contribute to cutting emissions and accelerating the circular economy,” says Leti Molina, Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer from Vode Lighting.

Consumers play a key role in accelerating change

As consumers grow increasingly aware of embedded emissions in materials, staying ahead of the game with recycled, low-carbon materials can future proof companies’ production, keeping them competitive and within sustainability regulations for safer finances moving forward.

While industrial and manufacturing companies have a big responsibility in designing their products with sustainability in mind, consumers also play an essential role in accelerating the use of more sustainable materials. Hydro CIRCAL, with third-party certified verification and full traceability through the value chain, can be an important vehicle for companies to discuss their material selection and give their customers insight into the actual impact from the products they buy. This is increasingly considered a great value to many companies to build a strong and future-proof business.