The buildings and construction sector, according to the United Nations Environment Programme 2023 report, “is by far the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for a staggering 37% of global emissions.” This is an uncomfortable fact of the built environment, but one Autex Acoustics have faced head on with the fundamental understanding that to reshape the world, they must reshape their practices – and interrogate environmental impacts of their products all the way from material sourcing to end-of-life use.

“Sustainable building products create sustainable buildings,” says Jonathan Mountfort, Autex Acoustics Creative Director. “To build a high-performing building, the products used to build it must be as considered as the building design itself.”

In line with this philosophy, Autex has integrated sustainability into every aspect of the company. This includes developing innovative solutions across business operations, manufacturing, material sourcing and product design. “From my point of view, sustainability is a non-negotiable aspect of the creative process,” Jonathan explains. “For instance, it means that we can’t simply glue things together or combine mismatched polymers, which – though seemingly limiting – focuses, simplifies and refines the design process, leading to solutions that are inherently sustainable.”

Through commitment to smart, environmentally-led design, efficient manufacturing, and verified offsets, Autex’s operations and acoustic products are entirely carbon neutral. Well ahead of the curve, Autex Acoustics stands as the sole manufacturer and marketer of acoustic interior linings that is able to make this claim.

A key company strategy towards its goal of total circularity is designing to reduce waste and incorporate recycled materials. To this end, each of its products contains the highest possible proportion of recycled polyester fibre, tailored to meet specific acoustic absorption standards. “Our goal is to maximise the use of recycled content while ensuring optimal acoustic performance,” explains Jonathan.

This steadfast vision and commitment to sustainability has led Autex to design its own ground-breaking proprietary recycling process. Three years in development and the first of its kind in the industry, the innovative technology enables depolymerisation of textile waste into rigid plastic, which then enables it to re-enter the standard recycling process and create a circular pathway. In practice, this allows acoustic panel trimmings to be converted into PET pellets, called RePET, which can then be used to manufacture new products.

An example of this significant innovation is the newest addition to the Autex Acoustics accessory range: an adhesive-free mounting system aptly named SpinFix™. Durable, easy to install and manufactured using Autex’s trailblazing recycling technology, these innovative clips are made entirely from repurposed waste PET from pelletised acoustic panel trims with no foreign materials added. Through clever design and a patented friction weld technology, the clips made from RePET  are attached to the panels using heat created with the help of a drill. Because this ingenious process doesn’t use glue, the panels can be removed and reinstalled elsewhere. It also prevents contaminants from being added to the panel during installation, making end-of-life reuse and recycling much easier.

“Improving the end-of-life journey for our materials was top of mind when designing SpinFix, providing us with another avenue to explore applications of RePET and our recycling processes, ultimately extending the life of our products,” enthuses Sam Wells, Autex Acoustics Product Development Lead. Through this advancement, Autex Acoustics not only developed a more sustainable design that doesn’t compromise the performance or usability of the original product – it’s actually ended up creating extremely versatile technology with transformative potential that far surpasses acoustic solutions.

What started as a pursuit of innovation in circular design that would enable Autex Acoustics to create a framework that addresses end-of-life issues, is now becoming a more robust, product-agnostic solution that benefits entire industries across a broad range of applications – from flooring, furniture design and fashion to upholstery and Autex Acoustics’ own product offering.

“We’re investing in design and research, pioneering new recycling systems, and making connections with other companies who share a similar ethos,” Jonathan sums up. “In short, we want to inspire the industry to help build a better world.”

Learn more about Autex Acoustics’ commitment to sustainability.