Produzione di vernice all'olio di lino
Tradizionalmente, artisti e decoratori realizzavano la propria vernice mescolando una pasta di pigmenti scelti e una base di olio. Lo facevano utilizzando semplici strumenti manuali: solo un muller (uno strumento a manico corto per macinare i pigmenti) e una lastra. Iniziavano macinando i pigmenti in polvere con un po’ di olio, quindi ne aggiungevano altro man mano che procedevano per creare la giusta consistenza. Gli artisti in genere usavano meno olio nella loro vernice, mentre gli imbianchini ne usavano di più per creare una vernice più sottile, più adatta per dipingere su grandi aree.
Questo metodo tradizionale di miscelazione a mano non solo richiedeva molto tempo e lavoro, ma era anche piuttosto difficile produrre un risultato coerente ogni volta. Per garantire la durata della vernice, è essenziale che l’olio di lino e i pigmenti siano completamente amalgamati tra loro. Se la vernice non viene miscelata correttamente, diventerà opaca molto più rapidamente, il che aumenterà i requisiti di manutenzione.
Per ottenere i migliori risultati, il processo di produzione di Brouns & Co utilizza miscelatori a colonna e grandi barili. La vernice miscelata in questi barili viene quindi trasferita a un mulino a triplo rullo. Qui, la vernice, che in questa fase ha una consistenza più pastosa, passerà attraverso i rulli tra tre e cinque volte, a seconda della granulometria dei pigmenti utilizzati. Questo processo crea una consistenza meravigliosamente omogenea, che costituisce la base per i colori finali della vernice.
È importante notare, tuttavia, che la miscela deve rimanere vicina alla temperatura ambiente. L’attrito del metallo sul metallo genera un calore considerevole e se l’olio diventa troppo caldo diventerà più sottile, il che rende più difficile l’adesione del pigmento. Ciò significa che il processo di macinazione deve comportare misure aggiuntive per mantenere l’olio e la pasta alla giusta temperatura. Ciò si ottiene utilizzando rulli che hanno un flusso costante di acqua fredda al loro interno.
Tralasciando le macchine moderne e le tecniche di raffreddamento aggiuntive, in linea di principio il metodo che utilizziamo oggi per macinare il pigmento in olio bollito ha centinaia di anni. Con questo in mente, puoi iniziare a capire perché la vernice di lino è più costosa da produrre rispetto ai metodi più semplici utilizzati per produrre la moderna vernice per plastica. Tuttavia, gran parte della differenza di costo è compensata dall’eccellente tasso di copertura della vernice di lino, con un litro di vernice di lino che va molto più lontano della moderna vernice per plastica.
Stakeholder Education
Our strategy for stakeholder education involves creating content that informs them about sustainability issues, including the environmental impact of products/services and industry practices. This content is designed to be accessible and engaging, helping to raise awareness and understanding of key environmental issues.
We launch interactive sustainability campaigns that encourage stakeholder participation. These campaigns, such as recycling programs or community clean-up events, aim to actively involve consumers in sustainability efforts, making them a part of the solution.
Partnerships & Collaborations
We are dedicated to promoting sustainability and responsible marketing and communications practice across our network of partners and collaborators.
We actively engage with our partners to encourage alignment with our sustainability values and the principles outlined in this policy. This engagement involves referring The Anti-Greenwash Charter, whilst also sharing knowledge and resources to enhance their understanding and implementation of responsible marketing and communications practice.
We uphold transparency in all our partnerships. Clear communication about the sustainability efforts of our collaborators is essential. We inform our stakeholders about the sustainability credentials of our
partners, reinforcing our commitment to upholding our sustainability goals and public commitments, and encouraging a broader adoption of responsible business practices.
Reviews of Content
We conduct quarterly internal audits of our marketing and communications content to ensure references are accurate and up to date. During these audits, we also review new developments in the industry to identify benchmarking opportunities. Additionally, we undertake an annual review of all ‘static’ content—such as website pages and key documents—to ensure compliance with any updates to the Charter’s standards, changes in relevant regulations, or adjustments to our organisation’s GCP. This ensures our communications remain aligned with the latest expectations for
transparency and responsibility. By incorporating both regular audits and an annual comprehensive review, we ensure our content consistently reflects the highest standards of responsible marketing and communications.
Legal Compliance
Our commitment to legal compliance is unwavering, particularly in the area of green claims. We have established a comprehensive legal compliance framework that includes regular internal audits, ongoing employee training, and collaboration with external legal experts.
Our marketing and communications content is thoroughly reviewed to ensure it complies with all relevant local and international laws, including those related to environmental advertising and data privacy.
We also stay informed about regulatory changes and update our practices accordingly to ensure continuous compliance. Any instances of non-compliance are promptly addressed, and corrective actions are taken to prevent future occurrences. Our legal team works closely with the marketing and communications departments to ensure that all content is both legally sound and aligned with our sustainability commitments.
Governance of this Policy
Our MD is responsible for ensuring that our compliance with this Green Claims Policy is reviewed quarterly. Any non-compliance with this policy will be brought to the attention of the Team, who will decide on further actions and whether the matter should be escalated further.
Any concerns about compliance which cannot be assessed by the MD will be referred to The Anti Greenwash Charter for independent review.
Before entering into new partnerships with third parties, such as suppliers, we share our Green Claims Policy with them to encourage adoption of similar standards.
Campaign Reviews
As a committed signatory of The Anti-Greenwash Charter, we actively engage in an on-going audit process to ensure compliance with our Green Claims Policy. This process involves providing evidence of effective implementation of our practices and procedures during periodic reviews, conducted by a third-party, of a marketing or communications campaign.
These periodic assessments are vital in demonstrating our dedication to upholding responsible marketing and communications practice.
Moreover, we recognise and accept that all audit reports will be appended to our Green Claims Practice (GCP) for public review, ensuring an added layer of transparency and accountability. We are fully aware that any instances of non-compliance may result in the revocation of our certified signatory status, underscoring the importance of continuous compliance and transparency in our operations.
Where We Could Improve
We are committed to continuous improvement in our sustainability practices. Each year, we conduct a thorough assessment of our operations to identify areas where we can further reduce our environmental impact.
Recent evaluations have highlighted opportunities for greater supply chain transparency and provide more training for our team.
To address these areas, we have set specific targets, such as increasing the traceability of our raw materials, and investing in renewable energy.
We regularly review our progress towards these goals and adjust our strategies as needed to ensure we remain at the forefront of sustainable practices.
