Marks and Spencer

The Challenge

When Marks and Spencer launched Plan A - their five year 'eco' plan to combat climate change, reduce waste, safeguard natural resources and trade ethically – they needed a supplier/partner that could take a lead and provide a model for their other suppliers to follow in order achieve their environmental targets.

The Solution

Belfield developed a range of new products and manufacturing processes to put Plan A into action.

Ecoflex™ Foam

Through intensive research, Duflex in conjunction with its suppliers has developed a completely new catalyst that enables castor oil to be employed in the production of low emission polyols - the major component of modern furniture foam.

Ecoflex™ is the first product of its type to meet the very stringent UK flammability regulations without compromise for quality and durability. 

The result is Ecoflex™, the first environmentally credible and technically incredible furniture filling foam.

Replacing traditional chemicals with 20% castor oil, Ecoflex™ is now used in the M&S Plan A  Fern range.

The Fern

Our designers and product developers created the M&S Fern sofa range. The Fern brings together as many environmentally friendly products as possible into one sofa, including Ecoflex, 80% recycled polyester and Fairtrade cotton.

Plan A production

The Belfield Westbridge factory is set to become carbon neutral by 2012 and have zero landfill waste. As a result it has been selected by Marks and Spencer as one of only two factories in the world to represent the best in environmental practices.

"With Plan A we had a set of objectives we needed all our suppliers to meet. Belfield worked closely with us to not only meet our objectives, but lead the way for others. Their expertise has enabled us to offer some of the most environmentally friendly furniture ranges on the market"

Terry Corsham, Senior Technologist Marks and Spencer