Heavy duty hardhat is made from renewable sugarcane

MSA's V-Gard GRN hardhat is the first product of its kind made from 100 percent renewable materials.

While innovations such as the Crash Sensor helmet have improved the performance of safety equipment, it’s not often we see companies in the sector make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. Pittsburgh-based MSA, however, has announced its new V-Gard GRN hardhat, which is the first product of its kind made from 100 percent renewable materials. While the hardhat is made of high-density polyethylene – much like other traditional protective hats – the material is sourced from sugarcane ethanol, which takes in around 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for every tonne produced. This is compared to regular production methods, which put out two pounds of the greenhouse gas for every tonne produced. Another benefit is that the material is fully recyclable for use in other products. Dr Thomas Muschter, vice-president of global product leadership at MSA, said: “The HDPE sourced from sugarcane provides the same performance and properties as resins made from non-renewable raw materials.” If the market for environmentally-friendly products is already a viable one for niche industries such as the safety equipment field, is there an eco gap in your sector that could be filled? Spotted by: Murray Orange