California-based Vode Lighting has committed to integrating recycled-content aluminum into its office and commercial lighting products. The company’s lighting solutions are already in use at offices, airports, schools, universities, retail locations, and homes.
Aluminum producer Hydro has announced that Vode Lighting LLC, based in Sonoma, California, will be the first company in North America to incorporate Hydro Circal into its products. Hydro Circal is a high-quality recycled aluminum made with a minimum of 75 percent post-consumer scrap, certified by an independent third party on a batch-by-batch basis. With a carbon footprint of 1.9 kilograms of CO2 emissions or less per kilogram of aluminum, Hydro Circal represents the lowest emissions level in the aluminum industry.
Over the past few years, Hydro has invested heavily in expanding and constructing new recycled-content aluminum production plants across North America. The company has also developed advanced sorting technology to enhance the use of post-consumer aluminum scrap. These investments, according to Hydro, have allowed companies like Vode Lighting to meet increasing consumer demand for sustainable products.
By transitioning to low-carbon, recycled-content aluminum, Vode Lighting aims to cut emissions, secure its supply chain, and contribute to a circular U.S. economy. The company has already begun using Hydro Circal in its ZipTwo product family and plans to transition additional product lines to recycled aluminum where feasible.
“We are impressed by Vode Lighting’s continuous commitment to reducing the embedded emissions in its products and are thrilled to see the company become the first to manufacture its consumer products with Hydro Circal in this market,” said Duncan Pitchford of Hydro Aluminum Metals USA. “Aluminum’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.”
Vode Lighting’s Leti Molina emphasized the importance of responsible material selection: “We always look at the full life cycle of our products, from the initial design phase to 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.”
Molina added, “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.”
On its website, Vode Lighting reiterates its commitment to sustainability and states that its products continue to be deployed in a variety of commercial and residential applications across North America.
