A call for going green
There are many forces that help drive green manufacturing. For instance, manufacturers and suppliers are taking lead to practise green manufacturing because it is geared to bring down production costs, improve overall product quality, as well as build up themselves as responsible corporate brands. Consumers, on the other hand, are happy to purchase green products for a good-will cause as these products are environmentally friendly. By green manufacturing, factories release less toxic chemicals during production and minimise the waste of materials and energy resources. All these result in less pollution, making the environment a more pleasant place to live in. Governmental and public organisations are naturally loyal supporters for green manufacturing, because a less polluted living environment will bring down the cost for general medical and health care of their citizens.

What constitutes a green product?
According to recent researches, as many as 20% of consumers in the U.S. and U.K. prefer green products, while 50% of German consumers are also actively seeking them in the retail market. There are key criteria that characterise green products:
1) They are made of raw, natural materials or recycled wood, rubber and paper.
2) The least amount of harmful substances are used and minimal toxic chemicals are released during the manufacturing process.
3) Efficient and sensible use of energy and resources during production.

The road to green manufacturing
Apart from developing the technology and alternative production methods to achieve the goal of green manufacturing, many suppliers have gone as far as adopting a whole new corporate culture when running their business. For instance, many manufacturers/suppliers nowadays are setting up a separate division that devotes entirely to developing green production plans. They put in constant efforts to extend the product life span by making their products more durable and not as disposable as they used to be. Most importantly, these responsible manufacturers are determined to comply with international production standard and regulations. In a way, they have to do so in order to ensure that their products are eligible for export to their desired overseas markets. The two major regulatory requirements currently adopted in merchandise export trade (in particular the consumer electronics sector) are:
1) Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (also known as WEEE): This directive, introduced by the European Union (EU) has been made effective since this August. It aims to reduce the amount of waste produced by general electrical and electronic equipments such as mobile phones, TVs and refrigerators. The regulations also serve to further “educate” consumers on reusing, recycling or recovering electronics that they use on a daily basis to help reduce wastage.
2) Restriction on Hazardous Substances (ROHS): This particular scheme, also introduced by the EU and will be effective starting from July 2006, focuses mainly on the use of potentially harmful substances such as mercury and lead, which are typically found in many electrical appliances such as household electronics, toys, watches and clocks, sporting goods, medical devices and many others.

Though these directives and restrictions are formed mainly by European countries, it is expected that other leading manufacturing countries in Asia such as China and Japan will follow suit by launching their own regulations, to keep in line with the global trend. These “green rules” are changing the landscape of manufacturing in that suppliers are now finding themselves have a mandate to modify their product design as well as overall production process to fit into the “green” requirements. The upside of this trend is that by successfully managing to manufacture their products in compliance with the required regulations, suppliers will gain the option of labeling and claiming their products as high quality and approved stuff. The quality label and recognition are important guarantees to consumers. This will eventually boost their sales while earning them a positive corporate image as responsible manufacturers.

The hottest green products
“Green” consumers, as many marketers have come to realise, are typically young, trend-conscious, highly educated with much spending power, and they are always in tune with anything health-related. To cater for these affluent but green-minded consumers who dominate a majority of the retail market, manufacturers need to go the extra mile to come up with the products that genuinely capture these consumers.

Market researches have found that green consumers are willing to spend more to get their desired green and lifestyle products they consume on a regular basis. The popular green products range from furniture, general gift items, toys to health and beauty products. Manufacturers of these kinds of products, therefore, are all stepping up their efforts to roll out brand new green collections that will suit the market needs.

In the home furnishings sector, for instance, there are more and more furniture made of untreated or recycled wood with a non-toxic finish. On the gift front, organic toiletries and cosmetics are becoming a big hit, especially in the U.K. Toys made of recycled materials also begin to become popular in the market. For example, plush dolls made by recycled stuff are welcome by parents who can educate their children earlier about environmental protection and the importance of a green lifestyle.

Making a greener world
All of us are held responsible for the condition of our living planet. By becoming a green manufacturer or green consumer through manufacturing and consuming eco-friendly products, we can all do our part to protect and preserve the very planet we live on. Thanks to the global community’s effort to push for a “green revolution” on manufacturing and environment protection, there is no doubt that our future generation will eventually benefit from this new culture.