StoneWeave – a sustainable frame technology for urban cycling
Based on carbon and basalt StoneWeave is our groundbreaking, recyclable frame technology – a sustainable and sensible material choice for cycling in an urban environment. The special blend of carbon and stone fibers is not only recyclable, but also makes the bike frame non-corrosive, lightweight, and super durable.
When developing StoneWeave, we discovered a material tough enough to withstand the harsh realities of urban street life whilst naturally excellent at absorbing road vibrations, it was evident that StoneWeave was to be the backbone of our frame design and production here at Coh&Co.
Our footprint
At a time in history where we are struggling to come to terms with the environmental consequences of our civilisation and balance the impact of our lifestyles, CO2 footprint has become the subject of popular discussion.
Unfortunately, the truth behind CO2 footprints is really a question of juggling numbers, and the old proverb “figures don’t lie but liars do figure” really does seem to fit the constant debate about what material technologies are appropriate in a world in need of reducing its CO2 footprint. Maybe the truth of the matter is that this is really a complicated subject and it requires a humble and sincere approach to do things better than we as an industry has done them before.
At Coh&Co we focus on three primary aspects of our product lifecycle for improving our environmental footprint; Materials, Logistics, and Product lifecycle footprints.
1. Material
Our first challenge is materials - enter StoneWeave
We all contribute to global warming as we buy things and make lifestyle choices. Material choices can greatly influence the carbon footprint of our products and therefore the lifestyle of our customers. Modern bicycle frames need to be light and tough, and that usually means using materials that have a poor CO2 footprint. Although carbon fiber has a CO2 “price” of almost twice that of aluminum per ton, StoneWeave still makes for an environmentally competitive material.
StoneWeave is called so because we have toughened the laminate with basalt fiber which greatly reduces the CO2 footprint per ton while still providing an exceptionally light bicycle frame and a really enjoyable riding experience. When evaluating the combined CO2 footprint per ton of raw material for StoneWeave it actually approaches that of aluminum. When we look at material consumption we end up with a lower CO2 footprint than aluminum simply because we use less material to build the same bike. Factoring in product longevity and post-product life mechanical properties, StoneWeave is quite CO2 economical compared to aluminum.
We have chosen to compare ourselves to aluminum partially because aluminum is the dominant frame material for modern bicycles but also because it provides a comparable lightweight product. StoneWeave is a huge step in the proper direction but it is only a step and we continue to work on material and product design that reduces our environmental footprint while improving product lifespan and ride quality.
2. Logistics
Global transportation C02 footprint
We are painfully aware that we find ourselves in an industry with a global supply chain where the associated shipping and transport (amongst other things) present a heavy burden for our planet. That is why Coh&Co Copenhagen has teamed up with 1% for the Planet to focus our resources on improving our footprint.
We are focusing our 1% pledge on eliminating the global transportation and production CO2 footprint of our products.
3. Product lifecycle
Last but not least - Recapture
With backgrounds in the marine industry, innovative, durable design solutions and high performance in material choices and engineering is a natural part of our thought process when developing new products. We have a long way to go, but we hope in time to be able to inspire thought, both inside and far beyond the bicycle industry. This is also why we’ve begun the assessment for becoming a B-corp certified company. More on this as we move ahead.
The last leg of improving our product lifecycle footprint is **Recapture**. Coh&Co is offering to buy back a customer’s bike after it has rounded ten years of service – either to refurbish and resell the bike or to recycle the frame material and repurpose it. You can register for the Recapture program when buying a bicycle and ownership can be passed on, either to us or a new owner together with the buyback guarantee. This ownership and product ecosystem is essentially what makes us say that we make Bicycles for life.