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As an environmentally responsible company, we comply with the following European legislations on waste: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.


Following the WEEE Directive, Brother machines are designed with the recycling and recovery of materials in mind, and we have established systems for collecting waste equipment at the end of their lifespan.

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive focuses on four areas of waste management; Prevention, Reuse, Recycling and Recovery. Under this directive, we ensure our packaging is as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible.
Recycle

Recycling with Brother

Sustainability is very important to us here at Brother. We’re always looking for ways in which to reduce our footprint on the earth.

While we look at reducing plastics and packaging in our supply chain, we know what we pack our machines and accessories in plays a huge role in the production of waste.

We’re not at 100% fully recyclable packaging yet. We’re looking into solutions that allow us to carefully ship you your machine, with the minimal virgin material used/binned.

Until we get to that point, all Brother packaging comes with handy symbols to let you know what it is made of, and how you can dispose of it.

On your packaging you’ll notice some numbers and symbols. These numbers are a legal requirement that denote what the packaging is made of. However, we know long numbers aren’t too easy to read, so we’ve created a handy materials symbol breakdown (below) that will help you easily identify what you can and can’t recycle.

PET1

PET

Polyethylene terephthalate, a lightweight 100% recyclable material.

Recyclable? Yes




1-HDPE-2

HDPE

High-density polyethylene. A high-density thermoplastic used for protective bags and some accessory parts.

Recyclable? Yes

PVC

PVC

Polyvinyl chloride. A synthetic polymer plastic.

Recyclable? No


2-LDPE-4

LDPE

Low density polyethylene, with main uses similar to those of high density polyethylene.

Recyclable? Yes

PP

PP

Polypropylene. Thermoplastic polymer used to secure moving parts.

Recyclable? Yes




4-PS-6

PS

Polystyrene. Used in packaging for the protection of products.

Recyclable? No

Other

Other

Generic plastic polymers, sometimes referred to as " PI " (Polylaminate Materials) or " Others ".

Paper and cardboard

Packaging used for the boxes containing the products.

Recyclable? Yes

Recycle-full-list

Where to recycle?

Please check your local waste and recycling services as to what can be recycled. Even though a material may be recyclable, it may not be accepted in your area, or in the form that it exists within Brother packaging.

Although you may be able to recycle parts if your sewing machine, it is always a good idea to reduce and reuse before you recycle. If your machine still works, why not give it to a charity or local school? If it’s broken, why not see if your local dealership will fix it and sell it on? Some local waste and recycling centres will also accept machines.

Same with the packaging! Why not incorporate some into your next craft or interiors project? Is your sewing machine box now a pirate ship? Can you use the polystyrene to insulate a part of your home from cold or noise?