#Sustainability Snapshot: Song-Cho

Aligning with the Circular Economy and Stringent Health & Safety Standards as a Specialist in Durable Stainless Steel Kitchen Products & Services

The Song-Cho Kitchen Showroom

To stainless steel household product specialist Song-Cho, sustainability mainly means product longevity. A durable, long-lasting product minimises the need for replacements. On top of reducing waste, this also conserves the earth’s resources that will otherwise be required to make replacement products, which align with circular economy principles.

Besides product longevity, the Song-Cho team also focuses on protecting the health & safety of their consumers and employees by using stainless steel and powder coatings with ultra-low formaldehyde and VOC emissions.

Song-Cho’s KITCHEN Base Cabinet generates ultra-low formaldehyde emissions of below 0.05mg/m3 (equivalent to China's E0, which is stricter than EU's E0 limit of 0.1mg/m3), and total VOC emissions of below 0.3mg/m3. Their KITCHEN Base and Wall Cabinet Door Panel & WARDROBE Door Panel Types 1 and 2 generate ultra-low formaldehyde emissions of under 0.124mg/m3 (EU E1) & total VOC emissions of under 0.5mg/m2h.

 

Beginning and Continuing Song-Cho’s Sustainability Journey

Song-Cho’s company leaders started the company’s sustainability journey from the get-go – they began running a couple of sustainability-centric initiatives along with the company’s establishment in 1995. In line with the circular economy, they began offering servicing and repair services for their products -- at a time when sustainability as a topic was not commonly discussed as it is today.

Customers have engaged Song-Cho for these services as they value the durability of their products, even about a decade after their purchases. They typically reach out to Song-Cho when they relocate their homes. More information about these servicing and repair services is available here.

To strengthen their guarantee about their product longevity, Song-Cho offers life-time warranty against rust for their “Wel-Mi” and “Song-Cho” brand stainless steel series. They offer 5 years of free maintenance for any damaged wire parts.

Furthermore, Song-Cho supplements these warranty offerings with detailed information on how to care for their products on their website, so that customers will be better equipped to extend the lifespan of their purchased goods.

Selected Range of Song-Cho Stainless Steel Racks

Providing these sustainability-centric business offerings have continued to earn Song-Cho greater trust from their customers in terms of their product durability and overall quality, which enhances their brand value and reputation. Their repair and maintenance services also enable the company to create value for their customers, on top of being better for our collective environment.

 

Looking Ahead

Moving forward, Song-Cho has a few sustainability initiatives in store for the near future. In terms of Energy Management / Carbon Management, the team is exploring a transition towards 100% electric vehicle usage. Electric vehicles contribute to cleaner air on the roads and have the potential to generate less carbon emissions, as Singapore greens our energy grid.

To ensure their Employees' Health & Safety, Song-Cho will be starting to measure and monitor the formaldehyde levels in their office very soon. The Song-Cho office already has air ventilation appliances to improve their indoor air quality.

Additionally, the Song-Cho team will be reading up on SFIC’s holistic resources on economic, environmental, social and governance sustainability, and will be looking into how the company might further advance along their sustainability journey. Stay tuned to their website and social media for more updates to come!

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Selected Range of Song-Cho Products

Introduction to Song-Cho:

Song-Cho (Imp & Exp) Pte Ltd was established in 1995, dealing exclusively in 18-8 (international code no: 304) stainless steel products under the registered brand name ‘WEL-MI'. We are also the exclusive distributor for the registered brand names 'CLEANUP SS KITCHEN SYSTEM' and 'FDO SS KITCHEN & WARDROBE SYSTEM'. We also carry our own in-house line under 'SONG-CHO'.

Our major business activities involve retailing a wide range of ready-made stainless steel products for both kitchen and bathroom, cookware, appliances, LED lighting and household items.

Currently, we have several showrooms located in Singapore and Malaysia.

Working closely with our manufacturers, we strive to improve the quality and design of our products constantly. To accommodate the changing requirements and different tastes of our customers, we have since introduced many new and versatile 18-8 stainless steel series into the market. We guarantee superior quality and value-for-money products to our customers for more than a decade and for many years to come.

 

Website: http://www.songcho.com.sg

Type of Furniture Company: Retail

Sustainability Themes:

  • Circular Economy, Product Longevity & Health & Safety

Sustainability Certifications:

  • Applying for SGBC (low VOC)

 

Products:

  • Stainless steel racking and storage, kitchen and bathroom accessories, kitchen system, wardrobe, appliances, cookware and LED Court Light (commercial).

Specific Eco Service Lines:

Song-Cho staff cleaning a wire rack for reinstallation

 

Environmental Initiatives:

  • Product longevity
    • Offers life-time warranty against rust for “Wel-Mi” and “Song-Cho” brand stainless steel series
    • Offers 5 years’ free maintenance for any damaged wire parts
    • Offers detailed information on how to care for products on website, to extend their lifespan
  • Circular Economy
    • Offers servicing and repair services for products
    • Offers polishing, cleaning & reinstalling services for customers when they move house (customers have approached them about a decade after purchasing their products)
      • For instance, when clients move house, their modular kitchen system can be reinstalled in their own home. Hence, there will be no need to build a new kitchen.

Song-Cho staff reinstalling a kitchen cabinet

  • Health & Safety
    • KITCHEN Base Cabinet: Ultra-low formaldehyde emissions of <0.05mg/m3 (equivalent to China's E0, which is stricter than EU's E0 limit of 0.1mg/m3) & total VOC emissions of <0.3mg/m3
    • KITCHEN Base and Wall Cabinet Door Panel & WARDROBE Door Panel Types 1 and 2: Ultra-low formaldehyde emissions of <0.124mg/m3 (EU E1) & total VOC emissions of <0.5mg/m2h

 

Future Environmental Initiatives:

  • Energy Management / Carbon Management
    • Transition towards 100% EVs
  • Employees' Health & Safety
    • Measure formaldehyde levels in Song-Cho's office; already has air ventilation appliances in the office to improve indoor air quality

All photos are courtesy of Song-Cho unless otherwise stated.

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