From 1981 to 2004, Albin Kälin was Managing Director of Rohner Textil AG in Switzerland. Under his leadership, the company was honored with 19 international design awards in the 1990s. In 1993, he launched the development of the Climatex® product line, the first Cradle to Cradle® products worldwide. Albin Kälin was awarded the UBS Key Trophy "Rhine Valley Entrepreneur of the Year" in 2001. From 2002 to 2007, he was a member of the Supervisory Board of the Fein Elast Group in Austria. This was followed by positions as CEO of EPEA Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH in Hamburg and CEO of EPEA Netherland.
Since 2009, Albin Kälin has been the founder and CEO of EPEA Switzerland GmbH, an accredited assessor for the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ certification standard.
EPEA Switzerland GmbH supports companies in various fields of activity in the development and implementation of the Cradle to Cradle® design concept. With an experienced, internationally oriented and interdisciplinary management team, Cradle to Cradle® projects are implemented worldwide in all industries. Scientific assessments are carried out in close cooperation with an accredited material health assessor.
Cradle to Cradle® Design defines and develops recyclable products.
As a differentiation from conventional recycling, the quality of the raw materials is maintained over several product life cycles and only "chemicals assessed as safe" are used. The production processes, use and recycling of the products are designed according to the model of maintaining the quality of the raw materials over several life cycles. This means: no waste, everything is also a nutrient. The right materials are used in defined cycles at the right time and in the right place.
Cradle to Cradle Certified™ is a globally recognized assessment standard for safe, sustainable and recyclable products. Products Designers, manufacturers and brands around the world rely on the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ certification standard. It is a transformative guide to developing products with a positive impact on society and the environment. Thousands of products are Cradle to Cradle Certified™, from perfumes to floor coverings, T-shirts and jeans to water bottles and window care products. A growing number of brands, organizations and institutions recognize Cradle to Cradle Certified™ certification as the preferred standard for their purchasing decisions.