The BSI Kitemark™ for remanufactured and reconditioned products

• The growing importance of the remanufactured and reconditioned goods
• Challenge – proving the quality and performance of product to procurement
• The BSI solution adds benefits for the remanufacturer/reconditioner

BSI’s remanufacturer and recondition Kitemark schemes can verify your processes and assure your clients of best practice. This sustainable approach to the circular economy reduces carbon emissions and will reinforce engagement with international sustainability frameworks. The benefits of a circular economy and enhanced sustainability at a global level include material optimization, new and innovative revenue streams, enhanced stakeholder relationships and brand reputation, and risk mitigation. This emerging market is aimed not only at consumers but also businesses and local and central governments that are looking to encourage sustainability and reduce waste.

BS 8887–220: 2010, the process of remanufacture 

The process of returning a used product to at least to its original performance with a warranty that is equivalent or better than that of a newly manufactured product.

From a consumer viewpoint, the remanufactured product can be the same as a new product.

As we work towards sustainability goals and extending the life of products, refurbishing is a crucial part of driving the circular economy and returning quality products to market.

These products, such as IT equipment, electrical and electronic office equipment, lighting, and electrical parts, can be restored to a fully functioning state and cycled back into use re-using both older and newer parts. While terms such as refurbished, remanufactured, and re-conditioned are commonly interchanged, there are notable differences between these sustainable approaches to re-commerce.

Refurbished vs. remanufactured
Using a combination of parts (reused, new, repaired), remanufacturing sees the rebuilding of a product. It takes place to restore a product to a like-new quality in both its performance and appearance.

Refurbished products, however, are put through a thorough refurbishment process, with parts and components used to rebuild or repair, to return the product to a satisfactory working condition. While refurbished products don’t come with an as-good-as-new guarantee, you can expect that a refurbished product has been tested to ensure that it will perform well and often comes with a warranty.

Benefits of refurbished products:

• reduced waste
• cost-effective
• great performance 
• sustainable.

The circular economy

BSI’s remanufacturer and recondition schemes can verify your processes and assure your clients of best practice. This sustainable approach to the circular economy reduces carbon emissions and will reinforce engagement with international sustainability frameworks. The benefits of a circular economy and enhanced sustainability at a global level include material optimization, new and innovative revenue streams, enhanced stakeholder relationships and brand reputation, and risk mitigation. This emerging market is aimed not only at consumers but also businesses and local and central governments that are looking to encourage sustainability and reduce waste.

BS 8887–240: 2011 The process of reconditioning

The process of returning a used product to a satisfactory working condition by rebuilding or repairing major components that are close to failure, even where there are no reported or apparent faults in those components.

The Kitemark certifies the remanufacturing or reconditioning processes carried out by suppliers of remarketed items based on the application of BS 8887 series of standards for design for manufacture, assembly, disassembly, and end of life processing (MADE), as well as best practice principles of ISO 9001.

A general outline of the process to be audited: 

It is the first time the market will have an independently verified mark of trust, linking value with quality, giving consumers confidence that the products will meet the level of quality, performance and reliability expected.

Trust in emerging industries is key and BSI’s new Kitemark schemes will offer assurance of the quality of remanufacturing or reconditioning process employed, ensuring that second-hand doesn’t mean second grade.

Consumers making purchasing decisions between remanufactured or reconditioned products that employ some level of environmental upside that it brings – or entirely new items will be assured by the mark of trust connected with Kitemark.

Kitemark is one of the best consumer-recognized marks of trust.

Companies achieving accreditation under the Kitemark will further reinforce their public commitments to sustainability and the circular economy.
The Kitemark will support the increasing demand for affordable goods, growth in the circular economy and international government initiatives to protect the environment.

Circular economy and use of refurbished / remanufactured products are fast growing year on year. 

From a consumer point of view, this is driven by the affordability of new / technologically advanced products.

Hear more from our speakers to learn more about what some of the challenges are facing circular economy today and how to tackle these as a manufacturer.

Simply fill in the form below and a member of our product certification team will be in touch: