Silver has long been part of the natural environment.  Silver is one of the basic elements that make up our planet. Silver is rare but occurs naturally in the environment as a soft, "silver" coloured metal. Mining or the natural wearing down of silver-bearing rocks and soil by the wind and rain releases large amounts of silver into the environment.  Silver that is released into the environment may be carried long distances in air and water. Rain washes silver compounds out of many soils so that it eventually moves into the groundwater. Silver is stable and remains in the environment in one form or another until it is taken out again by people. Because silver is an element, it does not break down, but it can change its form by combining with other substances.

Silver substances reduce the environmental impact of washing

High quality textiles with silver substances, waste less energy, save time and money and reduce our carbon footprint. Textiles with silver substances require up to 50% less washing than untreated textiles without loss in comfort and freshness. Moreover, up to 30% less carbon dioxide emissions can be reached using textiles with silver substances technology, thanks to a lower consumption of detergents and electricity resulting from lower washing temperatures, with reduced frequency and drying.   If everyone in Europe made an effort to reduce their wash temperature when possible it could really make a big difference. In fact, the energy savings of a reduction of only 3° in the average wash temperature of people in Europe is equivalent to the emissions produced by more than 127,000 cars.

Silver substances make buildings more energy efficient

The layer of silver coating used on industrial glass reflects heat radiation due to the metals unique properties. This keeps out nearly 95% of the sun’s rays and also curtails heat loss through windows in wintertime. This heat reflection translates into huge savings by reducing energy demand for housing and heating as well as air-conditioning needs in buildings and cars.

Silver substances enable renewable energy

Silver remains the best electrical and thermal conductor of all metals and silver responds in such a way that it guarantees the broadest range of applications. For instance, silver’s high reflectivity ensures its use in mirrors, and over 90% of solar panels used today rely on silver conductors to activate the generation of electricity. Silver demand used in photovoltaics recorded another strong year, rising by 19% last year driven in particular by strong solar panel uptake according to the World Silver Survey 2018.

Silver substances facilitate clean transport

Silver is a key component in automotive manufacturing and is increasingly used in internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE); autonomous vehicles (AV), electric (EV) and even photovoltaic (PV) technologies, that are creating new applications for silver in automotive fabrication, driving future demand. Nearly all electrical connections in a modern automobile are outfitted with silver-coated contacts.