A non-profit initiative designed to reuse pieces with aesthetic defects and prevent them from being discarded
On GREEN GRADE turntables, REGA will continue to apply the same quality control and give a lifetime manufacturing guarantee on all products.
As a manufacturer, Rega has always looked for ways to reduce waste to avoid scrap parts as much as possible. For many years, this leading English company in the manufacture of turntables has had a team of people dedicated exclusively to restoring or recycling damaged parts. But there are always parts with cosmetic defects that are considered unacceptable “in our industry” for a standard A product. In some cases, it is not always cost effective to repair them and unfortunately these parts end up in landfills. “This is always the last resort, but as a responsible company we believe that we can no longer accept it as a viable option”, reflect from REGA.
The attitude towards waste is changing: for many years, for example, imperfect fruits and vegetables were discarded and considered unfit for sale simply because of their appearance. However, consumers are becoming aware and we are increasingly sensitive to discarding products that do not seem perfect at first glance. And it is in this line that REGA has begun to act, a brand that makes each of its turntables by hand.
Rega Green Grade turntables will be manufactured with parts damaged only aesthetically by transport or incorrect handling
REGA currently works with 650 suppliers (85% of them in the UK) and all have a responsibility to supply quality parts. However, due to poor packaging, mishandling or transportation, some parts may be damaged and in many cases these parts are considered unrecoverable by the repair team. To solve this problem, turntables are conceived Rega Green Grade.
Instead of not using these parts with aesthetic defects, REGA has decided to reuse them to manufacture products Rega Green Grade. The turntables will function and perform to REGA’s usual standards and will also benefit from the Limited Lifetime Warranty against manufacturing defects, which REGA gives to all of its products.
REGA states that “In an ideal world, all consumers would accept Green Grade and we would stop wasting valuable resources and reduce our carbon footprint. But for now, we hope these small steps will change people’s attitudes and provide us all with a better, less wasteful future.”
For Rega it is a non-profit initiative designed to use parts and prevent them from being thrown away.
How will it work?
The first GREEN GRADE initiative will be the Planar 1 ECO DECKwhich will be manufactured from:
- A selection of Planar 1 and Planar 1 Plus skirtings that are marked, scratched or obsolete.
- A selection of marked or scratched P2 and P3 high gloss acrylic skirtings which will also be manufactured as Planar 1. (The appropriate brass bushing will be fitted at no extra cost for those using P3 skirtings).
- Other Green Grade components that are available, such as chainrings and arms with cosmetic defects.
Protect the planet and save money
Features of the Planar 1 ECO DECK:
- All turntables will be equipped with Rega’s Level A Carbon stylus.
- ECO DECK skirting boards will NOT have the P1 logo silk-screened so they can be easily identified as Green Grade.
- Each ECO DECK will bear a REGA ECO badge on the lid.
- The outer carton of each ECO DECK will carry a Rega Green Grade logo sticker for easy identification.
- Each turntable will be thoroughly tested and will have to pass all the stringent tests that a grade ‘A’ Planar 1 would have to pass.
- Performance is not affected in any way.
- A lifetime warranty against functional defects is included, but will NOT cover cosmetics.
The purchase of this product, in addition to helping to protect the planet, will also mean savings for the consumer. The recommended retail price in Spain of the Planar 1 is 249 euros and that of the Planar 1 Plus is 349 euros, it is expected that the Planar 1 ECO DECK represents more than 30% savings on these prices.
The products that are currently available in the GREN GRADE features are: P1 Glossy Black, P1 Glossy White, P1 Glossy Red, P1 Plus Glossy Black, P1 Plus Glossy White.
The production of this series is limited, depending on the stock of materials to be reused.
