UK
The latest Textile Services Association (TSA) and UKHospitality (UKH) meeting focused on aligning the hospitality and laundry industries’ sustainability roadmaps. Both trade associations are committed to continuing this joint project. Areas of discussion spanned the whole spectrum of sustainability and looked at carbon emissions figures, cotton traceability, single use plastics, textiles recycling, managing linen loss, alternative fabrics and ESG vetting – the reporting of a laundry’s environmental, social and governance policies.
The associations’ latest meeting, on 25June at Regus, London WC2, was attended by representatives of the TSA and UKH, as well as major players within the hospitality industry, including Center Parcs, Fraser Hospitality, Premier Inn and Travelodge.
Also in attendance was the TSA team, including CEO David Stevens, Jack Quick from UKH, Emma Littlewood of Green Element, who led the carbon emissions discussion, and Hannah MacVean of Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), who presented new ideas covering cotton traceability.
“These meetings have brought the hospitality and laundry industries closer together,” said Stevens. “The sustainability focus is already playing a significant role as we work together to achieve carbon Net Zero.”
The removal of single-use plastic is an example of this successful collaboration. Previously, most clean laundry was delivered to hospitality sites wrapped in plastic for protection. Where possible, this plastic has now been replaced by a variety of innovative delivery methods, removing up to 100 tonnes of plastic per week, saving 15,000 tonnes of CO2. The meeting was told that this equates to 5,000 return flights from Heathrow to Perth – every week.
A key area for discussion was the increasing interest hotels have in laundries’ carbon emission figures – so much so that they are now included in most tender processes. TSA worked with Green Element to launch the GLARE platform for laundries, which makes the process of uploading the data to calculate the carbon figures relatively simple. Hotels particularly liked that fact that even data ‘per hotel customer’ can be provided to them. The meeting heard that the GLARE platform will also be useful in determining if alternative fabrics are more environmentally friendly.
Cotton traceability has been complex in the past, particularly for businesses looking at more sustainable options.
MacVean told the meeting that BCI is developing ways to trace cotton not only back to the country of origin, but directly to the farm, so users have insight and assurance over the provenance of the cotton. This will also enable the end user to know if BCI cotton is present within the product, which could not be guaranteed previously.
Stevens said:“We all agreed on the need to support farmers from an environmental and social aspect. TSA and BCI are working together to develop a viable solution.”
The meeting also had an update on the Infinite Textiles scheme, including the TSA discussions with DEFRA about the fact that there are no end-of-life recycling facilities for textiles in the UK capable of meeting the association’s criteria and supply. Meanwhile, with 61% of hospitality linen being lost every year, the TSA has been campaigning on training staff to look after it, notably with the highly successful Pasha the Pillowcase animation. The figures are improving, but are still dire. At the meeting, UKH and the TSA agreed to talk again to the UKHA (the UK Housekeepers Association) to work out a joint plan of action to continue the campaign.
The next UKH and TSA roundtable meeting will be 16 September and will be attended by representatives from both laundries and hotels.
The TSA is the trade association for the textile care services industry. The TSA represents commercial laundry and textile rental businesses. Membership ranges from family-run operations through to large, multi-national companies.
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