Hospitality ON Event - Awards

Worldwide Hospitality Awards

Thursday 09 November 2023 à 18:00

Candidat - Best Initiative in Sustainable Development

AccorHotels

Campaign - Natural is the New White

Cette candidature n'est disponible qu'en anglais / This application is only available in English.

AccorHotels launches a new non-chemically bleached linen, revolutionizing the hotel industry. An initiative part of its overall policy to reduce its carbon footprint.

NATURAL IS THE NEW WHITE: AccorHotels launches its new range of eco-friendly linen

Key Facts & Figures

Reduced environmental footprint
> 42% reduction in CO2 emissions and 48% reduction in average water consumption for towels per use**
> 88%** reduction in volume of chemicals used in textile finishing
> 20%* longer life for towels and bathrobes = impact reduced by 9 to 16% per use**
(Sources:*German Hohenstein Institute study - **Analysis of lifecycle by Quantis)

Unprecedented approach for a global hotel group, with a planned roll-out in 2,500 hotels in Europe by end 2021 for midscale and economy brands

Significant socio-economic impact on the French textile industry: all finishing and manufacturing carried out in the Vosges district (bed linen)

A breakthrough initiative

AccorHotels has introduced a major innovation in the hospitality sector with the large scale switch for non-chemically bleached bed and bath linen in its midscale and economy hotels in Europe (Novotel, Mercure, ibis, ibis Styles and ibis budget). The Group proves once again its environmental commitment, Planet 21 ActingHere: reduce its carbon footprint while co-innovating with its partners to develop offers and services with positive impact.

A co-innovation approach integrating all stakeholders

Upstream, a design and manufacture phase of this new linen made in close collaboration between AccorHotels and its longlasting textile partners, Standard Textile and Tissage Mouline.

During the fabric finishing process, this bed- and bath linen is not bleached in the traditional chemical way, using whitening agents such as peroxide, acid or optical brighteners. The impurities in the cotton are smoothly removed in a more eco-friendly way through a natural enzymes treatment.

So, the natural color of cotton is preserved, and the new linen is visually recognizable through its original ecru color, which furthermore contributes to a cosy atmosphere in the room.
Furthermore, cotton fiber is not damaged by oxidization during the finishing process: its longevity is then increased by 20%.

The fabric is also softer in usage.

In parallel, for towels, AccorHotels and its partner Standard Textile developed an innovative perfecting technology Elevation that involves concentrating the bulk of the material in the center of the towel and helps optimize the weight of the product with the same quality in use for guest.

Downstream, a roll-out conditioned by an appropriate sustainable laundry care process (with no OBAs and whitener agents)

During the usage phase, the removal of bleaching agents from the detergents used will lead to a reduction in many impacts, notably water consumption and aquatic ecotoxicity. AccorHotels is working with its laundry partners in Europe to involve them in a joint discussion on the reorganization of their processes. In the UK, laundry service providers have already introduced a specific laundering method for the new range of linen and towels and have seen a reduction in their environmental impact: a 75% reduction in water consumption, and a 25% fall in CO2 emissions.

Laundering properly is also essential as it ensures the linen retains its natural color throughout its life.

UK at the forefront of the European deployment

The new textile products have been successfully used for over a year by the majority of the Group’s economy and midscale hotels in the United-Kingdom (200 hotels). Benelux starts its roll-out Quarter 4, 2018. In France and the rest of Europe, hotels will phase in the new linen as contracts with laundry service providers are renewed with adapted washing procedures (using neither bleaching or optical brighteners agents).

The implementation should be completed by end 2021 in the 40 European countries (2,500 hotels).

All announced benefits confirmed by independent studies

Several studies carried out by independent institutes or using internal assessment tools highlight the environmental and economic benefits of the new range of linen, as well as the satisfaction of both guests and hotel operators:

  • Longer lifespan assessed by the German Hohenstein Institute, a leading textiles research laboratory and institute in Europe.
  • Analysis of the lifecycle conducted by Quantis, international specialist in lifecycle analysis consultancy, aimed at analyzing the environmental benefits of the new range of linen in comparison with white linen, based on several environmental indicators : CO2 emission, water consumption, aquatic ecotoxicity...
  • Client surveys: All the tests conducted in 14 pilot hotels in France, Germany as well as guest satisfaction survey since the roll-out in the United Kingdom (VOG) show very positive results in terms of appearance and comfort and support AccorHotels’ environmental initiative. The policy has also been welcomed by AccorHotels hotel staff who feel valued and proud to be part of the project.

A disruptive communication

In its communication toolkit, AccorHotels assumes its claim "NATURAL IS THE NEW WHITE", breaking the ancestral codes of white colour being associated with hygiene.

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