Durable linen does not have to be expensive

Sustainability is still wrongly seen as a cost. "More and more hoteliers are realising that making a hotel more sustainable is actually interesting, because guests consider the future of our earth increasingly important," Joos Verrest, owner of Linnenatwork, reveals. He talks about the development of sustainable bath linen and mattresses.

According to Verrest, a change is taking place among hoteliers. Where sustainable products used to be requested in tenders, you now increasingly see that sustainability is actually chosen. However, he was regularly told that 'the high investment is beyond the budget'. Verrest knows better than anyone that the higher price tag is still an obstacle. "This is because of the lower cotton yield per hectare, but also because of production processes and certifications". To serve all customers, Linnenatwork took a new approach. "The aim was to establish a product with which hoteliers can grow in sustainability step by step and get used to the higher costs. After all, it is better to start than to wait and the greening process takes time".

Demand is increasingly coming from a concept-based approach. Verrest notices that the hotel industry is making a conscious choice for sustainability and they want to communicate this to their guests. "They are happy to adapt the concept of their hotel to it. It is an investment, which they will pay back in the long run". To accelerate that demand, we have developed the Pure Linen collection in our own way. This is sustainable bath linen, where we chose to omit all unnecessary materials and production steps first. 

Pure Linen is made of 100% cotton and is not dyed or bleached. The linen therefore has the original colour of cotton. All unnecessary steps are omitted, creating a pure product without even a single thread of polyester in it. "With this, you get softer towels with more volume than regular bath linen, whose fibre is bleached. Pure Linen can withstand more washes because of its strong fibre." The first step is mainly 'leaving out', making Pure Linen cheaper than the reference. "What we don't put in you don't charge for," says Verrest. "Then, step by step, we will add organic and recyclable ingredients with our partners and make Pure Linen more and more sustainable. So we do sustainability together with our partners. That's the fun part".

Verrest finds that customers struggle with correctly interpreting the terms 'sustainable' and 'natural'. As an example, he mentions mattresses. "Production is sometimes done with natural products and therefore it seems heartily sustainable. However, it is not, because ultimately these materials are often not recyclable. We use polyester as a substitute for foam in the production of our mattresses. 'Natural' sounds nicer, but with polyester it becomes recyclable and thus only truly sustainable". Linnenatwork has been working with circular mattresses for years and demand is growing. "Good comfort, all parts are recyclable, the mattress breathes like crazy and bedbugs can no longer settle in foam, because there is none. On so many levels, a perfect choice". Verrest says that here, too, there is continuous development to make the products more affordable. "Soon we will come out with a new mattress, which has been improved again and reduced in price".

Sustainability is increasingly becoming a marketing tool. "And that is necessary to afford sustainability." Verrest hopes that there are also enough personal drivers to push all the way along the still long road to a sustainable future. "Certifications can help, but are not the only route to success. We like to take a down-to-earth look at where we can have a hand in speeding up the process."

Hoteliers are open to discussing it. "Without bleaching, you get a natural colour of cotton and therefore not white. Acceptance is a matter of time. Many mindsets have yet to change, but the more parties notice that they can make a profit sustainably, the faster acceptance will grow."