Regenex and forward-thinking laundry, Celtic Linen, have reached the landmark volume of 100 tonnes of items saved from rag or landfill and returned to stock.

The amount represents a saving of 300 tonnes of carbon* and 500 million litres of water**, compared with the condemning of blemished linen and subsequent purchase of newly manufactured top-up stock.

Regenex’s gentle multi-bath cleaning system opens fibres to release marks and refresh whites, allowing Celtic Linen to make the most of every item on behalf of its hospitality and healthcare customers.

The two companies have also been collaborating on a new system to vacuum pack linen, and fit more stock into lorries. The unusual move away from metal cages is increasing efficiencies and saving fuel and carbon when moving large volumes of linen between England and Ireland.

Regenex is based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, and Celtic Linen is headquartered in Wexford with branches in Dublin, Cork and Ballinasloe.

Celtic Linen’s commitment to making the most of every item of linen began in 2018 and has gained pace following the appointment of Chief Executive Officer Joanne Somers in June 2020.

Previously Chief Financial Officer at the company, Joanne is an associate chartered management accountant. For her, the combined savings in carbon and costs offered by the Regenex process are a compelling combinatio

Joanne says: “As with any business, especially in these times, Celtic linen is looking for value for money and cost savings. But this partnership with Regenax is about much more than that, it’s about innovative ways of dealing with an age-old problem in the linen industry whereby very good quality linen is ragged due to staining .

“As a company we have a strong focus on sustainability and environmental initiatives are a key part of our business strategy. We are delighted with the success of this project to date and our relationship with Regenex.”

Paul Hamilton, technical director of Regenex, explained: “Celtic Linen is one of our largest customers. We have been keen to try new approaches.

“This included setting up a vacuum packing system to move linen around, rather than relying on metal cages which are expensive, weighty and inefficient for loading.

“Using vacuum pumps to pack linen and transporting bales on pallets means we can maximise loading capacity. This is unusual for the sector and, we think, pioneering.”

The move aligns with Celtic Linen’s wider commitment to sustainability which also includes water reduction and heat recovery systems. Processed linen is returned to Ireland ready-sorted into bales of specific items, for seamless integration into stock control systems.

* Calculation based on 100 tonnes of linen typically halfway through its natural life cycle returned to stock, compared with carbon footprint of 8kg associated with the manufacture and life cycle of 1kg of new linen. Saving is 4kg carbon per 1kg cotton. According to http://www.globalcarbonatlas.org/ the average British person has a carbon footprint of 8.34 tonnes per year.

** Calculation based on the 10,000 litres of water required to manufacture 1kg of new cotton. The saving is 5,000 litres.