Paul Hamilton, technical director of Regenex features in the latest print issue of Laundry and Cleaning Today, the feature discusses practices smaller laundries can use to maximise their laundry stock. 

In recent decades, the focus on waste management within the hospitality industry has been to recycle. And while laundries are able to sell commodities such as waste textiles to recyclers for a modest fee, the concept of re-use — rather than recycling only — is becoming an increasingly popular choice.

As the UK continues on the race to net zero, organisations large and small are facing increasing pressure to acknowledge that they are responsibly disposing of items that they can longer make use of. However, according to the well-established and government-backed Hierarchy of Waste, reusing an item is considered to be the preferred choice over using the earth’s finite resources to manufacture something new.

The same can also be applied to hotels and small accommodation lets in particular — maximising the lifecycle of commercial linen can not only help to reduce expenses for business owners, but it can assist in cutting carbon emissions and lessening the amount of textile waste going to landfill in the long run too. 

Formed in 2013, UK-based short-stay accommodation provider, USnooz.com was keen to establish a more circular process for its bedding, towels and tableware, and more importantly, cut long-term costs. 

The fast-growing network, founded by Halifax entrepreneur Glenn Ackroyd, delivered 73kg of guest bedding, towels, and tableware to Regenex from properties all over the UK for an initial processing trial.

Despite heavy staining with the likes of fake tan, make-up and food, a total of 65kg was effectively cleaned and returned to stock — representing an impressive success rate of 89% on material which would otherwise have been ragged or sent to landfill.

The solution has seen Regenex save uSnooz.com up to 83.6% on the cost of replacement linens via its patented multi-bath process that helps to gently open fibres and lift stains. 

Now a retained customer, Regenex now returns 81% of uSnooz.com’s unsalvageable, soiled linen — extending its lifecycle even further, while the remaining 19% is either sold as rag or recycled. 

Enlisting the help of Regenex is helping businesses like uSnooz.com work towards ambitious environmental targets and contributes positively to their sustainability as a company, as well as their eco-conscious reputation among customers.

Quote from Glenn Ackroyd, CEO, uSnooz.com: “For us, it’s a double win. 81% of our previously soiled linen is now returned to us, and the remainder is recycled. Quite frankly, I’m baffled why anybody in our industry isn’t already using Regenex.”