BETHESDA, MD.—Element® Hotels, part of Marriott International, announces support of National Secondhand Wardrobe Day on August 25, 2017 by introducing The Element Exchange, a series of secondhand clothing pop-ups. All of the brand’s properties in North America will participate, using their public spaces to encourage hotel guests and local communities to swap, not shop, for their next item of clothing.
With the launch of this new initiative, Element Hotels will contribute to combatting the global issue of fashion waste, as well as support the sustainability efforts of the local communities around each of Element’s hotels in North America. Each hotel will host their own unique event on August 25 in support of local clothing recycling partners or shelters.
“Clothes are one of the most frequent items purposefully left behind in hotel rooms,” said Marlon Whyte, Global Brand Leader of Element Hotels. “The Element Exchange helps to limit the huge environmental impact of fashion sustainability by giving guests and locals in our vibrant communities the option to exchange or recycle clothing and offset their carbon footprint.”
At Element Boston Seaport’s pop-up, attendees will be able to enjoy sustainable bites in the courtyard and sample organic wine through a sustainable and automated wine cart while they “shop”. The event will see Boston-based clothing upcycling partners helping guests give their items of clothing a new life. Ministry of Supply, Boston-founded maker of performance dress clothes that supplies underprivileged adults with clothing for the workplace and job interviews, will be on-site for attendees interested in shopping and upcycling through their 1 In, 1 Out initiative.
Most Discarded Textiles Sent to Landfills
Fashion sustainability continues to grow as a major environmental issue. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 85 percent of all discarded textiles—13 million tons—are sent to U.S. landfills every year. In addition, it takes 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton t-shirt, enough for one person to stay hydrated for 900 days.
As an eco-conscious, extended stay brand, Element Hotels are built green from the ground up using sustainable materials and eco-driven practices. The Element Exchange initiative further highlights the brand’s commitment to adopting environmentally friendly practices and supporting their local communities.
As part of The Element Exchange initiative, all of the North American Element Hotels will install donation and upcycling points for clothes, which will remain on property in perpetuity for future guests to recycle their garments.
Since the brand’s inception Element Hotels has been an eco-innovation lab, with the brand constantly exploring new ways to better the guest experience while keeping true to its philosophy. For example, each hotel features a Bikes to Borrow program, electric-vehicle charging stations, saline swimming pools, SPG Keyless access to guestrooms, spa-inspired bathrooms with eco-friendly fixtures, in-room recycling bins, in-room filtered water and workout bikes that allow guests to re-charge their phones as they pedal.
