HOLLYWOOD, FLA.—Hard Rock International announced the implementation of a new health and safety plan for Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, as locations begin to reopen worldwide in compliance with global, national, and local health officials. Hard Rock Hotels globally have implemented SAFE + SOUND, a new program developed by a team of hospitality and gaming experts in collaboration with worldwide health and sanitization specialists, including Ecolab and NSF International, formerly known as the National Sanitation Foundation, to help keep guests and team members safe and healthy. Under the new SAFE + SOUND standards established by Hard Rock, each hotel...

SKOKIE, ILL.—UMF Corp., which researches and develops high-performance products, programs and training for infection prevention and commercial cleaning, announced its partnership with Universal Fiber Systems, a leading U.S. manufacturer of synthetic filament-based and specialty fibers. UMF will provide its patented antimicrobial, rechargeable Micrillon chemistry to Universal for incorporation into two high performance fibers. The first, a super-fine sheath and core fiber, will be produced and utilized in a new, unique product requested by leading companies in the hotel industry. The second, a splittable, bicomponent filament, commonly referred to as microfiber or segmented pie filaments, is also in production. These...

NEW YORK—Indiesigns has launched an initiative to have independent artists produce COVID-19 signage with a positive and design-forward aesthetic. Its goal is to help businesses reopen safely without compromising on design. The launch is a new product pivot from Indiewalls, a corporate art consultancy whose business was drastically impacted by the economic shutdown. The Indiesigns products help businesses reopen, keep the public safe, and support artists who have suffered loss of work as a result of the pandemic. The signage follows specific guidelines by the CDC, but puts visual design front and center. The company believes that design-forward signage will not...

O’FALLON, MO.—True Residential, a luxury home refrigeration brand with commercial DNA, has unveiled Plex Shield—a collection of innovative protective shields for retail and commercial businesses that serve as effective social distancing barriers. The company’s American-made philosophy has allowed them to pivot their manufacturing to concentrate on meeting the demand for solutions that prioritize the health and safety of essential workers. True now creates a variety of protective shields in-house that can be customized to suit any business environment. Current Plex Shield designs include a Desktop Protective Shield, a Front-Mount Protective Shield, a Hanging Protective Shield, a Hanging Sneeze Guard and...

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—From Los Angeles to New Orleans, several convention centers and lodging facilities across the United States have recently secured GBAC STAR facility accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA. By providing third-party validation, GBAC STAR’s 20-step, performance-based program helps facilities of all sizes establish and maintain an effective system of cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention. Recently accredited facilities include: Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.; Los Angeles Convention Center; Malibu Beach Inn Hotel & Spa in Malibu, Calif.; New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center; Palm Beach County Convention Center in Palm Beach, Fla.; ...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the premier organization independently recognizing excellence in green business industry performance and practice globally, announced the release of Safety First pilot credits for its SITES and TRUE rating systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new credits enable projects committed to sustainable landscape development and those pursuing zero waste goals to maintain those commitments while adapting practices and procedures in light of the current public health crisis. GBCI administers project certifications for some of the world’s leading green business programs, including LEED, SITES, TRUE, RELi and others. It is committed to supporting projects pursuing certification in adapting...

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has called upon all travelers to don protective face masks to show they “wear to care” in the new normal of traveling. As countries transition from lockdowns to reopening their borders, the wearing of face masks helps signal the return of safer travels, while also providing personal protection for users as well as those around them. The advice from WTTC in favor of mandatory mask wearing comes from evidence that countries which are recovering faster and avoid second COVID-19 spikes are those where the use of face masks have been widely enforced and encouraged. Following...

ATLANTA—Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB) announced today that it is partnering with Switzerland-based HeiQ Group, a leader in textile innovation, to create the U.S. market’s first antiviral mattress. The agreement gives SSB exclusive access within the U.S. bedding category to HeiQ Viroblock technology, which has previously been approved by the European Medical Device Directive for antiviral use in medical personal protective equipment such as N95 equivalent masks, and registered as an antiviral active by the German EPA. HeiQ Viroblock was recently independently tested as 99.99 percent effective in 30 minutes against SARS-CoV-2 by a leading Australian infection and immunity research institute....

SINGAPORE—For more than 100 years, Hilton hotels around the world have set the stage for the world’s most coveted and important meetings, events and entertainment gatherings—from star-laden award shows and movie sets to energetic political conventions, global conferences and wow-worthy weddings. Today, that tradition continues—even at a safe distance. To address safe group travel practices and evolve today’s event experience, Hilton announced a global, industry-leading cleanliness and customer service program specific to meetings and events. Hilton EventReady with CleanStay is the next phase of the company’s recently launched Hilton CleanStay and was shaped by extensive research and feedback. “At Hilton, we’ve always believed...

MIAMI—Shores Global, a leading cruise line interior designer and furniture supplier, announced that it has expanded its portfolio to include Spry Therapeutics’ soft-surface filter technology, Pneumapure. This strategic alliance will allow Shores Global to promote the patented filter technology to the cruise and hospitality industry, throughout the United States. The introduction of Spry’s germ-blocking solution in the United States also enables Shores to provide safer, cleaner and more sustainable soft goods to cruise lines on a global scale, without compromising comfort. The emergence and spread of COVID-19 around the United States and the globe has spurred calls for new methods...