As mentioned previously on Green Lodging News, I attended HD Expo in Las Vegas from May 2-4. Thanks to Covid-19, it had been four years since I last attended this event focused on hospitality design. What was clear immediately to me this time was that the show and conference was as strong as ever and the number of sustainability stories was at a record level.
In my article this past week I listed many of the companies in attendance that jumped out at me in one way or another as having something new, unique, or showing evidence of the continuation of a long-time commitment to sustainability.
One strong theme was the creative use of materials. Who would have ever thought there would be a use for used chopsticks? ChopValue proved many kinds of furniture and decorative pieces can be made from these sticks. So far, they have recycled 100 million chopsticks and what they make looks great. Similarly, Formology, a manufacturer of architectural panels and wood surfaces for use in a wide variety of applications, introduced its AgriFORM Hazelnut and AgriFORM panels made from hazelnut shells and hemp byproduct.
Nature Meets Wallcoverings
Anyone who has spent time in the South is familiar with kudzu, an invasive vine that grows just about everywhere. Koroseal, a leading designer and manufacturer of hospitality and contract wallcoverings, and Arte, also a creator of wallcoverings, partnered to debut new collections—one of which includes kudzu fibers. Banana bark is another material used in the wallcoverings.
Numerous companies at HD Expo incorporate recycled plastic in their products and furniture maker Mater even uses coffee shell waste, discarded fishing nets, used beer kegs, and more.
Would you even think of not giving bath towels to your guests? It can be done thanks to Valiryo, which demonstrated its body dryer. Located in the shower itself, the dryer eliminates the environmental impact of large towel washing and drying. Also seen on the show floor: the VOVO AirCare Foot & Body Dryer. Can you imagine the savings in towels, energy, water, chemicals, labor?
Speaking of the shower, Oasense, Inc. featured its sensor-based showerhead with a built-in micro turbine that automatically changes the water flow to conserve water without compromising on the shower experience. Water flow is reduced when the guest is not in the shower or not actively rinsing under the shower. The showerhead won a Red Dot Design Award in 2022.
Products to help one reduce one’s environmental impact were in abundance. Object Carpet displayed its NEOO carpet designed for endless life. The carpet is 100 percent recyclable and made from just one material—100 percent polyester. It is available in three select shades of gray and in wall-to-wall carpet or tile.
Crossville displayed its two new manufactured collections that will be carbon neutral through measuring embodied carbon (EPD) and purchasing carbon offsets to account for what cannot be immediately reduced for the full lifecycle of these product lines. The Civilization Collection and the Native Metal Collection are the company’s first carbon-neutral products.
The major mattress manufacturers have made sustainability commitments for quite some time. It was great to see Tempur + Sealy’s Naturals Hybrid Mattress made from 100 percent natural latex. The cover features fibers made from hemp, organic cotton, and lightweight modal. The wool blend is naturally flame retardant and it is constructed using hand-tufting which reduces glue usage.
Bedding to Make You Cooler, Drier
Blue Ridge Hotel Textiles featured its pillows, blankets, and comforters. Blue Ridge down and feathers meet numerous global standards including Fair Trade Certified. The company has introduced 37.5 Technology in its products. It moves heat and moisture away from the body. The technology also reduces linen dry time.
Berkshire Hospitality displayed its many products made from ecofiber—top sheets, sheeting, quilts and coverlets, blankets, comforters, mattress pad, and pillows and shams. The company’s ecofiber fabrics are made with recycled plastic bottles to create bedding with less waste and a reduced carbon footprint.
Finally, what caught my eye numerous times was signage indicating that a supplier’s products had been rated by MindClick. According to the company, it has rated products from over 200 companies for environmental health.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
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