NEW YORK—SH Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Starwood Capital Group, a global private investment firm, announced that Princeville Resort in Kauai will temporarily close on May 1 to undergo a multimillion-dollar complete transformation. The Princeville Resort is situated on a hillside overlooking the breathtaking Hanalei Bay and the verdant cliffs of the Na Pali coast, and surrounded by the lush tropical flora of Hawaii’s Garden Island. Starwood Capital acquired the Princeville Resort in 2018 with the intention of repositioning the resort as the finest wellness resort in the United States and as the flagship of its 1 Hotels,...

NATIONAL REPORT—These days, sustainable manufacturing and consumerism are the most important things we can do to contribute to lessening our impact on global resources. We can help with this goal with every small decision we make, even down to our choices of bedding, by opting for eco-friendly bedding when we come to replace our existing bedding. But what should we be looking for in eco-friendly bedding? Should We Choose Cotton or Other Fibers? Cotton is somewhat the default when we choose our bedding. It’s hard-wearing, it stays cool, and it’s quite absorbent when it needs to be. The problem with cotton,...

PHILADELPHIA—ThePureBag company that offers thoughtfully designed antimicrobial bags plus accessories for adventuring lifestyles, introduces a new line of antimicrobial and sustainable Eco-Cinch Bags. The cinch bags were created to be a traveler’s best friend providing germ and odor-resistant protection for clothes, shoes, laundry and swimsuits. Additionally, the cinch replaces single-use plastic bags and helps minimize plastic pollution. Powered by the mother-daughter team, Lori and Jessica Gildea, ThePureBag’s mission is built on wellness and sustainability. Their collections provide high-quality, germ-resistant and environmentally conscious products. Designed for Portable Antimicrobial + Environmental Protection Today’s travelers pack for everything from fitness and leisure activities to sight-seeing...

MIAMI BEACH, FLA.—VERO WATER, a leading provider of eco-friendly luxury still and sparkling water to the hospitality industry, announced the introduction of a new and improved Vero Signature glass bottle. The new Eco-Bottle maintains its sleek and elegant design and durable break-resistant glass structure that set the standard in the hospitality industry, but now features an innovative ink-free permanent logo decoration guaranteed never to fade, maximizing the eco-friendly reusable life of the bottle. The Vero Eco-Bottle features a wide mouth for optimal pouring, refilling and for sanitation in commercial dishwashers. In addition, the easy-grip twist cap that preserves sparkling...

NEW YORK—1 Hotels announced its newest property in California’s Bay Area, 1 Hotel San Francisco. Currently operating as Hotel Vitale, the property will undergo an extensive reinvention, inspired by the mission-driven, sustainable, luxury ethos 1 Hotels have cultivated, and embracing the beauty of the northern California landscape. The newest West Coast property will be operated by SH Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Starwood Capital Group, a global private investment firm. “1 Hotel San Francisco will be an exciting addition to the city’s luxury hotel experience, as it is rooted in our mission of inspiring conscious consumption,” said 1 Hotels...

NATIONAL REPORT—Humans strive to make life easy. It’s this desire to do less labor that, over our existence, has driven our imagination to invent more efficient ways of completing various tasks ranging from eating to traveling to communicating. Yet our advancement is a double-edged sword. As of recently, especially within the last 100 years, we’ve begun to learn the true consequences that our developments bring with them now. We’ve seen that, in many cases, those very same innovations advancing our species are destroying the planet we live on. One such invention, and likely the most prominent one seen in...

FREMONT, CALIF.—Power Knot, a market leader in biodigesters that eliminate waste food for commercial foodservice operators, has opened a new 25,000-square-foot facility that significantly expands the company’s manufacturing. The new facility, located just down the road from the Tesla automobile manufacturing plant and with fast access to the major international shipping port of Oakland, positions Power Knot to meet rapidly growing demand for its award-winning LFC biodigester from customers around the world. “Demand for our LFC biodigester has surged dramatically over the past year, driven by large orders from cruise line operators Costa, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, P&O, and Seabourn,...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International announced plans to expand its responsible sourcing program with a set of goals for eggs and chickens. Under its cage-free and free-range egg and chicken policy, the company has set a goal to source 100 percent of eggs (shell, liquid, and egg products) from cage-free sources throughout its global portfolio before 2030. In tandem, the company has also committed to sourcing chickens from suppliers certified by Global Animal Partnership. The new policy will be translated into native regional languages where MGM Resorts operates. “The humane treatment of animals is something that is important to our guests and our company....

SANTA CRUZ, CALIF.—Santa Cruz-based startup Steeped, Inc. has launched its Steeped Coffee brewing method to serious coffee drinkers across the nation. Brewed like tea, Steeped Coffee’s nitro sealed Steeped Bags, along with their packaging made using renewable and compostable materials, achieve the unthinkable: freshly ground specialty coffee in a single serving. That’s why it earned the “Best New Product” award for their innovative packaging at the recent Specialty Coffee Expo. Steeped Coffee launched when serial entrepreneur and coffee lover Josh Wilbur decided to combine the convenience of a single-serving brew method with the premium quality of ethically sourced coffee. Wilbur...

NATIONAL REPORT—Advancements in textile technology are making it easier for hoteliers to incorporate towels and robes into a property’s sustainability program—product that requires less water and detergent to wash and less time to dry. The textile fiber type can vary but suppliers are currently offering material ranging from Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton, to microfibers derived from plastic bottles, to TENCEL+Plus Lyocell derived from eucalyptus and other botanicals. In just the last few months, Majestic International began selling earthright towels and robes made from ELS cotton. According to Wendy Thompson, President, Majestic International, towels come in bath mat, wash cloth,...