SHEFFIELD, MASS.—Monarch Bath, Bed & Spa, a leading global provider of luxury bathrobes and linens to the hospitality industry, released the full results of an independent research project that was conducted in order to test and evaluate the properties of their MONARCH ECO towels, a recently introduced line of eco-friendly bath linens that are designed to conserve water and reduce energy costs in the laundry operation.
The extensive tests were performed in conjunction with Destination Hotels & Resorts (DH&R) at The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center in Englewood, Colo., a 302-room, 4-Diamond resort with an in-house laundry that processes more than 1.2 million pounds of linens annually. Premier Laundry Technologies acted as a consultant on the project, assisting with initial estimates of utility costs and labor cost savings. One of the largest independent laundries in the Midwest, Premier Laundry processes more than 30 million pounds of linens each year, as well as consulting and managing large, commercial laundries in the hotel and healthcare industries.
As a part of this study to measure gas, electricity and water usage, DH&R management agreed to fix meters and record the utility consumption and processing volumes at the Inverness over a five-month period. As a benchmark, it was noted that the Inverness laundry normally processed 12.47 lbs. of linen per occupied room, of which 47.61 percent (5.94 lbs/occupied room) were towels.
New Towels Carefully Monitored
In order to conduct a comparative test, The Inverness then replaced their conventional cotton terry bath towels with MONARCH ECO towels and carefully monitored the results over the summer, recording any changes in water and energy usage, as well as drying times and overall laundry productivity. In addition, they monitored guest comments to ensure that comfort and quality were not compromised. At the conclusion of the test period, their findings clearly showed that use of the ECO towels significantly lowered laundry poundage and drying times, reduced energy consumption and utility cost per occupied room, and improved laundry productivity, while maintaining guest satisfaction levels.
Specific findings showed that a single load of MONARCH ECO towels dried in 30 minutes, as compared to 40 minutes for cotton terry towels, which represents a 25 percent increase in drying efficiency. The average weight of soiled towels per occupied room was reduced to 4.15 lbs. from 5.94 lbs. This reduction in laundry poundage considerably reduced the number of towel wash-dry loads for the hotel. Since the MONARCH ECO towels dried 25 percent faster than conventional towels, it also lowered the utility cost per pound. Combined utility costs (for gas, electricity, water and chemicals) were reduced to $0.0826, a 3.86 percent reduction in utility cost per pound of towels. Overall, a transition to ECO towels was estimated to result in annual savings of more than 285,000 gallons of water, representing a carbon footprint reduction of more than 85,000 pounds of greenhouse gases. Combined chemical and utility costs per occupied room would be reduced by 32.75 percent, saving approximately $13,000, based on 70 percent occupancy.
“Destination Hotels & Resorts is dedicated to practices and programs that pay respect to and lessen their footprint on our changing environment through our Destination Earth program,” said Mark Hickey, senior vice president of hospitality operations for DH&R. “After seeing the results of this extensive laundry study, we are very pleased to announce that the test with MONARCH ECO towels resulted in meaningful savings in both water and energy, fulfilling Destination’s goal of following sound environmentally friendly practices. As an added bonus, the MONARCH ECO towels provided a high degree of guest satisfaction versus the towels previously used at the Inverness Hotel.”
Positive Guest Feedback
In addition to water and energy savings, the level of comfort offered to the property’s guests through MONARCH ECO towels was a strategic priority and was closely monitored during the study.
“MONARCH ECO towels are exceptionally soft and highly absorbent compared to our normal terry towels,” said George Fischer, managing director of The Inverness. “Though lighter than conventional towels, they feel more plush and luxurious, and also look whiter and brighter than conventional towels. Since the changeover to MONARCH ECO, we have received very positive feedback from our guests.”
Made from super-fine, Extra-Long Staple (ELS) cotton, which is known for contributing to the sustainable consumption of cotton, MONARCH ECO towels are 160 percent bulkier and significantly more absorbent than traditional combed cotton towels of the same weight. They are snag-free and produce considerably less lint. Manufactured in an agri-waste powered, zero-discharge facility that produces no emission of effluents into the local water tables, the process also incorporates Control Union-certified, sustainable, eco-friendly dyes and chemicals to reduce impact on the environment. They are shipped in 100 percent natural and biodegradable/recyclable packaging.
“The real-world testing by Destination Hotels is an important confirmation that Monarch is achieving our goal of producing innovative bath linens for the hospitality industry that are as easy on the earth as they are on our clients’ bottom lines, said Gene Faul, CEO of Monarch’s hotel division.
A copy of the full test results are available by contacting Gene Faul at (413) 229-8200, or by e-mail at ichief@aol.com. Also visit www.monarchrobe.com.
