CHICAGO—As part of Cintas Corporation’s ongoing effort to increase its sustainable offerings, the company has introduced a new eco-friendly apparel option for banquet staff. The new single-breasted tuxedos for men and women are partially composed of recycled polyester fibers woven from recycled plastic bottles. The tuxedos are also machine washable, eliminating the use of harsh dry cleaning chemicals. “Saving the environment is important to our company and our customers, so we are delivering the products to help them do just that,” said Todd McKeown, vice president of Hospitality at Cintas. “Our previous tuxedo was dry clean only. This new option...

GLATTBRUGG, SWITZERLAND—Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts announced a new partnership with Green Globe Certification. “Now more than ever we believe it is time to not only increase awareness with regards to sustainability in Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts and share best practices, but also more effectively measure our progress towards a sustainable future,” said Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts president & CEO, Jean Gabriel Pérès. “We have done this in part by setting clear and measurable objectives, but after significant research and dialogue with experts in the sustainability field we believe that now is the right time to take a more measured approach,”...

AURORA, ONT.—Midpoint International announced that its recycling container business is now CleanRiver Recycling and Waste Stream Systems, a Division of Midpoint International.  The announcement coincides with the company’s 20th anniversary and with the announcement that founder Bruce Buchan is assuming the new position of CEO and that David Jarrett has been named president. “The name CleanRiver is being adopted to reflect our continued commitment to environmental stewardship,” Buchan said. “In particular, the river represents our focus on creating an efficient stream of material to be recycled, rather than dumped in a landfill. The end result will be a better environment,...

PISCATAWAY, N.J.—American Standard announced that its high efficiency urinals and flush-valve options meet or exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program requirements for high performance and water efficiency, making it the first major plumbing manufacturer to meet these rigorous requirements. The EPA’s WaterSense program requires commercial urinals to use no more than 0.5 gallons per flush (gpf)—50 percent lower than the current federal standard of 1.0 gpf—while also meeting such performance standards as flush effectiveness and post-flush seal restoration. The American Standard line of high efficiency urinals, which features FloWise water-saving technology, exceeds these requirements, operating between 0.5 gpf...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—ASQ now offers ISO 26000: Guidance on Social Responsibility, the new international standard on social responsibility (SR). The standard provides global guidance for both private and public sector organizations of all types. ASQ serves as the administrator for the U.S. Technical Advisory Group of subject matter experts that contributes to the development of the standard. The standard focuses on seven key aspects of social responsibility: organizational governance, community involvement and development, environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues, labor practices and human rights. While ASQ embodies and supports all seven subjects, it initially is concentrating on the areas that will...

GRATON, CALIF.—Ceilume, manufacturer of decorative ceiling tiles, announced the launch of its sustainable ceiling tile collection. The tiles are made from the company’s new Ceilume-P40-Plus, a proprietary material with 60 percent recycled content (40 percent post-consumer, 20 percent pre-consumer) which diverts soda and water bottle waste from landfills. Ceilume Sustainable tiles set a new standard for environmental responsibility in the ceiling tile industry, and received recognition in the 2010 American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Bloom Awards in the Innovative Materials category. In addition to using 80 percent less material than conventional tiles, Ceilume Sustainable tiles are fully returnable at...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—American Clay Enterprises, Inc.’s new PlasterPlus offers a hard, yet repairable, no-VOC (volatile organic compound) finish for the cost of a high quality, zero-VOC paint job.  PlasterPlus is sold dry in 27 lb. lots through select commercial distributors, and is intended for hospitality projects. The polymer binder has no VOCs, is mold resistant, easy to apply, and can contribute up to eight LEED points. American Clay has been used for numerous commercial/industrial jobs to date—from hotels (including Disney) and retail to schools and spas. Now with PlasterPlus, American Clay can replace paint more equitably. Adding the completely repairable binder...

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...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Judy Dobin, principal and executive vice president of Valley Forge Fabrics, received the highest level of recognition given to manufacturers for hospitality and lodging with the NEWH ICON of the Industry Award 2010. Six years ago, NEWH introduced the ICON of Industry Award to honor those manufacturers who are true leaders in the hospitality industry. NEWH ICONS have the following qualities: they have made a significant impact on the industry through their innovation, have dedicated themselves and their companies to their communities and the industry through outreach, mentoring and education, and they have a minimum of 30 years...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc. and the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) announced the launch of www.bedbugtoolkit.com, a free online resource to help hotel owners and operators stop bed bugs before they spread. The toolkit features downloadable information and materials on how to train staff to detect bed bugs early, as well as actions to take when they suspect a guestroom is infested. The toolkit debuted at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City. “In the last decade, bed bugs have rebounded because of increased international travel, pesticide resistance and a lack of awareness—but hoteliers can...