Primal Slippers

At Primal Slippers, we’ve developed the world’s first circular, 100% recyclable hotel slippers. Our product is crafted from naturally regenerative Mediterranean cork and recycled waste materials. What sets us apart is our commitment to taking full responsibility for the product’s life cycle, creating a truly circular value chain where used products are returned and recycled.

About the Product

Our hotel slippers offer maximum comfort for consumers with minimal environmental impact. For the first time, hotels are willing to collect and store used slippers for recycling. This approach not only transforms hotel operations but also reimagines the financial model. Rather than supplying low-quality disposable products, we offer guests the option to take the slippers home for a small fee. This way, hotels receive high-quality, sustainable slippers at a lower cost than disposable plastic alternatives.

By adding Primal Slippers to your hotel rooms, you instantly enhance the guest experience. Our circular slippers are designed for ultimate comfort, featuring antibacterial and non-slip properties that provide a natural walking feel. Additionally, we’ve integrated a sustainability aspect: the slippers are recycled after use, or, if taken by the guest for a small fee, the hotel benefits from this revenue.

Offering Primal Slippers not only introduces a circular product to your rooms but also allows you to report on key impact KPIs, qualify for green hotel certifications, and generate income from pairs taken home by guests.

Through the recycling of Primal Slippers, we directly contribute to two key SDGs. We track and report on SDG 12 by preventing tens of thousands of hotel slippers from ending up in landfills or being incinerated. Additionally, since our production process is carbon-negative, our partners can also report on SDG 13, Climate Action.

Beyond our physical products, we recently released a 9 ½-minute short documentary, One Step at a Time, which beautifully showcases our circular value chain in 4K. Watch it here: https://www.waterbear.com/watch/one-step-at-a-time. Created in collaboration with InTent for Change and the Hoffmann Family Foundation, this film takes you through the journey of sourcing, production, and recycling of our products.

The documentary begins in the cork oak forests of Portugal, highlighting how our products exist in harmony with nature. It illustrates the natural cycle of cork harvesting, which occurs every nine years, and follows the material from tree to your feet.

Sustainable Production Process

Sustainability plays a central role in our production process. The base material for the upper part of the slippers is regenerative cork from Portugal, while the sole is made from upcycled cork and shoe waste.

After use, we collect, reclaim, and recycle the slippers, reprocessing them into the sole of the next pair. We have created a closed value chain that literally sustains itself.

Find the KMVK website here: https://www.stichtingkmvk.nl/producten/primal-soles-primal-slippers