Over the past years, hotels have needed to meet more sustainability requirements than before. Finding hotel amenities that are both sustainable and affordable has been the holy grail for many of these hotel chains. That’s why Primal Soles is launching the world’s first 100% circular cork hotel slipper. This sustainable hotel slipper is natural, plastic-free, plant based and fully recyclable. And they are produced in Portugal, under strict quality standards. 

The Primal hotel slipper gives you an easy way to provide your guests with an environmentally responsible experience. And it makes it easier for you to meet requirements for different certifications, without breaking the bank. 

A study in 2021 revealed that 81% of travelers intend to choose a sustainable accommodation option in the coming year. The percentage of green-minded travelers has been on the rise over the past six years, according to this study​​. And a global survey in 2020 showed that the sustainable travel market is expected to go up by $235.21 billion during 2021-2025, reflecting a growing consumer preference for sustainability in travel and accommodation choices​​. So it’s almost certain that there will be hotels that manage to address this customer need. And being one of them can be of the utmost importance.

In this blog, we’ll explain why hotels that want to be more sustainable benefit from recyclable hotel slippers. We’ll also go into specifics about different green hospitality certifications and explain what criteria you need to meet to get them. 

What are the benefits of Primal Hotel Slippers?

Show them you care about circularity

Primal Hotel Slippers are completely recyclable. While traditional hotel slippers end up in landfills, these circular hotel slippers are sent back to our factory in Portugal to be recycled. Waste is reduced to 0, and your guests can rest easy, knowing that their hotel slippers will be responsibly reused.

A measurable reduction in CO2 output and landfill diversion

Hotel slippers are typically a single use product. And unfortunately, once they’ve been used up, they end up in landfills. The most often used hotel slippers are made of synthetic material that cannot be recycled, so for many hotels, 100% of their hotel slippers end up in a landfill. With Primal Hotel Slippers, that number is 0%. That’s because we recycle and reuse the used slippers to make the bottom part of each new Primal Hotel Slipper.

Chances are, you’re measuring your CO2 output as well. Single use products usually produce considerable amounts of CO2. And they are typically shipped from halfway across the world with polluting transportation methods. But the production of our European-made hotel slippers is carbon negative, so using them will greatly reduce your carbon footprint. Depending on different factors, the size of the reduction can vary, but in virtually all cases, using Primal Hotel Slippers is beneficial when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions. This is mainly because over the time it takes to produce the harvestable bark of the cork tree, the tree is able to sequester up to 73 tonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere per ton of cork produced. 

No upfront costs or capital investments

Even though tourism has bounced back, the effects of Covid-19 are still felt in the hospitality industry. We get it. After a long period of living on reserves, making large investments into sustainability can be a lot to ask. That’s why we handle the capital intensive upfront costs, while hotels can try out as many or few hotel slippers as they want. This way, you can show your guests that you’re dedicated to circularity, without having to make a big upfront investment. Some of our guests, for instance, opt to only replace part of their hotel slippers with Primal Slippers at first, to test the waters before a further roll-out. We believe even the smallest step towards a more sustainable future should be celebrated, so we’ll happily oblige.

Give your guests a memorable experience

The moment your guests drop their bag in their hotel room, they’ll slip their tired feet into our cozy hotel slippers. Cork feels natural. Cork doesn’t get slippery, even when wet. And most importantly for your eco-conscious guests, cork hotel slippers feel and look sustainable. Because they are. That is why we chose to keep the design of the hotel slippers as close to the natural look of the cork, while making adjustments, so they feel comfy and cozy. By offering sustainable hotel slippers, you make your guests feel like part of the movement towards a greener planet. And that’s what can make the difference between a good stay and a great stay.

What green certifications can you gain with circular hotel slippers?

Green Key

The Green Key Global certification evaluates to what extent hotels meet environmental standards. The criteria cover a wide range of topics, including waste management, environmentally sensitive purchasing, guest education and concrete measuring of the hotel’s carbon footprint among others. This certification shows travelers that your hotel is committed to environmental sustainability and is recognized around the world. The program has been around for over 20 years.

As we mentioned, Primal Hotel Slippers are circular. This means that there is no waste, which gives a considerable boost to the waste management criteria of the Green Key certification. The harvesting of our cork is also done without harming the cork oak tree, so when you purchase Primal Hotel Slippers, you make an environmentally conscious choice. This is not only responsible, but it also satisfies criteria of environmentally sensitive purchasing set out in the Green Key.

At Primal Soles, we believe that to educate is to activate. So with every pair of Primal Hotel Slippers we include information about the origins of the product, the process of making it and what happens after the recyclable hotel slipper has been used. Finally, the reduction of CO2 you help achieve by using circular hotel slippers is easily measurable. Both of these benefits of Primal Hotel Slippers satisfy criteria of the Green Key as well, concerning guest education and concrete measuring of the hotel’s carbon footprint. 

The Green Seal

Another much sought after certification is the Green Seal. Green Seal is a nonprofit organization that advocates for environmentally conscious and sustainable practices in the marketplace. This helps consumers, purchasers, and companies make environmentally sound buying decisions. The Green Seal is a highly sought after accreditation in the hospitality industry. Criteria include waste management and environmentally sensitive purchasing, among others.

The green seal promotes the use of sustainable materials. Cork is one such material, and we go one step further by making our hotel slippers fully circular. By reusing the slipper in different forms, the materials are used to their full potential, instead of ending up in landfills. As a company, Primal also takes a prominent position in advocating for a more sustainable approach to single-use products. So by allying with Primal, hotels show that they are committed to making environmentally sensitive purchases.

TripAdvisor Green Leaders

The TripAdvisor Green Leaders program casts a spotlight on responsible hotels and B&Bs. Hotels can get an emblem on their TripAdvisor profile of qualified properties on TripAdvisor, which makes it easy for eco-conscious travelers to identify you as a responsible establishment. Properties can earn one of four badge levels—Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum—each corresponding to a different level of commitment to green practices.

As we said before, one of the first things guests see are their hotel slippers. And usually, what they see is a single-use synthetic hotel slipper. But by offering Primal Hotel Slippers, you’re showing your guests that you are engaging in environmentally friendly practices. Certifications like TripAdvisor Green Leaders consider exactly that. Environmentally friendly practices that are visible to guests. So they can be a great help in building your hotel’s sustainability narrative and help you appeal to environmentally conscious travelers​.

Travel Sustainable Badge From Booking.com

The Travel Sustainable badge is an initiative by Booking.com to recognize and promote properties that are committed to sustainable and eco-friendly practices. The framework contains 32 specific sustainability measures or practices that properties can implement, including eliminating single-use plastic toiletries, to waste management protocols.

The badge rewards proper waste management and elimination of single use plastics. With circular cork hotel slippers, both these criteria are met at once. In addition, many of the point we talked about for other certifications play a role in the Travel Sustainable Badge as well. So with one change, you can show a large audience that you’re committed to being a responsible steward for the environment. And even if you already have the badge, using cork hotel slippers can help you reach a higher level badge, which gives you the edge over competitors.

Conclusion

So, Primal Hotel Slippers give you a sustainable alternative to traditional hotel slippers. They are fully circular and help you show your guests that you care. They also give you a measurable reduction in CO2 output and don’t require capital intense investments. And in the end, your guests get a memorable experience that stays with them long after they leave the hotel. Research proves that consumers will choose green hotels over traditional ones. The question is, do you want them to select you? 

Author Bio

Sanjay Ghosh is an SEO-copywriter, and he never walks anywhere without a pair of Primal Soles. With a focus on sustainable innovation during his Master’s at the University of Groningen, he helps make the world more sustainable one blog at a time. Find out more on his website.

Sources:

• Cloudbeds. (2023). The top green hotel certifications for your eco hotel [2023 Update]. Cloudbeds. Retrieved from https://www.cloudbeds.com/articles/eco-friendly-hotel-certifications-overview​.
• Green Key. (n.d.). Green Key ecolabel criteria. Green Key Global. Retrieved from https://www.greenkey.global/criteria​.
• Green Seal. (n.d.). Standards List. Green Seal. Retrieved from https://greenseal.org/green-seal-standards/standards-list​.
• Hotel Tech Report. (n.d.). Hotel Sustainability: 27 Statistics Illustrating the Growth of ESG. Retrieved from https://hoteltechreport.com/news/hotel-sustainability-statistics.
• TravelPerk. (n.d.). 30+ Sustainable Travel Statistics & Trends You Need to Know. Retrieved from https://www.travelperk.com/blog/sustainable-travel-statistics-trends/.