Personal care products like toothbrushes, scrubbers, floss etc. are a common sight in hotels. It is hard to recycle them as they are made from different types of plastics. These are often used once and cause plastic waste. Green and eco friendly products have a lower carbon footprint and can be recycled easily.
Why eco-friendly products are important in hotel industry?
The hospitality industry works hard to provide a comfortable stay to their guests. Sadly, most of the products used for this purpose contain single-use plastic. Using plastic has been convenient for both guests as well as housekeeping. However, this convenience comes at a cost to the planet. More and more plastic waste is ending up in our oceans and damaging the marine life. This has a direct impact on the travel industry too that thrives on clean environment.
It is important for hotels to adopt sustainable practices. There are many ways for a business to go green. Now more than ever, eco conscious travelers are looking for green traveling experience. One of the ways hotels can provide this is by eliminating plastic products.
List of Sustainable Products to use in Eco friendly Hotels
Plastic-made products are widely used in business as they are cheap. It is a common myth that environmentally friendly products are expensive. What people usually miss out is that these products last longer than their plastic counterparts and are safer to use.
Here is the list of eco-products that are popular and being used in eco-travel industry. These are easily available across various eco shops in Australia. If you wish to stock any of the products in the list below, please feel free to reach out to us for a wholesale account.
Plastic toothbrushes require the use of fossil fuels that are non-renewable and heat up the planet. Choosing a bamboo toothbrush over a plastic one has multiple advantages. It will help you fight the plastic crisis and reduce global emissions. Here are some other reasons to make the swap-
Antibacterial: The anti-bacterial properties of natural bamboo ensure that your toothbrush is free from germs and does not grow mold.
Biodegradable: Toothbrushes are only used once or twice in hotels and discarded. This generates a ton of plastic waste every day. A bamboo-made toothbrush makes a great addition to dental care kit. It is biodegradable and will not end up in landfills.
Chemical Free: Bamboo is naturally pest-resistant. It does not require harmful toxins to fight insects and pests.
Regular floss is made from nylon and other synthetic materials. When these end up in oceans, they are mistaken as food by marine life. Plant based floss thus become essential for zero waste hotels. Eco-dental floss and picks can simply be tossed in the bin after use. They will biodegrade naturally. Natural floss is often infused with different ingredients like charcoal and mint. This provides a refreshing and hygienic dental care routine.
Traditional shower accessories contribute massively to landfills. One of them is the plastic exfoliator that breaks down into microplastics. A natural shower sponge or loofah can easily replace traditional scrubs. They are also better for the skin due to their non-abrasive nature. A natural loofah is completely plant-based. It is made from the luffa plant . Your plant based exfoliator enjoys the following benefits-
Cleanse and Exfoliate: Most luffas are dual-sided. One side is made from soft organic cotton for cleansing. Whereas the other is used for exfoliating dead skin.
Economical: By choosing a dual-sided exfoliator, hotels can be more economical. Instead of purchasing different products for cleansing and exfoliating, choose a single product that does both.
Gives a glow: Eco-friendly bath sponges increase blood circulation while you shower or bathe. This leaves your skin feeling fresh.
A Konjac Sponge is a plant-based skin care product. The sponge is made from a porous root vegetable found chiefly in Southeast Asia. It can be used not only for cleansing but also removing makeup. The sponge can be great addition to hotels striving for plastic free bathrooms.
Gentle Cleanse: Konjac sponges have water-holding capacity. The water will act as lubrication between your skin and sponge. This is great for anyone with sensitive skin as the friction is reduced.
Biodegradable: After you have worn out the sponge, you can compost it! Unlike synthetic body scrubs, your konjac sponge is completely zero waste.
Anti-microbial: It is important for skin-care products to be anti-microbial. Konjac sponges are naturally resistant to germs. This makes their maintenance easy as well.
Bamboo Soap Dishes work great as a soap savers. It protects the washing soap bar from getting wasted when water collects around them. Moreover, they also help to keep bathtub ledges clean from soap residue. Bamboo is a perfect fit for soap dishes because-
No Moisture Retention: Our bathrooms are naturally humid. As bamboo does not retain any moisture from surroundings, it quickly helps to dry natural soaps after use.
Easy Maintenance: It is easy to maintain wooden soap dishes. They do not swell, are odour-resistant and can be composted at the end of lifecycle.
Anti-bacterial: It is important for any soap dish to be anti-bacterial. Bamboo soap dishes are right up this ally. Their natural properties prevent any germs from lingering around.
Choosing soap bars instead of liquid body wash saves water that is used to make plastic. Did you know that commercial soaps are made with 97% water? Kind to your skin and the planet, naturally made soaps are vegan friendly. They contain plant oils that are known to heal the skin. The ingredients found in synthetic soaps do not break down easily. They wash down our drains, our lakes, our ecosystem.
Non-toxic: Natural soap bars are free from toxic chemicals, sulphates, parabens and synthetic dyes and fragrances. This makes them suitable for all skin types.
Moisturizing: The skin-safe ingredients of organic soaps ensure that your skin doesn’t get dry. The nourishing oils protect your skin in all seasons. Using these soap bars alone provides enough moisturization. Hotels can therefore cut back on prices of creams and lotions.
Aromatherapy: Hotels are automatically associated with rest and relaxation. The essential oils in natural bar soaps will calm your guests when they take a peaceful bath or shower.
Liquid shampoo often come in plastic bottles and cause plastic waste. Single use plastic is one of the major cause of plastic pollution. Eliminate the use of single use plastic bottles by using shampoo bars. Solid shampoo bars are made from all natural ingredients and are available in plastic free packaging.
Environmentally Friendly: Unlike shampoo bottles that are made from plastic, shampoo bars come in eco-friendly packaging.
Minimal need for conditioner: Using a shampooing bar will dispel the need for yet another product- a conditioner. The natural oils and vegetable glycerin will nourish the hair completely.
Long-lasting: A hair-cleansing bar lasts three times longer than common shampoos. They are concentrated and lather up without using a lot of water.
Regular toothpaste contains plastic polymers in them. On the other hand, toothpaste tabs are made from food grade ingredients like calcium carbonate, xylitol etc. Another problem with traditional toothpaste is the tube. It is made with a combination of aluminium and plastic. It is difficult to separate the two while recycling. Paste tablets come in glass jars or recycled plastic bottles.
Making hotels greener
The list of eco friendly and zero waste products above are steppingstones for retreats and hotels that want to lead a greener path. These products are travel-friendly, toxin-free, plastic free and cost-effective. Eco-consciousness is on rise and travelers are aware of the impact tourism industry leaves on the planet. By making small swaps in our everyday life, we can slowly restore our planet to how it is supposed to be- #PlasticFree
We are a leading supplier of eco friendly products in Australia. We source, import and customise eco friendly products for hotel chains and businesses. Add your logo to eco friendly products and personalise the experience of your visitors. For all your eco friendly product enquiries, reach out to us using our contact us form.
