Menü
Circular textile services: How hotels are combining availability with sustainability
Textiles are simply a given in hotels. Guests expect fresh bed linen, clean towels and staff wearing uniforms, without having to worry about logistics, stock levels or laundry. This is precisely where Elis’s linen hire model comes in: textiles are not purchased, but provided as a service. Soiled laundry is collected, hygienically processed and delivered back on time – on an ongoing and predictable basis. A real relief for hotels!
As a GreenSign Community Partner, Elis is bringing this principle to the hospitality industry in Germany and Austria: reliable for day-to-day operations, scalable during peak seasons, and committed to continuously reducing resource consumption in its processes. Independent assessments demonstrate just how seriously Elis takes this issue: for example, Elis has been awarded a Gold rating by EcoVadis, placing it amongst the top 5 per cent of all companies assessed worldwide.
The circular economy in everyday hotel life.
Mr Kunz, how can hotels tell straight away whether their linen supply is well organised?
Mathias Kunz: When it goes unnoticed in day-to-day operations. Textiles must, of course, be readily available, of consistent quality and delivered at the right time. As soon as teams start ‘managing’ stock, improvising or reordering, it becomes impossible to plan ahead, and that costs time in day-to-day operations.
What exactly does ‘laundry outsourcing under a circular model’ mean for a hotel?
Mathias Kunz: Hotels hire their hotel textiles from us rather than buying them. We deliver clean textiles, collect soiled laundry, process it hygienically and return it. This cycle is repeated on a regular basis. In addition, we ensure quality through checks, repairs and replacements where necessary.
Where does the greatest practical benefit lie in housekeeping and operations?
Mathias Kunz: It takes the pressure off. It requires less effort in terms of procurement, warehousing, tracking and contingency planning. At the same time, it enhances the stability of processes, even during seasonal peaks or periods of high workload. This is particularly helpful where deadlines are tight and processes are tightly scheduled.
Many hotels want to become more sustainable, but without adding extra complexity. How does your model fit in with that?
Mathias Kunz: The circular economy only works if it is straightforward in everyday life. Our model focuses on keeping textiles in use for as long as possible, designing processes efficiently and continuously optimising resource consumption, without creating any additional workload for hotels. The circular economy is not an additional project, but enables hotels to concentrate on their core business.
What do you personally think is the best feedback you receive from hoteliers?
Mathias Kunz: When someone says, “Ever since we handed over the textiles to Elis, we’ve been able to focus fully on our business and our guests again.” Textiles are indispensable in a hotel, and that’s exactly how they should feel to our customers: readily available, reliable and without the need for constant adjustments. That’s what we’re here for. And with 49 locations across Germany and Austria, we’re always close at hand and ensure a high level of supply reliability, even when things get really busy.
About Mathias Kunz
Mathias Kunz, Key Account Manager for Hospitality, is the point of contact for the hotel and catering sectors at Elis in Germany and Austria. He advises hotels on how to establish a reliable textile supply system using rental models and circular processes, with a particular focus on availability, hygiene requirements and operational procedures. His focus is on practical solutions that reduce the workload on housekeeping and operations whilst supporting sustainability goals in day-to-day business.
Elis Group Services
Elis is a leading international textile and hygiene service provider with a circular business model. In Germany and Austria, Elis supports hotels, amongst others, with linen hire and textile management, ranging from bed linen and towels to workwear and entrance mats. A dense network of 49 sites ensures short transport distances, high supply reliability and predictable processes. Customers also benefit from professional advice and dedicated contact persons for ongoing collaboration.
