Reborn bed sheet: latest circular innovation by linen partner Blycolin

Reborn, a bed sheet that consists of 50% recycled cotton, is Blycolin’s latest sustainable development. The linen partner from Zaltbommel in the Netherlands developed a product whereby the fibers of old sheets are woven into new bed sheets. At the moment, Reborn is put to the test at the sustainable hotel WeidumerHout. If Reborn succeeds, the series will be included in Blycolin’s rental collection.

Old sheets, new resource

In its innovations, Blycolin looks for ways in which cotton can be re-used. Jacqueline Mommer, marketing & communications manager: “In the Reborn recycling process, machines unravel the old sheets and turn them into new fibers. Those fibers are spun into yarn, from which we make new bed sheets.” The sheets consist of 50% recycled cotton, of which 15% comes from old bed sheets, 35% from cutting waste, 20% virgin cotton and 30% polyester.

Less waste, more savings

In the Reborn recycling process, Blycolin’s textile waste from the hotel business is used. Besides the fact that this decreases the mountain of waste, it also provides other environmental benefits. To measure these, Blycolin cooperates with REMO, a track & trace system in the chain of textile fibers. From the data, it appears that Reborn, in comparison to regular textile processes, uses 3.485 liter less water and 6.32 less kilowatt in energy per kilogram of cotton, which in turn results in 1.58 kilogram less carbon dioxide emission.

European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP)

Reborn has been developed with support of the European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP), a European Union project aimed at diminishing and restoring waste in the supply chain for textiles. Jacqueline Mommer: “Together with our partner Blue LOOP Originals, a brand and platform for circular products and projects, we got on board. The EU project provides participants with the opportunity to develop a more circular approach to decrease textile waste throughout Europe.”

“In the Reborn recycling process, machines unravel the old sheets and turn them into new fibers. Those fibers are spun into yarn, from which we make new bed sheets.”

Testing for quality: Hotel WeidumerHout

Hotels, holiday parks and wellness centers can rent the bed sheets after the product has been tested in real life. This test is in full flow at WeidumerHout, a hotel with its own waste water purification, solar panels and green power. Owner Eddy de Boer: “Corporate social responsibility is very important to us. We want to continually improve our operations when it comes to sustainability.” The first results of the test are in. Both the laundry, that washes the sheets for Blycolin, and the hotel are positive.

Sustainable innovation: a continuous process

While Reborn is being tested, Blycolin continues to research ways in which materials can be re-used. Jacqueline Mommer: “Cotton is such a valuable resource that we want to focus even more on recycling it. With the New Atlantic, a bath towel consisting of 10 to 12% recycled terry cloth, and the Stone bath mat, that is made with 20% cutting waste, we have taken the first steps. These are already available to our customers in our rental collection. The development of Reborn is the next step we have just taken. We keep on innovating!”

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About Blycolin
Blycolin provides linen services to (care) hotels, wellness centers and restaurants. In the Benelux countries, Germany, Poland and Switzerland, the company, with its own laundries and a large number of partner laundries, has provided the hospitality branch with solutions for stock management, concept development and management for over 45 years. Blycolin does not only ensure maximum comfort to guests, but also makes housekeeping run smoothly. Quality and sustainability are the key focus here.

Note to editors
Do you have any questions about Blycolin? If so, then please contact Jacqueline Mommer, marketing and communications manager: j.mommer@blycolin.com or +31 418 541842.