Textiles

(bedding, towels, napkins, tablecloths, uniforms, robes, slippers)

The hotel industry has made meaningful strides in improving the sustainability of textile sourcing, with many properties prioritizing higher-quality materials, durability, and more responsible supplier practices. Building on this progress, there is a continued opportunity to further reduce environmental and social impacts across textile supply chains.

Textile production can be resource-intensive, requiring significant water, energy, land, and chemical inputs. These processes can contribute to climate and biodiversity impacts, as well as human health and labor concerns in global supply chains. Increasingly, the industry is addressing these challenges through more sustainable material choices, certifications, and supplier engagement.

Hotel Action

Hotels are already taking important steps to improve textile sourcing. To build on this momentum and further enhance impact, consider the following opportunities:

Continue transitioning away from products made entirely from virgin fibers by increasing the use of recycled content
Expand use of reusable and longer-lasting textile products to reduce replacement frequency
Prioritize products made with recycled content of at least 15–30%, with higher targets where feasible
Select textiles designed for recyclability at end of life
Choose lightweight products that reduce fiber use and require less water and energy during laundering
Partner with suppliers that offer take-back or recycling programs for end-of-life textiles
Prioritize products with third-party certifications (e.g., GOTS, OEKO-TEX, Bluesign, GRS) to verify environmental and social standards

Click on the following areas to learn more about advancing responsible sourcing for textiles.

Key Impact Areas

Environmental
Social

The impacts associated with textile production span the full lifecycle—from raw material cultivation and processing to use and disposal. These processes can affect land use, water consumption and quality, biodiversity, and greenhouse gas emissions. The hotel industry’s ongoing shift toward more sustainable materials and practices is helping to reduce these impacts.

The textiles and clothing sector remains resource-intensive, particularly in water use, chemical inputs, and waste generation (ILO). At the same time, growing adoption of circular practices and improved production standards is helping to address these challenges.

Approximately 92 million tons of textile waste are generated globally each year, with projections reaching 134 million tons by 2030. A significant portion of this waste is still landfilled or incinerated rather than reused or recycled (WWF), highlighting an opportunity for continued industry leadership in waste reduction and circularity.

The impacts associated with textiles production are far reaching, including from farming the raw materials, processing, and disposal of products. Land use, water use/water quality, biodiversity, and climate are negatively impacted by this global industry.

Public Policies - Passed and Proposed as of January 2026

Regulatory activity continues to expand, with more than 20 states enacting or proposing restrictions on substances such as PFAS and VOCs in textile products. Many hotels are already aligning with or exceeding these requirements through proactive sourcing and supplier standards.

Public policies will be updated annually. Hotels should review applicable state and local regulations to ensure ongoing compliance and identify opportunities to stay ahead of emerging requirements.

Additional Resources

Hotels have played an important role in advancing more responsible textile sourcing, and stakeholder expectations continue to evolve.

Consumers, investors, and advocacy groups are increasingly focused on chemical safety, environmental impact, and labor conditions within textile supply chains. This growing awareness creates an opportunity for hotels to further demonstrate leadership through transparency and responsible sourcing practices.

Organizations raising awareness include:

Product Alternatives

A wide range of more sustainable textile options are now available, many of which meet or exceed the performance and quality of conventional products. Hotels are increasingly adopting:

Textiles made from organically grown or more sustainably sourced fibers
Products incorporating recycled materials
Durable, high-quality textiles designed for longer lifespans
Materials designed to support recycling or circular systems

Continuing to evaluate and expand these options can further reduce environmental impacts while maintaining guest experience and operational performance.

Third-Party Certifications for Textiles

Third-party certifications remain an important tool for verifying environmental, chemical, and social attributes. Many hotels already incorporate these into procurement strategies and can continue to expand their use.

Certification	Description	Certifying Body	Notes
Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)	Promotes sustainable cotton farming practices such as reduced pesticide use and better soil/water management.	Better Cotton Initiative	Does not strictly ban all chemicals; focuses on sustainable cultivation practices.
Bluesign	Focuses on chemical management, water and air emissions, and worker safety in textile production.	Bluesign Technologies AG	Eliminates harmful substances from the start of the supply chain; production-focused.
Cradle to Cradle	Evaluates material health (chemical safety), material reutilization, renewable energy, water stewardship, and social fairness.	Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute	Covers full lifecycle including chemical restrictions.
Global Recycled Standard (GRS)	Comprehensive standard covering recycled content, chemical restrictions, social and environmental processing requirements.	Textile Exchange	Stronger than RCS; includes chemical restrictions and processing criteria.
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)	Covers organic fiber sourcing, chemical restrictions (limits on toxic dyes and finishing chemicals), wastewater treatment, and social criteria.	Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)	One of the most recognized for organic textiles; comprehensive standard.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100	Tests textiles for harmful substances including heavy metals, formaldehyde, pesticides, and other toxic chemicals.	OEKO-TEX Association	Focused on final product safety from harmful substances.
OEKO-TEX Made in Green	Builds on Standard 100; traces supply chain and ensures environmentally friendly production processes.	OEKO-TEX Association	Adds supply chain traceability to chemical safety.
Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)	Verifies recycled content and chain of custody. Includes guidance on chemical management in processing.	Textile Exchange	Focused on recycled content and transparency in the supply chain.
Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)	Ensures wool comes from farms with high animal welfare standards and responsible land management; chemical restrictions apply in processing.	Textile Exchange	Primarily focused on wool sourcing and animal welfare

Cost Considerations $$-$$$

Costs for more sustainable textile options can vary, though many hotels report only moderate premiums for products made with organic or recycled materials. In some cases, improved durability and longer lifespans can offset upfront costs.

To balance impact and cost efficiency, hotels can:

Prioritize product categories where price differences are narrowing
Consider total cost of ownership, including durability and laundering efficiency
Work with suppliers to identify scalable, cost-effective alternatives

Corporate Action

Industry collaboration continues to play a key role in advancing sustainable textiles. Initiatives such as Cascale —a global coalition of organizations working to address climate and social challenges in the textile sector—highlight the collective progress already underway and opportunities for further engagement.