Looking after our planet is becoming more urgent day by day and industries are look at how they can change their practices to become more sustainable, partly as regulations change and laws come in, but also in response to consumer pressures.
Food
When it comes to restaurants and sustainability the first thing which often springs to mind is the food. Locally sourced ingredients, organic ingredients and local independent suppliers.
Packaging
Packaging and food is a huge problem, nearly everything sold in a super market or wholesalers is in some kind of plastic in both the trade and retail markets. In addition to the packaging the food comes in, there is also the packaging that is used for food when it is sold, particularly for takeaways. Single use plastic in the form of polystyrene and plastic-coated card is really difficult to recycle.
Positive news is that 1st October 2023 UK government banned single use plastic, which has had a huge impact on takeaway packaging.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/single-use-plastics-bans-and-restrictions
Uniform
One of the items less thought about when it comes to restaurants and sustainability is uniform.
Over many years polyester has been a highly use fabric in the production of clothing in the hospitality industry. It’s hard wearing and can be laundered at high temperatures, so it is suited to hot, messy environments such as kitchens.
However, the problem comes when the uniform is no longer needed, staff change, branding is updated, or uniform is tired and worn out. What do you do with the waste?
Donating to a charity shop is fine if it’s not branded and is in a suitable condition to be sold. If it’s branded or worn out, then there are little options other than it going into landfill.
Sustainable Options
The good news is that along with the changes in packaging, uniform options are becoming much more sustainable. This is an area which is growing all the time, from recycled fabrics, organic, Fairtrade and fair wear. This applies to suiting, aprons, chefs’ jackets, t shirts, polos and shirts and blouses. This means that more and more restaurants and sustainability are starting to go hand in hand.
If you are looking for sustainable hospitality uniform please get in touch