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After 35 successful years in the furniture refinishing business, we have seen our fair share of industry trends and shifts. However, one trend we are happy to see gain serious momentum and traction over the past couple years is sustainability. As a furniture asset management company that offers hotels, government bodies and universities a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly alternative to purchasing new furniture, it’s great to see organizations across so many industries embracing wide-spread sustainable initiatives, ranging from linen reuse programs to planting trees to combat deforestation.

One industry in particular that has continued to advance its efforts in sustainability is hospitality. Recently, we’ve even seen a number of non-profit organizations spear-heading such initiatives. Some of the most notable include:

– Green Hotels Association: this 20 year-old non-profit brings global hotels together for a common commitment of environmentalism and sustainability. The association offers hotels affordable environmentally-friendly products such as linen reuse placards, toilet tank fill diverters, and hygiene product dispensers.

– World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC): a group with a mission to improve the quality of tourism around the world, and tourism’s positive effects on sustainable development. The WTTC has lead the way in carbon emissions mitigation through its partnership with the International Tourism Partnership (ITP) and the creation of the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative. To date, twelve major hotel chains have committed to the initiative, including Hilton, Marriott and Starwood.

– 10 Million Trees Initiative: An initiative to combat deforestation and global warming, this was launched by the Four Seasons, which committed to planting ten million trees across 34 countries in celebration of its 50 year anniversary.

While these are only a few associations and initiatives aimed to improve sustainability, we hope all organizations, regardless of industry, will continue to implement solutions designed to save money and our environment.

For more information on how The Refinishing Touch’s furniture refinishing services can help your organization decease your carbon footprint and money spent, go to our website at www.therefinishingtouch.com, or request a free quote here.

A chair at the Sofitel Philadelphia after The Refinishing Touch's refinishing and re-upholstery work. Here at The Refinishing Touch, every project we complete is important, but not all are of the same breadth and scope. While some projects take months to complete and encompass entire hotels, others focus on revitalizing everyday furniture pieces that, without refinishing and remanufacturing, would otherwise end up in landfills.

One such project was at the Sofitel Philadelphia – a four-star hotel in the middle of the historic city. The Refinishing Touch teams were brought in to refinish and re-upholster 42 of the hotel’s restaurant chairs and 34 of the restaurant tables, some of the most used furniture assets in the entire establishment. By refinishing and reupholstering existing furniture instead of buying new, the Sofitel Philadelphia saved approximately 80 percent on their originally projected budget and around 90 percent in carbon emissions.

The Sofitel Philadelphia is a luxury hotel in the downtown, French Quarter of Philadelphia, and is managed by the French hotel group, Accor. Accor has influence in over 90 countries and owns or operates over 4,400 hotels around the world. Sofitel is Accor’s top luxury brand and its Philadelphia site is described as a mix of French and American style, and regarded for its upscale accommodations, dining and overall environment. The Sofitel Philadelphia’s location is convenient for travelers, whether visiting for business or leisure, for its close proximity to the city’s primary convention center and most visited historical sites. To learn more about the Sofitel Philadelphia or to book a trip, visit their website here.

To learn more about The Refinishing Touch’s furniture asset management services, including refinishing, re-upholstery, remanufacturing, and armoire modification, visit our homepage or sign up for our insightful quarterly newsletter, InTouch. For a free quote or to inquire about starting a project at your organization, send us an email: [email protected].