First laundries accredited to TSA’s innovative initiative, launched in collaboration with UK Hospitality
Aberdeen Laundry Services and CLEAN Linen Services have become the first commercial laundry organisations to be accredited to the TSA’s Infinite Textiles Scheme, with many more laundries in the pipeline. It’s part of a massive step forward for the industry’s environmental aspirations. As Steven Burnett, group marketing & stakeholder communications manager at Aberdeen Laundry Services says, “Sustainability for us is not a badge – it’s in the DNA of how we operate.”
The Infinite Textiles Scheme is about extending the life of textiles, by looking after them, and then reusing, repurposing and recycling them once they reach ‘end of life’. Currently over 6,000 tonnes of hospitality textiles are lost each year, either being sent to waste, unaccounted for or sold as rags and ending up in landfill. The scheme aims to put a stop to that and, ultimately, it could become the largest laundry industry textile recycling project in the world, keeping textiles in use for longer. Instead of the majority of items like sheets and towels being turned into rags that end up in landfill after one more use, the scheme enables a second life, potentially saving tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon and billions of litres of water every year.
TSA teamed up with UKHospitality to launch the scheme, which sees commercial laundries partnering with their customers to recycle end of life linens not only from the hospitality industry, but also healthcare and leisure.
Chris Bell is head of safety, sustainability, and environment at CLEAN Linen Services. He says, “This certification is a big step forward for us. Infinite Textiles is all about reducing textile waste and driving circularity in the laundry sector – values that align perfectly with our sustainability goals.”
Under the scheme, accredited laundries are audited to ensure they and their customers look after linens and handle end-of-life textiles responsibly, by sorting them for reuse, repurposing or recycling. The textiles are then sent to TSA-approved receivers, such as charities, recyclers, or aggregators, who guarantee responsible handling. “The process of becoming certified was thorough, and rightly so,” says Chris. “It made us take a close look at how we manage textiles throughout their lifecycle. It challenged us to improve, to collaborate, and to think differently. And that’s exactly what we did.”
With the intensifying focus on sustainability, it will be increasingly important for businesses to prove their green credentials through schemes like Infinite Textiles “Achieving this standard provides external validation of the progress Aberdeen Laundry Services has made to date,” says Steven. “It demonstrates the responsibility we feel toward our clients, our community, and the environment.”
Chris believes the scheme will also help laundries grow their business. “For our customers, this means even greater confidence in CLEAN,” he says. “It means knowing the textiles we supply and launder are part of a system designed to minimise waste, extend product life, and support a more sustainable future. It’s not just good for the planet—it’s good for business too.”
“We’re excited to be part of this movement and proud to be helping set a new standard in our industry,” says Chris.
Currently there is a shortage of end-of-life recycling facilities for textiles in the UK that can meet the TSA’s criteria and handle the volume that the Infinite Textiles Scheme will create. TSA is working with DEFRA and Innovate UK to locate companies who can become certified receivers under the scheme. “The textiles from our industry are perfect for fibre-to-fibre recycling, but often they are sold on as rags,” says David Stevens, CEO of the TSA. “This is because, currently, laundries get more from rags than if they were to recycle the linen via our Infinite Textile Scheme. Unfortunately, as the rags are not hemmed, they cannot be washed and used again, hence they end up in landfill after only one more use.
“Aberdeen Laundry Services and CLEAN are two of the first laundries to be certified and there are many more in the pipeline. We expect most members to become certified during the next two years, showing what can be done to help our industry become greener and reach Carbon Net Zero.”
To find out more about the TSA’s Infinite Textiles Scheme, visit tsa-uk.org
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