From Dragons’ Den-style innovation pitches to data driven energy strategies, reflections on the TSA’s recent summit and its sustainability goals – Double Tree, Hilton, Wokingham
The Textile Services Association’s (TSA) Sustainability Summit brought together over 70 of its members to explore practical solutions for reducing the environmental impact of the UK’s commercial laundry sector. With thought-leaders, innovators and policy partners, its programme combined keynote analysis with member case studies. It also explored how new technologies from other industries could help drive sustainability further. Tying this all together was the importance of both collaboration and data sharing in ensuring practical steps continue to be made towards a greener textile service industry on course for net zero.
Sustainability leader Mike Barry opened the day with “Accelerating Sustainability – Practical Leadership for What Happens Next.” Former Director of Sustainable Business (Plan A) at Marks & Spencer, he now leads Mikebarryeco Limited, advising companies across sectors on sustainable change. Although an outsider to the sector, his talk touched on the pivotal role laundries play in the wider UK economy and their environmental footprint. “Good progress has been made, but there’s so much more to do,” he said. “Decarbonisation, taking natural gas out of the value chain… they’re really hard to do on your own. You need organisations like the TSA to be convening, sharing best practice and helping shape the policy environment around us to deliver that outcome.”
Following his keynote Mike chaired a panel with Alexandra Brennan (Johnson Service Group), Ben West (Abbey Glen) and Rima Paharia (Little Bill Laundry). Their discussion focused on how lasting change is only made possible by people and how they can adapt to and influence the sustainability culture within their companies and beyond. “We’ve got to make sustainability relatable to everyone’s day job,” Mike said. “Delivering a business case and taking costs down – that’s what matters.”
A centrepiece of the programme was the ‘Decarbonising Laundry Heat’, hosted by Innovate UK’s Jacky Cope. The goal of Innovate UK Business Connect and its Innovation Exchange programme is to help companies grow and face their technological challenges by meeting innovators that can help their specific needs. The TSA initially approached Innovate UK to explore how its programme could help the laundry sector in its decarbonisation journey. It then arranged for two TSA members, Clean and Royal Jersey, to partake in it. Multiple innovator companies from outside the sector provided both companies with their proposed sustainable solutions. The finalists of these were then given the opportunity to present again to other commercial laundries at the Sustainability Summit in Dragons’ Den–style pitches. These were notably varied, from microwave heating and advanced steam generation to energy management systems and boiler insulation. Jacky Cope described the Summit as “a fantastic opportunity” for innovators to reach laundries across the UK and invited further engagement with the Innovation Exchange: “Bring us your challenge and we’ll help you find a solution,” she said. Both Clean and Royal Jersey hosted site visits to provide data and operational insight that shaped the proposals.
Energy pathways beyond electrification were explored by Dr Kelly Manders, Regional Development Manager at Cadent, who outlined opportunities for biomethane and the future role of hydrogen, particularly where electrification is challenging. “The opportunity that hydrogen and biomethane can bring to this sector is huge if it is to continue on its decarbonisation journey,” she said, noting the pragmatic blend of electrification where feasible. Her assessment echoed a recurring theme throughout the day: sustainability comes from a diversity of actions that can be implemented now and scaled over time.
Circularity and social impact were showcased through TSA’s collaboration with In Kind Direct, the UK’s leading product giving charity. Philippa Dodi detailed how the partnership aligns with TSA’s Infinite Textiles initiative to extend product life and reduce waste. Working with Clean, 26 pallets of surplus bedding and towels were donated to support 17 charitable organisations across the UK. “By donating product you’re able to increase circularity and reduce waste while also creating social impact,” Dodi said, adding that getting the sector together through events like the summit accelerates shared learning, especially on practical steps that members can take up immediately.
The relationship between robust data and policy alignment formed the basis of the presentation by Sarah Whittaker and Izzie Jess of Jacobs. Briefing attendees on the next phase of Climate Change Agreements (CCA3), they highlighted the tighter targets and the increasing importance of accurate measurement and transparent reporting. Elsewhere members shared performance data and lessons learned, notably Clean’s “Clean Carbon Journey,” presented by Kate Karlinska Peshawaria. “It’s good to be in a position to help other laundries, to share our experience and try new things,” she noted, demonstrating the sector’s willingness to collaborate beyond competitive boundaries to accelerate decarbonisation.
The day concluded with “Water Matters Too,” a keynote from Dr Geoff Townsend urging a broader environmental lens that includes water management alongside carbon reduction. With water scarcity on the rise, he argued that efficiency, recycling and responsible management must become operational priorities. As TSA project director Andrew Glassford later reflected: “Water is often considered last, but cannot remain so if the sector is to build long term resilience.”
Building on the Summit, the TSA will encourage other members to work with companies like Innovate UK to explore decarbonisation routes within their laundries. It will continue to support member data transparency and advocate its Infinite Textiles scheme. Above all, the insights shared at the summit reinforce commercial laundries’ commitment to sustainability, beyond ambition alone and towards sector-wide implementation.
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