One pair. Seven cycles. Less waste.

A single pair of slippers may not seem like much. But when more than 80 hotels choose to reuse, rethink and share what works, small loops become real change.

We have just released our Positivity Report 2024/25. It offers a glimpse into what our community of partner hotels has achieved together—and where a more responsible hospitality sector might be heading.

The first chapter focuses on one of the simplest and most important practices: washing and reusing slippers.

Washing slippers? Really?

A few years ago, the idea was often met with an immediate reaction:

“Ugh, no. Washing slippers?”

Was this something a proper hotel should do? Would guests accept it? And why take on all the additional work?

While many hotels were not yet ready to consider the idea, a few curious and determined teams said yes. They began testing washing cycles, adjusting procedures and looking for ways to extend the useful life of every pair.

They learned through practice. Then they shared what worked.

From an unusual idea to common practice

This year, we are proud to report that 67% of our partner hotels wash and reuse their slippers.

On average, each pair completes 7 wash-and-reuse cycles. Some partner hotels reach 10 or more before retiring a pair.

Behind these numbers are many everyday decisions: how slippers are collected, washed, dried, checked and returned to use. Each improvement can help another pair stay in the loop a little longer.

And with every additional cycle, fewer new slippers are needed.

The question has changed

Perhaps the clearest sign of progress is the question hotels are now asking.

It is no longer:

“Why should we wash slippers?”

Instead, they ask:

“How can we increase the number of washes? How can we make slippers last even longer?”

This is an important shift. Reuse is no longer treated as an uncomfortable exception, but as a practice that can be tested, improved and incorporated into hotel operations.

When a community starts sharing

No single hotel has all the answers. One develops a better washing procedure. Another finds a gentler way to dry slippers. Someone else discovers how to recognise when a pair is ready for another stay—or for retirement.

These first-hand experiences are invaluable.

By sharing them, our partner hotels help one another avoid unnecessary mistakes and make better decisions. A practice developed in one laundry room can inspire change in another hotel hundreds of kilometres away.

The result is more than a collection of useful tips.

It is a community beginning to support itself.

That may be the most meaningful finding in our Positivity Report.

One pair may seem small. But used seven times—or ten—it becomes part of a much bigger story.

Small loops. Big numbers. Real change.