Leading supplier BC SoftWear has added a new sustainable slipper to its collection of luxury towels, robes and spa linens. The Luxury Bio Slipper has a unique Npulp® straw-sole, meaning it is compostable as well as recyclable, while retaining all the high-end, luxury softness of a more traditional spa slipper.

BC SoftWear’s latest Luxury Bio Slipper has replaced the traditional coir sole with a unique new sole made from compressed straw, called Npulp®. It is manufactured via a new process, which uses an enzyme to digest the straw and turn it into pulp. This eliminates the need for harsh chemicals, whilst also minimising water and energy consumption. The only ingredients are straw, water and the digestion enzyme. Npulp® also has an OK Compost Certificate from the raw material supplier. This certificate not only identifies the raw material as biodegradable but the NPulp® manufacturing technique as nonchemical, low-energy and pollution free.

Barbara Cooke, BC SoftWear’s founder and CEO, says: “As a leading supplier in the spa sector, we’re seeing dramatically increased demand for a more sustainable option for spa slippers. Providing guests with slippers in a high-end spa is still very much expected by guests, but they’re not easy to make sustainable. And sustainability is becoming increasingly crucial in the spa industry. Three years ago, BC SoftWear were one of the first suppliers to bring out a completely biodegradable coir-soled slipper. They’re made from all natural fibres derived from coconut husks, completely plastic free and 100% biodegradable – both our slipper and the bags they come in can be put into a standard food waste bin. But we were aware they aren’t as luxurious or soft as the five-star spa community often requires, so we’ve gone back to the drawing board and come up with a brand-new design, featuring Npulp® straw soles.”

While the Npulp® compressed straw soles feel like a standard slipper sole, they make much less of an environmental impact. The soles also offer considerably better anti-slip protection and – a vital consideration for spas looking to provide footwear that’s suitable for wet areas – are water resistant, which is unusual for spa slippers.

“Behaving in a more environmentally conscious way is no longer just a nice ‘extra’ for spas. Sustainability needs to be part of every spa’s DNA, and it’s the little changes that can add up to make a big environmental impact,” adds Cooke. “With energy saving so high on the agenda, BC SoftWear considers the environmental impact of everything we do; we’ve transitioned to using paper wraps for all of our packaging, saving 50 tonnes of single-use plastic each year, and our principal factory is powered by solar panels. We’re here to support spas every step of the way in their bid to be more eco conscious.”