The new slippers are anti-slip and biodegradable / photo: BC Softwear
Providing guest slippers is a spa amenities staple, but it’s not always easy to ensure they’re sustainable – an issue which is increasingly demanding attention in the spa industry.
BC SoftWear has now given the spa slipper a sustainable makeover, with a new design featuring Npulp straw soles.
“We’ve never before seen such high demand from spas for a more sustainable option for their spa slipper,” says Barbara Cooke. BC SoftWear’s founder and CEO explains: “BC SoftWear launched a completely biodegradable, coir-soled slipper three years ago – they’re made from all natural fibres, are completely plastic free and 100 per cent biodegradable. But we were aware they weren’t as luxurious as the five-star spa community required.”
In response, BC SoftWear went back to the drawing board and has now created a brand-new take on luxury sustainable spa footwear. In its new slipper, the coir sole has been replaced with a unique new sole – made from compressed straw – called Npulp.
The Npulp revolution Npulp is a straw-based paper, manufactured through a revolutionary new process that uses an enzyme to digest the straw and turn it into pulp. This eliminates the need for harsh chemicals, while also minimising water and energy consumption. The only ingredients are straw, water and the digestion enzyme.
The Npulp soles in BC SoftWear’s new slippers are both compostable and biodegradable. The sole is also anti-slip – more so than many other biodegradable slippers – as well as water resistant, which is a plus for spas with wet areas.
Npulp also has an OK Compost Certificate from the raw material supplier which not only identifies the raw material as biodegradable, but also the NPulp manufacturing technique as non-chemical, low-energy and pollution free.
“While this feels like a standard sole, our new slippers make much less of an environmental impact,” says Cooke. “The soles offer considerably better anti-slip protection and are water resistant– a vital consideration for spas looking to provide their guests with footwear that’s suitable for wet areas. BC SoftWear was one of the first suppliers to bring out a biodegradable slipper several years ago, so it’s no surprise we continue to evolve to even better, more environmentally-friendly materials.”
"We’ve never seen such high demand from spas for a more sustainable option" – Barbara Cooke
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 3
Editor's letter: At a crossroads
As the UK prepares to host this year's Global Wellness Summit, fresh research shows its wellness industry must address a number of issues if it's to maintain levels of unprecedented growth
Spa People: Charlotte Church
The Welsh singer talks about how growing up in the media spotlight has influenced The Dreaming, her healing retreat business
Spa People: Julia Bradbury
Leading a series of Walk Yourself Happy retreats based on her best-selling book and years of TV presenting
Spa People: Samantha Dunn
Shaking up the industry with her new, affordable DIY consultancy programme for entrepreneurs
News report: Big spenders
Finn Partners’ latest research shows how China’s high-net-worth women are redefining luxury travel
News report: Step back in time
Two new GWI reports analyse the growth of the global spa and hot springs markets over the past 10 to 15 years
Interview: Dillip Rajakarier
Following a 450 per cent increase in core revenues, Minor Hotels is planning 200 more properties. Megan Whitby sits down with its CEO
New opening: Kintsugi Space
Patrizia Bortolin talks to Lisa Starr about creating a transformative women-only sanctuary in Abu Dhabi
Research: To inform and inspire
The UK Spa Association has conducted its first survey of spa businesses in the country for 18 years. GM Bobby Griffiths unveils the numbers
Research: From wellness to wellbeing
A new study uncovers four wellness consumer market segments ripe for innovation. WELLSurvey co-author Kevin Kelly reveals the findings in a Spa Business exclusive
First person: To the source
Jane Kitchen takes to the sulphurous waters of Terme di Saturnia in Italy and shares details about its exciting upcoming sister site in Milan
Promotion: L'OCCITANE en Provence – the art of recovery
With an approach to wellbeing that’s both holistic and grounded in science, the latest massage from L’OCCITANE en Provence promises to have a powerfully-beneficial effect on customers, both in the spa and at home
New opening: Surrenne at The Emory
The £15k memberships at this wellness club in London sold out in just weeks. Creator Inge Theron tells us why
First person: Playful wellness
A Stella McCartney facial and Tracy Anderson studio are just two USPs Megan Whitby finds at Surrenne
Promotion: TechnoAlpin – naturally cool design
TechnoAlpin’s snow technology is not only an effective way to introduce gentle cold therapy into the spa environment, it’s also a powerful biophilic design element that can bring the wonder of nature indoors
Promotion: Biologique Recherche – potent partnership
A new anti-senescence serum from Biologique Recherche offers transformative results and raises the bar in anti-ageing skincare when combined with its iconic collagen formula
Promotion: Comfort Zone – A longer life for skin
Created to combat the visible signs of ageing, Comfort Zone’s latest range revamp is based on the company’s pioneering research into cutaneous cellular longevity
Promotion: G.M. COLLIN – Clinical excellence in skincare
With laboratories based in Montreal, G.M. Collin’s highly researched derma-corrective treatments have been helping skincare professionals deliver exceptional and exclusive results worldwide for many decades. We talk to VP Myriam Sayer
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
The new slippers are anti-slip and biodegradable / photo: BC Softwear
Providing guest slippers is a spa amenities staple, but it’s not always easy to ensure they’re sustainable – an issue which is increasingly demanding attention in the spa industry.
BC SoftWear has now given the spa slipper a sustainable makeover, with a new design featuring Npulp straw soles.
“We’ve never before seen such high demand from spas for a more sustainable option for their spa slipper,” says Barbara Cooke. BC SoftWear’s founder and CEO explains: “BC SoftWear launched a completely biodegradable, coir-soled slipper three years ago – they’re made from all natural fibres, are completely plastic free and 100 per cent biodegradable. But we were aware they weren’t as luxurious as the five-star spa community required.”
In response, BC SoftWear went back to the drawing board and has now created a brand-new take on luxury sustainable spa footwear. In its new slipper, the coir sole has been replaced with a unique new sole – made from compressed straw – called Npulp.
The Npulp revolution Npulp is a straw-based paper, manufactured through a revolutionary new process that uses an enzyme to digest the straw and turn it into pulp. This eliminates the need for harsh chemicals, while also minimising water and energy consumption. The only ingredients are straw, water and the digestion enzyme.
The Npulp soles in BC SoftWear’s new slippers are both compostable and biodegradable. The sole is also anti-slip – more so than many other biodegradable slippers – as well as water resistant, which is a plus for spas with wet areas.
Npulp also has an OK Compost Certificate from the raw material supplier which not only identifies the raw material as biodegradable, but also the NPulp manufacturing technique as non-chemical, low-energy and pollution free.
“While this feels like a standard sole, our new slippers make much less of an environmental impact,” says Cooke. “The soles offer considerably better anti-slip protection and are water resistant– a vital consideration for spas looking to provide their guests with footwear that’s suitable for wet areas. BC SoftWear was one of the first suppliers to bring out a biodegradable slipper several years ago, so it’s no surprise we continue to evolve to even better, more environmentally-friendly materials.”
"We’ve never seen such high demand from spas for a more sustainable option" – Barbara Cooke
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 3
Editor's letter: At a crossroads
As the UK prepares to host this year's Global Wellness Summit, fresh research shows its wellness industry must address a number of issues if it's to maintain levels of unprecedented growth
Spa People: Charlotte Church
The Welsh singer talks about how growing up in the media spotlight has influenced The Dreaming, her healing retreat business
Spa People: Julia Bradbury
Leading a series of Walk Yourself Happy retreats based on her best-selling book and years of TV presenting
Spa People: Samantha Dunn
Shaking up the industry with her new, affordable DIY consultancy programme for entrepreneurs
News report: Big spenders
Finn Partners’ latest research shows how China’s high-net-worth women are redefining luxury travel
News report: Step back in time
Two new GWI reports analyse the growth of the global spa and hot springs markets over the past 10 to 15 years
Interview: Dillip Rajakarier
Following a 450 per cent increase in core revenues, Minor Hotels is planning 200 more properties. Megan Whitby sits down with its CEO
New opening: Kintsugi Space
Patrizia Bortolin talks to Lisa Starr about creating a transformative women-only sanctuary in Abu Dhabi
Research: To inform and inspire
The UK Spa Association has conducted its first survey of spa businesses in the country for 18 years. GM Bobby Griffiths unveils the numbers
Research: From wellness to wellbeing
A new study uncovers four wellness consumer market segments ripe for innovation. WELLSurvey co-author Kevin Kelly reveals the findings in a Spa Business exclusive
First person: To the source
Jane Kitchen takes to the sulphurous waters of Terme di Saturnia in Italy and shares details about its exciting upcoming sister site in Milan
Promotion: L'OCCITANE en Provence – the art of recovery
With an approach to wellbeing that’s both holistic and grounded in science, the latest massage from L’OCCITANE en Provence promises to have a powerfully-beneficial effect on customers, both in the spa and at home
New opening: Surrenne at The Emory
The £15k memberships at this wellness club in London sold out in just weeks. Creator Inge Theron tells us why
First person: Playful wellness
A Stella McCartney facial and Tracy Anderson studio are just two USPs Megan Whitby finds at Surrenne
Promotion: TechnoAlpin – naturally cool design
TechnoAlpin’s snow technology is not only an effective way to introduce gentle cold therapy into the spa environment, it’s also a powerful biophilic design element that can bring the wonder of nature indoors
Promotion: Biologique Recherche – potent partnership
A new anti-senescence serum from Biologique Recherche offers transformative results and raises the bar in anti-ageing skincare when combined with its iconic collagen formula
Promotion: Comfort Zone – A longer life for skin
Created to combat the visible signs of ageing, Comfort Zone’s latest range revamp is based on the company’s pioneering research into cutaneous cellular longevity
Promotion: G.M. COLLIN – Clinical excellence in skincare
With laboratories based in Montreal, G.M. Collin’s highly researched derma-corrective treatments have been helping skincare professionals deliver exceptional and exclusive results worldwide for many decades. We talk to VP Myriam Sayer
People taking GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound
may be losing weight, but they’re also becoming less physically active, according to new
research presented at the ENDO 2026 annual meeting of the Endocrine Society
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Global retreat trade show, Synergy The Retreat Show, has launched a resource called The
Source, which hosts an open-access online Transformation Series programme.
The Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) charity has announced its first five-
day Living with Cancer and Beyond retreat, which will be held at Carden Park Hotel and Spa in
Cheshire, UK, between 1 and 5 September.
Patmos Aktis, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, has opened in Greece, with a renovated and
rebranded wellness offering called Ansana Wellness and Spa.
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property in Hawaii, US, has opened its
22,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor Spa at Mauna Kea as the final step in the property’s overall
renovation, which has cost more than US$180 million (€166 million, £140 mill
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
