CHICAGO — Cintas Corp. introduced a new, “environmentally friendly” apparel option for banquet staff. The company’s new, single-breasted tuxedos for men and women include recycled polyester fibers woven from recycled plastic bottles and are machine-washable.
“Saving the environment is important to our company and our customers, so we are delivering the products to help them do just that,” says Todd McKeown, Cintas’ vice president of hospitality. “Our previous tuxedo was ‘Dryclean only.’ This new option not only helps reduce environmental impact, but it also saves hotels the expense of drycleaning.”
The tuxedos feature a blend of 23% recycled polyester and 77% new polyester. The recycled polyester is manufactured by breaking down used plastic bottles and weaving them into wearable fabric, Cintas says. About six bottles are used in the construction of each tuxedo.
After wear, users can throw the tuxedos into ordinary home washers and dryers, eliminating the need for drycleaning. This saves hotels and banquet halls as much as $1,000 per employee every year, the company says.
Men’s and women’s tuxedos feature fully-lined jackets with two-button closures and center back vents. Pants include hidden waist expanders, flat fronts and front-quarter pockets.
“This is another product in the continuing evolution of our sustainable apparel options for hotels,” says Kristen Sharp, Cinta’s director of Design & Merchandising. “We want to equip our customers with sleek, modern looks that not only help make wearers feel good, but also help reduce costs.”
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas provides uniforms, mats, restroom supplies, promotional products and additional services to more than 800,000 businesses throughout North America.
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