www.nytimes.com
Open in
urlscan Pro
151.101.193.164
Public Scan
URL:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/travel/disposable-hotel-slippers-sustainability.html
Submission: On April 30 via manual from US — Scanned from US
Submission: On April 30 via manual from US — Scanned from US
Form analysis 2 forms found in the DOM
POST https://nytimes.app.goo.gl/?link=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/travel/disposable-hotel-slippers-sustainability.html&apn=com.nytimes.android&amv=9837&ibi=com.nytimes.NYTimes&isi=284862083
<form method="post" action="https://nytimes.app.goo.gl/?link=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/travel/disposable-hotel-slippers-sustainability.html&apn=com.nytimes.android&amv=9837&ibi=com.nytimes.NYTimes&isi=284862083"
data-testid="MagicLinkForm" style="visibility: hidden;"><input name="client_id" type="hidden" value="web.fwk.vi"><input name="redirect_uri" type="hidden"
value="https://nytimes.app.goo.gl/?link=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/travel/disposable-hotel-slippers-sustainability.html&apn=com.nytimes.android&amv=9837&ibi=com.nytimes.NYTimes&isi=284862083"><input name="response_type"
type="hidden" value="code"><input name="state" type="hidden" value="no-state"><input name="scope" type="hidden" value="default"></form>POST https://nytimes.app.goo.gl/?link=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/travel/disposable-hotel-slippers-sustainability.html&apn=com.nytimes.android&amv=9837&ibi=com.nytimes.NYTimes&isi=284862083
<form method="post" action="https://nytimes.app.goo.gl/?link=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/travel/disposable-hotel-slippers-sustainability.html&apn=com.nytimes.android&amv=9837&ibi=com.nytimes.NYTimes&isi=284862083"
data-testid="MagicLinkForm" style="visibility: hidden;"><input name="client_id" type="hidden" value="web.fwk.vi"><input name="redirect_uri" type="hidden"
value="https://nytimes.app.goo.gl/?link=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/travel/disposable-hotel-slippers-sustainability.html&apn=com.nytimes.android&amv=9837&ibi=com.nytimes.NYTimes&isi=284862083"><input name="response_type"
type="hidden" value="code"><input name="state" type="hidden" value="no-state"><input name="scope" type="hidden" value="default"></form>Text Content
Skip to contentSkip to site indexSearch & Section NavigationSection Navigation
SEARCH
Travel
SUBSCRIBE FOR $1/WEEKLog in
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Today’s Paper
SUBSCRIBE FOR $1/WEEK
Travel|Are Disposable Hotel Slippers the Next Plastic Straws?
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/travel/disposable-hotel-slippers-sustainability.html
* Share full article
*
*
* 14
* U.S.
SECTIONS
* U.S.
* Politics
* New York
* California
* Education
* Health
* Obituaries
* Science
* Climate
* Sports
* Business
* Tech
* The Upshot
* The Magazine
U.S. POLITICS
* 2024 Elections
* Primary Results
* Supreme Court
* Congress
* Biden Administration
TOP STORIES
* Trump Investigations
* Immigration
* Abortion
* The Eric Adams Administration
NEWSLETTERS
* The Morning
Make sense of the day’s news and ideas.
* The Upshot
Analysis that explains politics, policy and everyday life.
See all newsletters
PODCASTS
* The Daily
The biggest stories of our time, in 20 minutes a day.
* The Run-Up
On the campaign trail with Astead Herndon.
See all podcasts
* World
SECTIONS
* World
* Africa
* Americas
* Asia
* Australia
* Canada
* Europe
* Middle East
* Science
* Climate
* Health
* Obituaries
TOP STORIES
* Israel-Hamas War
* Russia-Ukraine War
NEWSLETTERS
* Morning Briefing: Europe
Get what you need to know to start your day.
* The Interpreter
Original analysis on the week’s biggest global stories.
* Your Places: Global Update
The latest news for any part of the world you select.
* Canada Letter
Backstories and analysis from our Canadian correspondents.
See all newsletters
* Business
SECTIONS
* Business
* Tech
* Economy
* Media
* Finance and Markets
* DealBook
* Personal Tech
* Energy Transition
* Your Money
TOP STORIES
* U.S. Economy
* Stock Market
* Artificial Intelligence
NEWSLETTERS
* DealBook
The most crucial business and policy news you need to know.
See all newsletters
PODCASTS
* Hard Fork
Our tech journalists help you make sense of the rapidly changing tech
world.
See all podcasts
* Arts
SECTIONS
* Today's Arts
* Books
* Best Sellers
* Dance
* Movies
* Music
* Television
* Theater
* Pop Culture
* T Magazine
* Visual Arts
RECOMMENDATIONS
* Best of 2023
* Award Season
* Critic’s Picks
* What to Read
* What to Watch
* What to Listen To
* 5 Minutes to Make You Love Music
NEWSLETTERS
* Read Like the Wind
Book recommendations from our critics.
* Watching
Streaming TV and movie recommendations.
See all newsletters
PODCASTS
* Book Review
The podcast that takes you inside the literary world.
* Popcast
Pop music news, new songs and albums, and artists of note.
See all podcasts
* Lifestyle
SECTIONS
* All Lifestyle
* Well
* Travel
* Style
* Real Estate
* Food
* Fashion
* Love
* Your Money
* Personal Tech
* T Magazine
COLUMNS
* Modern Love
* The Hunt
* Social Q’s
* The Ethicist
WELL
* Eat
* Move
* Mind
* Family
* Live
* Ask Well
NEWSLETTERS
* Open Thread
The latest news on what we wear, by our chief fashion critic.
* Well
Essential news and guidance to live your healthiest life.
See all newsletters
PODCASTS
* Modern Love
The complicated love lives of real people.
See all podcasts
* Opinion
SECTIONS
* Opinion
* Guest Essays
* Editorials
* Op-Docs
* Videos
* Letters
TOPICS
* Politics
* World
* Business
* Tech
* Climate
* Health
* Culture
COLUMNISTS
* Charles M. Blow
* Jamelle Bouie
* David Brooks
* Gail Collins
* Ross Douthat
* Maureen Dowd
* David French
* Thomas L. Friedman
* Michelle Goldberg
* Ezra Klein
* Nicholas Kristof
* Paul Krugman
* Carlos Lozada
* Tressie McMillan Cottom
* Pamela Paul
* Lydia Polgreen
* Bret Stephens
* Zeynep Tufekci
PODCASTS
* Matter of Opinion
Thoughts, aloud. With Michelle Cottle, Ross Douthat, Carlos Lozada and
Lydia Polgreen.
* The Ezra Klein Show
Discussions of ideas that matter, plus book recommendations.
See all podcasts
* Audio
AUDIO
Podcasts and narrated articles covering news, tech, culture and more.
Download the Audio app on iOS.
LISTEN
* The Headlines
* The Daily
* Hard Fork
* The Ezra Klein Show
* Matter of Opinion
* Serial Productions
* The Book Review Podcast
* Modern Love
* The Run-Up
* Popcast
* Reporter Reads
* The Sunday Read
See all audio
FEATURED
* The Headlines
Your morning listen. Top stories, in 5 minutes.
* The Kids of Rutherford County
A series about how one county illegally jailed children.
* Reporter Reads
Recent articles read by the reporters behind them.
NEWSLETTERS
* Audio
Our editors share their favorite listens from the New York Times Audio
app.
See all newsletters
Audio is included in an All Access subscription. Learn more.
* Games
GAMES
Word games, logic puzzles and crosswords, including an extensive archive.
PLAY
* Spelling Bee
* The Mini Crossword
* Wordle
* The Crossword
* Vertex
* Connections
* Sudoku
* Letter Boxed
* Tiles
COMMUNITY
* Spelling Bee Forum
* Wordplay Column
* Wordle Review
* Submit a Crossword
* Meet Our Crossword Constructors
* Mini to Maestro
* Wordlebot
* Take the Puzzle Personality Quiz
NEWSLETTERS
* Gameplay
Puzzles, brain teasers, solving tips and more.
* Easy Mode
Get an easy version of one of the hardest crossword puzzles of the week.
See all newsletters
Games is included in an All Access subscription. Learn more.
* Cooking
COOKING
Recipes, advice and inspiration for everyday cooking, special occasions and
more.
RECIPES
* Easy
* Dinner
* Quick
* Healthy
* Breakfast
* Vegetarian
* Vegan
* Chicken
* Pasta
* Dessert
EDITORS' PICKS
* Soups and Stews
* Easy Weeknight
* Newest Recipes
* One-Pot Meals
* Slow Cooker Recipes
* Comfort Food
* Party Recipes
NEWSLETTERS
* The Cooking Newsletter
New recipes, easy dinner ideas and smart kitchen tips from Melissa Clark,
Sam Sifton and our New York Times Cooking editors.
* The Veggie
Delicious vegetarian recipes and tips from Tanya Sichynsky.
* Five Weeknight Dishes
Dinner ideas for busy people from Emily Weinstein.
See all newsletters
Cooking is included in an All Access subscription. Learn more.
* Wirecutter
WIRECUTTER
Reviews and recommendations for thousands of products.
REVIEWS
* Kitchen
* Tech
* Sleep
* Appliances
* Home and Garden
* Moving
* Travel
* Gifts
* Deals
* Baby and Kid
* Health and Fitness
THE BEST...
* Air Purifier
* Electric Toothbrush
* Pressure Washer
* Cordless Stick Vacuum
* Office Chair
* Robot Vacuum
NEWSLETTERS
* The Recommendation
The best independent reviews, expert advice and intensively researched
deals.
* Clean Everything
Step-by-step advice on how to keep everything in your home squeaky clean.
See all newsletters
Wirecutter is included in an All Access subscription. Learn more.
* The Athletic
THE ATHLETIC
Personalized coverage of your sports teams and leagues.
LEAGUES
* NFL
* MLB
* NBA
* Premier League
* NCAAF
* NCAAM
* NHL
* NCAAW
* MLS
* Formula 1
* NWSL
* Golf
TOP STORIES
* Today's News
* 2024 NFL Draft
* MLB Standings
* Olympics
NEWSLETTERS
* The Pulse
Delivering the top stories in sports, Sunday to Friday.
* Scoop City
The top stories in the NFL, from Jacob Robinson with Dianna Russini.
* The Windup
The biggest stories in baseball, by Levi Weaver with Ken Rosenthal.
* The Athletic FC
Renowned soccer writer Phil Hay's daily newsletter unpacks the truth
behind the game's biggest stories.
The Athletic is included in an All Access subscription. Learn more.
Advertisement
SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
Supported by
SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
ARE DISPOSABLE HOTEL SLIPPERS THE NEXT PLASTIC STRAWS?
Slippers supplied by hotels — flimsy models usually made of plastic and fabric —
are the next single-use item in the cross hairs of sustainability activists.
* Share full article
*
*
* 14
* Read in app
The Slipper Factory in India manufactures disposable slippers for the hotel
industry.Credit...Sam Panthaky/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
By Elaine Glusac
Elaine Glusac is the Frugal Traveler columnist, focusing on budget-friendly tips
and journeys.
April 30, 2024, 5:00 a.m. ET
Sign up for the Travel Dispatch newsletter. Essential news on the changing
travel landscape, expert tips and inspiration for your future trips. Get it sent
to your inbox.
In November, managers at the Arenas del Mar resort near Manuel Antonio National
Park in Costa Rica, challenged employees to come up with ways to operate more
sustainably. The maintenance crew suggested electric locks on guest room doors.
The food and beverage department proposed making jams from fruit peels. And the
housekeepers advised: Ditch the slippers.
“It didn’t make sense because you use them once and throw them out,” said Hans
Pfister, the president and co-founder of Cayuga Collection, the hotel group that
manages the resort, which took housekeeping’s advice. “It’s very wasteful.”
Like plastic straws and mini bottles of shampoo, disposable slippers — flimsy
models usually made of plastic and fabric, and often found bedside at turndown
or bagged in hotel closets — are the next single-use item in the cross hairs of
sustainability activists.
“Anything single-use is problematic,” wrote Willy Legrand, a sustainable
hospitality expert and a professor at the IU International University of Applied
Sciences in Bad Honnef, Germany, in an email. He cited the large footprint of a
small slipper once you factor in production, shipping and waste. Single-use
slippers, he said, “feel out of place and out of touch.”
Advertisement
SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
Nina Boys, the vice president of sustainability for Beyond Green, a group of
hotels vetted for their sustainability practices, called slippers “low-hanging
fruit” in the fight against plastic.
SLIPPERS AS STATUS SYMBOLS
While plastic straws can be easily replaced with paper versions and small
shampoo bottles by larger dispensers, subbing for slippers is more complicated
based not just on materials but cultural expectations and perceptions of luxury.
Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like.
Read 14 Comments
* Share full article
*
*
* 14
* Read in app
Advertisement
SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
COMMENTS 14
Are Disposable Hotel Slippers the Next Plastic Straws?Skip to Comments
Share your thoughts.
The Times needs your voice. We welcome your on-topic commentary, criticism and
expertise. Comments are moderated for civility.
SITE INDEX
SITE INFORMATION NAVIGATION
* © 2024 The New York Times Company
* NYTCo
* Contact Us
* Accessibility
* Work with us
* Advertise
* T Brand Studio
* Your Ad Choices
* Privacy Policy
* Terms of Service
* Terms of Sale
* Site Map
* Canada
* International
* Help
* Subscriptions
* Your Privacy Choices
Enjoy unlimited access to all of The Times.
See subscription options