Dear Jonas, thank you for your time! First, can you tell us more about Royfort and what “perfect sleep and wellness” means to you?

Thanks for having me! Perfect sleep and wellness for me means, to feel welcome, a feeling of being refreshed and energised, ready to tackle the day ahead. The well-being and sleeping experience in hotels are one of the main reasons behind how hotel guests rate their stay. And with Royfort, we are truly committed to providing an exclusive well-being since our products are sustainably produced and you can feel the superior quality.

When was the decision made that Royfort act in a sustainable way? And what was the main driver behind it?

Sustainability was actually the core reason why Royfort was founded in 2017. Next to sustainable fabrics, our two founders, Gregor Gmür (Switzerland) and Valentin Brandstetter (Austria) also focus on environmentally-friendly supply chain processes. By the way Royfort, as a company, is GOTS certified. This means our whole production processes are checked on social and ecological criteria.

As you look back at the hotels you’ve worked with and how you’ve supported them on their journeys to becoming more sustainable: What has been your biggest learning so far?

Hotels really have the chance to differentiate themselves from competitors by creating experiences for their guests. Imagine the feeling of a fluffy bathrobe after your spa experience. You want to wear a fabric where you can feel the quality and you know it was made from a sustainable company! Hotel guests are more and more conscious about this topic and want to know what they eat or where they sleep. If hotels are using sustainably produced products, they can proudly communicate this online and offline.

For every hotel, it is important that their guests have a good night’s rest. What are your top three recommendations for hoteliers to make sure that their guests get a “perfect sleep” - and do so in a sustainable way?

A quiet sleep environment is essential, the hotel room should be rather dark, and the temperature should be chilly. In combination with superior bedding (mattress, duvets/ pillows, bed linen), hotel guests will have a great sleep! Additionally, I would avoid any kind of chemicals and only use natural fabrics.

At MAp we are specialised in supporting independent hoteliers in becoming more innovative and sustainable, also through crafting unique hotel concepts and brands. What are your thoughts and observations on sustainability in the hospitality industry? What do you believe the future holds for the industry?

The hospitality industry is increasingly recognising the importance of sustainability and taking measures to reduce its environmental impact. This is strongly driven by hotel guests! As travellers become more environmentally conscious, sustainability will continue to be a significant factor in guests' decision-making and rating the hotel after their stay.

I predict it will even become a hygiene factor. Do you have any recommendations for independent and boutique hoteliers on how they can start and / or advance their sustainability journey?

I am certain hoteliers know their business better than anyone else. I don’t think it’s a lack of ideas or recommendations but instead priority setting. The transition towards a sustainable hotel future is happening. We at Royfort want to support hotels on their journey, not only by creating sustainable products but by creating fantastic guest-well-being experiences!

What’s your biggest wish for the future? On a professional level, I’d love to support as many hotels as possible on their way to building meaningful relationships with guests through sustainability and experiences!

As always, our final MAp meets question: what makes a hotel experience a truly outstanding one for you personally? For me, it all boils down to passion and about being a great host! The hotel needs to really care about me and my well-being! Exceptional service, attention to detail, excellent facilities and a unique guest experience will follow seamlessly.

Dear Kenia, thank you for your time and this joint MAp meets. At the beginning of our conversation, could you give us an insight into what hejhej has to offer today - after all, closed-loop yoga mats aren’t anymore the only hejhej products.

Thank you very much for inviting us to take part in this interview. As you say, the first closed-loop hejhej-mat is not our only product. Quite quickly we designed a yoga mat bag, the hejhej-bag. Then we gradually added other yoga equipment such as a yoga belt, yoga bolster, yoga block, meditation cushion, eye pillow and spray. All these products are completely developed in the spirit of the circular economy. Our take-back system also applies to all products. Our goal is to provide a way for you to make your yoga practice as sustainable as possible. A short documentary of our hejhej-bolsters shows very nicely how consciously we design our product development.

Health and well-being is an important part of your sustainability philosophy. You pass this on to your partner hotels with whom you successfully cooperate. What are the most important elements of this philosophy that hotels can implement in the area of health promotion?

We really appreciate the great cooperation with our partner hotels. In the meantime, we have a super nice and diverse selection, whereby we work out and establish an individual cooperation with each hotel. Health promotion does not have to be complicated. A movement or yoga programme in the hotel is already an easy-to-implement method for a hotel to do something for preventive health promotion. The good thing is that you don't need much for yoga. The most important thing is a good yoga mat and of course other tools are practical. It is also important to mention that a nice yoga set-up in the hotel motivates the guests to move. So by offering yoga equipment in the rooms or for rent in your hotel, you motivate people to do more for their health and well-being.

Yoga has become a central theme and offer for many hotels. What tips can you give hoteliers to create a yoga offer for guests that stands out from the competition, offers added value for guests and is sustainable?

We also notice how widespread yoga has become in hotel concepts and love it. Especially on holiday, it's a nice way to use free time to try yoga or deepen your own practice. High-quality yoga equipment is a unique selling point for a hotel. To offer yoga, it's great to have a yoga room and your own yoga teacher - but you don't necessarily need one. For example, we have a cooperation with a partner hotel that has bought many yoga mats for their flats from hejhej. Each yoga mat has a co-branded label with both brand names woven into it in a high-quality way. Next to the hejhej-mats, QR codes are displayed in the flats that link to a video playlist from us. In cooperation with the hotel, we have recorded yoga videos on their premises. Guests can practice yoga on the high-quality yoga mats directly in their room, whether beginner or advanced, there is something for everyone. Our yoga videos on Youtube range from Vinyasa, Yin, Pranayama, Katonah Yoga to accessible yoga and yoga for the blind. Our goal here is to make the yoga world more inclusive. Your hotel can easily share this offer and provide it to guests.

As always, our final MAp meets question: what makes a hotel experience a truly outstanding one for you personally?

At hejhej we have a statement that has always accompanied our product development: small things matter. By this we mean that even the smallest detail matters. For example, we also think about the zip and sewing thread in our products and find the most sustainable solution on the market for everything.

It's similar for me with hotel experiences. I often notice exactly those little things. That's when I notice whether the hotel is really interested in sustainability or just wants to improve its image. Whether the interior, the care products or the food have really been thought about and whether there is a conscious focus on regionality and longevity. That's exactly what makes a lasting impression on me in a hotel experience.

About hejhej:

hejhej is the first closed-loop yoga brand on the market. It is based in Nuremberg, Germany. With the hejhej-mat, it has taken a decisive step towards making the yoga world more sustainable and circular. Find out more at www.hejhej-mats.com or on Instagram at @hejhej_mats.