Firmdale Hotels strive to create innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint and minimise our impact on the environment. We are continuously thinking of new and exciting ways to save the planet – ‘to do our bit’.
Kit Kemp Design
Over the years Kit Kemp MBE has been forging an internationally-acclaimed reputation for her unique hotel interiors as Co-owner and Creative Director of Firmdale Hotels. Kit and her team have created an ongoing collection of interesting and sustainable items for the hotels.
“Just because our products are sustainable does not mean they can’t be beautiful” says Kit Kemp.
Here are a few of the environmentally friendly products created by Kit Kemp and her design team:
– RikRak is Kit Kemp’s bespoke bath and fragrance collection which includes body wash, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, hand wash, luxurious soaps and scented candles. RikRak bottles are made from biopolymers, a waste product of sugarcane, eliminating the use of fossil-based raw materials. Amazingly the renewable sugarcane captures CO2 from the atmosphere during its production, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Biopolymers are also fully recyclable. RikRak products are paraben free, are not tested on animals and contain no animal derivatives.
‘- The guest laundry bags have been designed in Kit’s Ozone fabric. These are made from 6-8 recycled plastic bottles. Once used they are cleaned and sent back to the hotels to be reused.
– Our entire disposable cutlery range, takeaway cups and straws are made from ‘Vegware’, a plant sourced product using no plastic. This means they biodegrade in under 12 weeks. The cups have been wrapped in Kit Kemp fabric designs making them colourful and fun.
‘- Firmdale Hotels’ shopping bags have been created around a selection of Kit Kemp fabric designs and along with the individual brochures and printed materials, are made with a water soluble varnish so they can be fully recycled.
‘- The fun and collectable patchwork animals including bears, rabbits and dogs are created from the off-cuts and recycled fabrics used by the design studio.
– The stylish coat hangers in the bedroom wardrobes are made from Norwegian reclaimed wood.
‘- All toothbrushes are made from bamboo and presented in a biodegradable and re-usable bag.
– The handy sewing kits are reusable and made from a bio-plastic, created from a straw bi-product.
– The bedroom slippers also come in a biodegradable bag.
– Many interior designs include antique furniture, found objects and artwork which are often restored and given a new lease of life.
– There are always new ideas in the pipeline. The design team are currently working on a chic ‘Bag for Life’ featuring our ‘Lost and Found’ and ‘Peace and Love’ fabrics, and a reusable water bottle with our Sailor’s Farewell design.
Eco-Friendly Design
Kit and Tim Kemp are recognised for breathing new life into dilapidated areas, transforming overlooked properties such as warehouses and car parks into world-renowned hotels, as well as creating award-winning new build projects from the ground up. We have received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise four times, for outstanding achievement in International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development.
– Crosby Street Hotel was built from scratch. It was the first hotel in New York to attain the GOLD Standard status under the LEED rating for environmental building.
– Ham Yard Hotel in London was awarded the BREEAM Excellent rating. BREEAM assesses the sustainability and environmental performance of buildings. Ham Yard Hotel exceeds the standards by more than 40%, using CHP units and solar panels to generate electricity. Both Ham Yard Hotel and Crosby Street Hotel have living green roofs, Ham Yard Hotel has a roof terrace garden which is home to its own beehives and vegetable garden. Its produce is used in the restaurant’s daily special dishes.
– Firmdale Hotels has carefully restored heritage buildings, including Haymarket Hotel, an original John Nash Regency building, Covent Garden Hotel, which was once a French Hospital in the 1800s and Charlotte Street Hotel in Bloomsbury which was once a dental supplies warehouse.
“We are always looking to the future and welcome ideas, suggestions and new innovative ways to improve and play our part in creating a sustainable future.” Tim and Kit Kemp
CLICK HERE to find out more about Firmdale Hotels.