Sustainable luxury » hotel magazine

Back in 2006 VOYA set the bar as the world’s first certified organic seaweed-based skincare brand. We explore the brand’s famous sustainable ethos and the impact it’s had on two of their hotel partners.

VOYA has sustainability at the heart of everything they do. VOYA products contain extracts of wild seaweed which are sustainably hand-harvested. This means that the seaweed is selected by eye, harvested by hand and no machinery is used to harm the delicate seabed or marine life. What’s more, only a small portion of the seaweed is cut at a time to ensure it grows back within 6-24 months. The harvesters move on to the different parts of the reef to allow it to fully grow back and replenish, thus creating sustainable harvesting.

VOYA products are packaged using recycled, recyclable, or biodegradable materials, and use glass or 100% recycled plastics where possible. The carton packaging board is a special blend of FSC certified pulps using VOYA’s own harvested seaweed and the packing chips are 100% biodegradable and dissolve in water.

VOYA are proud to have made several commitments as part of their Ocean Steward partnership with Plastic Bank, and have pledged to help stop the equivalent of over 2 million single-use plastic bottles from entering the ocean. This is equivalent to over 45,000kg of plastic and means for every VOYA product sold, they will help to prevent 3 plastic bottles from entering the ocean.

Two of VOYA’s key hospitality partners: THE PIG and Lime Wood have offered comments on their sustainable experiences using the VOYA range in their luxury venues.

Sustainability is huge in all industries, but why is it so important for hotels to practice ‘greener’ habits?

Lime Wood: At Lime Wood we try to practice greener habits wherever we can. Our whole ethos is about being immersed in the surrounding New Forest, so we have to practice what we preach. In adopting greener practices, hotels can minimise their environmental impact, conserve resources and protect natural habitats, which is so important to the guest experience and for the future.

THE PIG: Hotels can produce a lot of waste and use a lot of energy, which has negative implications, therefore the industry has a responsibility to find ways of reducing waste wherever possible and looking for ways to prevent unnecessary energy use.

Why is it important for hotel venues to partner with brands that have established sustainable initiatives?

Lime Wood: Through our partnership with VOYA, Lime Wood has gained insights into the best practices, innovative treatment techniques, and new sustainability trends. Not only does this help us maintain consistent sustainable practices, but it also allows our team to stay ahead of the curve as we evolve with our brand houses and their new treatment methods. Through partnering with VOYA and placing ecological awareness at the forefront of its ethos, Lime Wood can set an example for other luxury hotels, highlighting that a hotel can still offer a luxury experience while simultaneously maintaining an awareness of its emissions, energy supplies and meaningful brand partnerships.

THE PIG: There are a lot of things to consider when looking at who we work with and a brand’s sustainable initiatives plays a huge role in this. As a business, it is our responsibility to ensure sustainable consumption and production in our operations. We are responsible for what we procure and what we offer our guests, so we need to provide the best, both in terms of quality and environmental standards.

Can you offer a testimonial about the VOYA range?

Lime Wood: There is such a perfect synergy between Lime Wood and VOYA in terms of combining luxury with sustainability and it is such a joy to use such an innovative, fully renewable resource like seaweed in our daily treatments. It is always a delight to offer our members and guests access to the treatments and we are so happy to share VOYA’s beautiful products with them!

THE PIG: VOYA match our ethos of home grown initiatives, putting people at the forefront of their business and maintaining authenticity when creating products. They are constantly looking for new technologies and innovations within the eco-friendly field. VOYA believe in sustainability at their very core, just like us.

With every VOYA product sold, three plastic bottles are prevented from entering the ocean. There is a live tracker on the VOYA website where customers can see how many plastic bottles have been prevented from entering the ocean and you can view it here: