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Noel Asmar Group Diverts 1.4 Million Water Bottles from Landfills

Noel Asmar Group is turning plastic into chic uniforms for some of the world’s biggest wellness brands one bottle at a time.
Julie Keller Callaghan

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Noel Asmar Group—made up of Noel Asmar Uniforms, Asmar Equestrian, and Pedicure Bowls by Noel Asmar—has crossed a major milestone already in 2023. Choosing sustainable yarns and fabrics that utilize recycled components, the brands collectively have now diverted more than 1.4 million water bottles from landfills. Plastic water bottles that may otherwise end up in the garbage or circulating the ocean are instead crushed, pelleted, and spun into fabric used to make spa tunics, medical scrubs, and other apparel. 

“Sustainability is non-negotiable for us,” says founder and CEO Noel Asmar. “The fabrics we choose matter. They need to be durable and comfortable for the people wearing them, and they need to live up to the demands of a busy professional or caregiver. Everything we design and create is made for the way you move, and the materials we select need to allow for that freedom of movement while still making the wearer look and feel empowered. Sourcing fabrics that utilize recycled material was a no-brainer.”

Beyond keeping plastic out of landfills, recycled polyester requires less petroleum and in turn creates fewer emissions in its production. It also requires less water and yields less pollution overall when compared to creating new virgin polyester from raw material. But the benefits don’t end there. The choice to use recycled polyester is increasing in popularity thanks to its durability and variety of uses across industries—from spa uniforms and medical scrubs to high-performance athletic apparel.

“We’re making it as easy as possible for our clients” says Asmar. “Caring for the planet is not just a core value of ours, but a value so many others share. As we do our part, we give our clients and customers more options to find uniforms and apparel that align with their brand and sustainability goals and initiatives.”

Articles from the Globe and Mail and National Geographic note that as an industry, spas have been looked to as an early adopter of sustainable practices, making shifts to cut back on single-use plastics, reduce water and energy consumption, and work with other eco-conscious brands and suppliers. And consumers are on board. Research from the Harvard Business Review noted that 65 percent of surveyed individuals stated they want to buy from brands who advocate sustainability. The publication also revealed individuals were twice as likely to choose a sustainable product when in the presence of others, underscoring the power of social influence when it comes to going green.

For Asmar, sustainable design and business practices don’t stop with fabric choices. The brands also look to reduce packaging and choose reusable options, like ziplock garment envelopes, while many of their spa tunics and uniform styles have shifted to a degradable material—EcoSignature—that safely breaks down releasing no harmful byproducts to reduce textile waste. The brands have also partnered with WeForest—an organization dedicated to “making earth cooler” through various tree planting and reforestation projects—and have contributed to the planting and growing of nearly 5,000 trees in Ethiopia.  

“We can’t talk about wellness if we don’t look at the wellness of our planet,” says Asmar. “We not only need to be proactive as individuals but also as leaders, as entrepreneurs, and as business owners. We have to do more than talk about these issues. It requires action and tangible change.”

About The Author
julieKeller_author-1

Julie is the co-founder of Well Defined and a longtime influencer and advocate in the wellness world. Along with her work at Well Defined, she is an executive recruiter and marketing specialist for Hutchinson Consulting. She is also a consultant and content strategist for numerous wellness brands. She is the former editor-in-chief and publisher of American Spa and was named a 2019 Folio Top Woman in Media in the Industry Trailblazers category and a 2018 winner of ISPA’s Innovate Award. She is also a seasoned journalist, specializing in spa, travel, health, fitness, wellness, sustainability, and beauty. She has been published in Departures, ForbesTraveler.com, E! Online, Gayot.com, Insider’s Guide to Spas, Luxury Travel Advisor, Marin Magazine, Ocean Home, Smart Meetings, Spa Asia, and Travel Agent.