Environmental Issues
Sustainability, along with technology and culture, is becoming part of the emerging value proposition for talent.
management of PFAS and other harmful chemicals is a significant area of focus for Standard Textile,” he says.“ We see requirements and expectations continuing to evolve through wastewater and product regulations, which do not always develop uniformly from state to state. In our view, it is less a question of whether requirements will continue to change than how they might change. Companies are better served by preparing early, improving visibility into materials and processes and investing in alternatives that support both performance and long-term readiness.”
McCurdy says K-Bro Linen views the PFAS issue as an important part of its broader focus on sustainability, coupled with regulatory compliance.“ We’ re supportive of efforts to implement sustainable chemistry throughout the industry,” she says.“ We monitor international standards and regulatory developments and work with our partners to address anticipated changes. We follow applicable environmental regulations, and wastewater is safely treated in accordance with these regulations.”
Sustainability & Staffing
The company executives interviewed for this article are all committed not only to environmental compliance but to championing sustainability across all aspects of their operations. It’ s often said that these efforts have a positive impact on recruiting and retaining staff, particularly millennials( born 1981-1996) and Gen Zs( born 1997- 2012). Welch downplayed this idea, but he noted that broadly speaking, employees want to feel good about the organizations they work for.“ Sustainability should be part of every laundry’ s brand,” he says.“ It’ s the very nature of what we do for a living( reusable vs. disposable). No employee wants to work for a firm that they don’ t feel good about. But we don’ t see any generation making employment decisions heavily influenced by this issue.”
For Tsolakoglou, a fifth-generation manager at Shasta Linen, embracing sustainability is a priority that he takes personally.“ As a‘ Zillennial’ myself, I can see different attitudes toward sustainability depending on the age group,” he says.“ I think millennials and Gen Zs are more concerned about the environment, as they have grown up with more education and awareness on the matter.” Younger people also will have to deal with the repercussions of climate change, he adds.
McCurdy notes that K-Bro’ s focus on sustainability has positively impacted recruitment / retention of millennial and Gen Z staff and prospects.“ Corporate sustainability profile is increasingly a consideration for attracting and retaining employees,” she says.“ Younger demographics have been more vocal about the importance of sustainability to them. K-Bro’ s current labor dynamics have been favorable and are supported by our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship.”
Bartsch also agrees that sustainability is a plus for hiring— provided that the commitment is backed by sufficient resources to have an impact.“ There is no question that sustainability resonates more strongly with younger employees and with younger customers,” he says.“ For many in the millennial and Gen Z cohorts, environmental responsibility is not a‘ nice to have’— it’ s an expectation.”
Companies must make a genuine commitment to sustainability to reap the benefits of recruiting more and better candidates among millennial and Gen Z prospects.“ Employees can quickly distinguish between meaningful action and messaging,” Bartsch says. Both Bryan and Randy agree that“ Companies that integrate sustainability into their operations and culture tend to see stronger engagement and retention.”
Innovative Environmentalism
As companies look to the second half of 2026 and beyond, it’ s clear that sustainability is high on the agenda for companies that favor corporate social responsibility. These companies also want to compete effectively in today’ s linen, uniform and facility services market.
While policies and the emphasis on sustainability can shift with successive administrations, virtually no one expects the issue of“ going green” to go away anytime soon. That means governments and the public will expect commercial laundries to continue improving their management of water, soil and air resources. In some cases, such as with reusable iso gowns, new government rules could help commercial laundries increase their market share relative to disposables in healthcare settings.
What’ s more, companies that embrace sustainability can improve staff recruitment and retention, as well as their image with customers and prospects. Finally, by boosting efficiency, creative innovations in resource conservation can give companies a competitive edge in the 2020s and beyond. TS
JACK MORGAN is senior editor of Textile Services. Contact him at 540.613.5070 or jmorgan @ trsa. org.
18 Textile Services • May 2026