Innovation at Elis

Elis has always been innovating and diversifying it's hygiene and well-being services ever since it was created in 1883. We are now living in an era of big change, both in terms of digital technologies and uses, and this innovative spirit is still alive, meeting new customer demands, creating new services or optimising existing ones.

Design innovation: from need to solution

Everything begins with a customer (internal or external) telling us what their needs are. We then seek to create the optimal solution for them. Supervised by Innovation project managers and following approval from a dedicated committee, independent teams dispatched to our various departments begin working on an R&D phase, before conducting feasibility studies and several POCs to test the solution they have come up with. We use design thinking with iterative development and short decision-making circuits. Once the customer signs off the solution, it is then rolled out with assistance from the usual central support services.

This work is helping to create ground-breaking solutions, such as smart washroom appliances, digital sizing tools and even sales support tools that use augmented reality technology.

Increasing innovation partnerships

Elis welcomes technological innovations developed outside the company so that it can adopt the most promising advances early on and adapt them to it's business as quickly as possible.

This approach has led to a dozen or so partnerships with start-ups and innovative SMEs with the potential to complement our offering.

Four flagship Elis innovations

Eco-designed mats

Our floor protection mats are made from Phoenix fibres which are produced 100% from recycled water bottles. Phoenix fibre is eco-friendly and guarantees long-lasting vivid colours.
Smart washrooms

Patented after four years of R&D, we designed an offering that uses text alerts sent from each smart appliance to ensure action is taken to prevent soap/paper/towel consumables running out, while also avoiding waste. The customer is kept informed in real time through their smart appliances.
Next generation sizing

EasyFit is a body scan tool that was co-developed with the Belgian start-up Quantacorp. With just an iPad, you can instantly take measurements for workwear and assign the wearer clothing in their size without them having to try it on.
Augmented reality

LiveDemo, an augmented reality tool, allows customers to see a product from the Elis catalogue in their own environment (restaurant, hotel rooms, etc.), helping them to make decisions about their order.

Environmental calculator

Limit your workwear environmental footprint

Compare the impact of renting a garment against purchasing and washing it at home

Environmental calculator

By washing at Elis you will save:

The results include the full life cycle from raw material to end of life, including the washing process and come from an ISO 14040 and 14044 LCA.

Carbon footprint (kgCO2e) Contribution to climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, methane...).

157 km by car

Water consumption (L) Potential of water deprivation

105 showers

Fossil energy use (kWh) Consumption of non-renewable energy

11 days of heating

Textile waste (kg) Waste generation at the end of life of the garment

3 garments

Detergent consumption (kg) Cleaning products used in the washing process

1 detergent jars

Find out more about the results

The figures come from the comparative LCA « Providing the wearer with a clean, dry working outfit 5 days per week, every week for 4 years service ». The LCA went through a critical review process in line with ISO 14071 requirements. Peer board members were LCA and washing industry experts.

These results are indicative based on 1 jacket and 2 pairs of trousers per week per wearer.

Sensitivity analysis has shown that the results do not significantly change if the number of changes per week is altered.

Main assumptions:

• At home: work garments are purchased by the employer and washed separatly from private clothes and tumble dried

• At Elis: garments are rented, they are repaired and reused if the employee leaves the company or changes clothes

Methodology: ISO 14040, 14044, Environmental Footprint 3.1 method.
Database: Ecoinvent 3.9.1, ADEME and Elis specific data.

Steps analyzed in the LCA

Workwear clothing process

Your
environmental impact reduction

By washing at Elis you will save

The results include the full life cycle from raw material to end of life, including the washing process and come from an ISO 14040 and 14044 LCA.

Carbon footprint (kgCO2e)

157 km by car

Water consumption (L)

105 showers

Fossil energy use (kWh)

11 days of heating

Textile waste (kg)

3 garments

Detergent consumption (kg)

1 detergent jars

Data input

Total number of wearers

Contract period

Who is Elis

Elis, a leader in circular services, allows businesses to achieve optimal hygiene and protection for their employees and customers.
Elis offers its clients products that are maintained, repaired, reused, and reemployed to optimize their usage and lifespan. Elis’ conviction is that the circular economy model, which notably aims at reducing consumption of natural resources by optimizing the lifespan of products, is a sustainable solution to address today’s environmental challenges. The services offered by Elis represent a sustainable alternative to the simple purchase or use of products or to single use disposable products. 84% of the Group turnover (2023) are based on the product as service business model.

The LCA

Elis has carried out a comparative Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) covering the full life cycle of workwear products.
The LCA compares 3 cleaning scenarios of a full workwear outfit (jacket and trousers); the circular model based on garment rental with scenarios where garments are purchased and cleaned at home or purchased and cleaned  by a laundry service.

Disclaimer:

The results come from the comparative LCA “Providing a wearer with a clean, dry working outfit 5 days per week , every week for 4 years’ service”. The LCA went through a critical review process in line with ISO 14071 requirements. Peer board members were LCA and washing industry experts.
Methodology : ISO 14040, 14044, Environmental Footprint 3.1 method Database: Ecoinvent 3.9.1, ADEME and Elis specific data.
These results are indicative based on 1 jacket and 2 pairs of trousers per week per wearer. Sensitivity analysis has shown that the results do not significantly change if the number of changes per week is altered.

Date: Wed, 04/09/2025 - 15:35

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March 2025 • News

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Innovation at Elis