Kaldewei launches circular economy initiative with Berlin hotel

German bathroom manufacturer Kaldewei has launched a pioneering circular economy initiative in collaboration with the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin. In a first-of-its-kind pilot project, Kaldewei has successfully refurbished and reinstalled used shower surfaces and bathtubs, demonstrating the viability of large-scale upcycling in the hospitality and construction sectors.

The project marks a significant milestone in sustainable building practices. Existing Kaldewei Superplan showers and bathtubs, originally installed over a decade ago, were carefully dismantled during the hotel's recent renovation, returned to Kaldewei, and restored using a proprietary multi-stage process. The refurbished products now feature Kaldewei's Secure Plus anti-slip enamel surface, enhancing both safety and performance.

“With this project we are showing that the circular economy is not a concept for tomorrow, but can be successfully implemented today," said Jakob Klingenberg, pictured, key account manager project management at Kaldewei. "As a pioneer in the industry, we are sending out a clear message: durable products can remain valuable even at the end of their useful life – and can actually be reused as refurbished products."

The remanufacturing process, which included sandblasting and re-enamelling, resulted in an impressive carbon footprint reduction compared to producing new units. The refurbished products were reinstalled by a specialist contractor, seamlessly integrating into the hotel's refreshed interior concept, which prioritises resource conservation and design excellence.