Tradelinens has appointed Catherine Morris as its new Managing Director. Previously the company’s Marketing and PR Director, Morris will oversee the day-to-day running of the business whilst Founding Directors, Robert Lancaster-Gaye and Joe Molloy, will remain in the business in a strategic consultancy role.

Morris has also been at the forefront of sustainability innovations for Tradelinens and will continue to champion the brand’s environmental and ethical credentials as she grows the businesses and its three divisions: luxury commercial linen, boutique hospitality and direct to consumer through it’s online retail division, Tielle Love Luxury. Before joining the brand seven years ago, she worked in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, spending ten years at Nestle, where her roles included category marketing for the likes of Nestle Pure Life and San Pellegrino.

At Tradelinens, one of Morris’ stand out achievements has been pioneering the manufacturer to become the first UK member of the Better Cotton Initiative. “During my time at Nestle, I gained first hand experience of the growing consumer expectation on brands to protect the environment and prioritise shared values amongst them to ensure a real sense of purpose,” she explains. “I truly believe that brands have an obligation to lead from the front when it comes to sustainability, protecting and empowering suppliers, caring for the planet and enriching the communities we work with. I brought that passion to Tradelinens and spent over 18 months working with the Better Cotton Initiative to set up a membership agreement for linen brands in order for Tradelinens and other businesses in our category to be able to to join. Until that point, no other trade linen brands were part of the BCI. With Tradelinens the first, there are now at least four other members in our category. It’s an achievement that we’re really proud of.”

Morris’ ambitions are to grow the business whilst upholding the knowledge, expertise and customer service that Lancaster-Gaye and Molloy have championed for over 30 years. She’ll also continue her mission to seek out new and innovative ways to improve sustainability within the category. “Robert and Joe are famed within this industry and are remaining an integral part of the business. They’ll continue to advise clients as well as work with the wider team at Tradelinens, guiding, mentoring and sharing their wisdom to ensure we remain at the forefront of our industry for years to come,” she adds. “Under Robert and Joe’s expert guidance, I’ve recruited a fantastic team with outstanding knowledge in textiles and luxury hospitality and together, we’re passionate about taking this business forwards and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

“As well as seeking out ways to improve our already exceptional product quality, I’ll also be looking at other viable solutions for including even more sustainable materials within our product portfolio, continuing to reduce our use of plastic whilst ensuring our goods arrive at luxury locations in pristine condition.”

Tradelinens’ latest sustainable solution is the Eco Pillow, which is crafted from recycled plastic bottles collected from across Europe and blended with award-winning botanical fibre Tencel.