Tag Archives: cruise industry

Ulster Carpets are made from quality wool from sheep in the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.

Marine Sustainability

Sustainable Sailing

Across the hospitality industry, sustainability has quite rightly become a hugely important topic and nowhere is that more evident than in marine projects.

At Ulster Carpets, we are committed to building a sustainable future by manufacturing in an ethical manner that reduces our impact on the environment.

We have already demonstrated this commitment with significant investment in our state-of-the-art Dyehouse and Energy Centre and the creation of our own recycling hub to convert waste carpet into luxury underlay.

Bespoke Ulster carpet on Tui Cruises Mein Schiff Herz.

We are set to take this even further with the introduction of new technology which will ultimately make our patented weaving process more energy efficient.

Unlike other manufacturers who outsource various elements, we spin and dye all our own yarn as well as design and weave every carpet. Having this level of control gives us the freedom to develop greener manufacturing processes.

This is mirrored by the end product – a wool-rich carpet for your cruise ship.

Sustainable carpet

Whether your choice is a bespoke design or from the contract stock range, the journey to your luxury carpet starts with selecting the right wool. We use high quality wool shorn from sheep across Great Britain, Ireland and New Zealand that produce the strongest and highest grade of fleece.

This rapidly renewable material is regrown in 12 months, providing Ulster with a sustainable supply of high-quality raw material. Our carpets are a blend of 80% wool and 20% nylon – a combination that offers optimal performance and longevity under intense usage in marine environments.

That balance is also factored into our preferred backing option for cruise ships that includes a green poly backing with a minimum of 50% recycled content.

All our environmental commitments are backed by our various ISO and IMO certifications as well as to the Green Label Plus program.

These are just some of the steps that we are taking to improve our sustainability. Looking ahead, across all aspects of the company, we continue to research new alternatives to increase this even further.

Find out more about how we meet our environmental and sustainability responsibilities here.

Meet Team Marine

When it comes to building strong relationships with customers, Chris Colvin and Ciara Halligan are better equipped than most.

This experienced pair head up our Marine Division and both have a keen interest in the human mind and behaviour.

Before joining Ulster Carpets as part of our Graduate Programme, Chris completed a Psychology degree at Queen’s University while Ciara has a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Social Sciences, Social Policy and Sociology from the Open University.

This has helped them build relationships with our customers all over the world – an attribute that Ulster Carpets have built their success on over the years.

“We take great pride in building long term relationships,” explained Chris, who is Ulster’s Marine Sales Manager. “We work with people in a variety of different countries and while there may be cultural and language barriers, people still expect high standards of service and that is what we work hard to deliver.”

During his five years with the company, Chris has worked in procurement, marketing and in various sales roles, including in our London office. He feels this has given him a strong foundation for his current position.

“I have a clear understanding of what we can offer and how all our departments work together effectively to meet the needs of our customers. Every day we are set new challenges in terms of colour and design and it is satisfying when we’re able to meet them.

“The cruise industry is very competitive, with each cruise line looking to stand out. Our ability to produce stunning bespoke designs in a greater selection of colours is what sets us apart. We can create carpets that have a genuine wow factor but equally we can create designs that are more subtle. I think it is that ability to turn an aspirational concept into reality which makes the real difference.”

Like Chris, Ciara has worked across a range of different roles in her 26 years at Ulster and she holds the honour of being the company’s first female weaver to work on our innovative PSYLO™ looms.

“When I speak to a customer about what designs we can create and about the quality of our carpets, I am talking from the experience of having actually helped produce them,” said Ciara, who is our Marine Project Manager. “I know first hand the amazing capabilities of our patented weaving technology and what we can do that no other carpet manufacturer can.”

From the original enquiry through to organising delivery, Ciara’s role involves every step of the process.

“We are very customer focused and we take pride in what we do. You actually start to feel really connected to different cruise ships because of the work you have put in to help create these beautiful spaces and to help passengers enjoy their vacation. It is hugely rewarding building those relationships with interior designs and seeing ideas turn into reality.”

Take a look at some of the prestigious cruise projects that Ulster have worked on – https://ulstercarpets.com/contract/projects/marine/