Probably the first thing anyone checks when they arrive in a hotel room is the minibar. We’ve made sure to stock every room with the kinds of drinks and snacks we’d be happy to have in our homes. From minimal intervention wine from our mates in Adelaide, through to black truffle chips and charcoal wafers. And every room comes with a bar of rich, dark chocolate from our friends at Birdsnake.

Now, Birdsnake don’t just make great chocolate. They don’t just come up with a creative range of seasonal flavours (from christmas gingerbread to poprocks and everything in between). They are also leading the industry in their commitment to ethical trading and practises. A strong relationship with their suppliers of cacao, means they have 100% transparency on how the farms are run and their products produced. Plus, they not only pay above fair-trade rates, they currently pay more than twice the market price. But it’s not rocket science, they sum themselves up by saying – “we are just a company determined to do the right thing,” and the result is a block of chocolate that isn’t just delicious, but it is good.

For all our bathroom amenities we have collaborated with Who Gives A Crap. Each room stocks their tissues and toilet paper, but apart from the decorative packaging you’d be forgiven for not noticing. What difference do these humble items make in a hotel? The answer is simple. We chose WGAC because they are people who genuinely care. Their products exist to make a difference in the world by providing life-saving sanitation funding to areas where billions go without.

These are our kind of people. People who can see the bigger picture and strive to be good neighbours. Not only are their products made from recycled paper and bamboo, but the bottom line is they give half of all their profits to nonprofit organizations working to improve access to hygiene, clean water, and basic sanitation in developing countries. 

To date they’ve donated over $8million, and when there are people committed to doing this much good, the easiest thing is to be a part of their story. It’s just one more way that an everyday item can be a catalyst for change. 

And then there’s Seljak. The sisters behind this closed-loop woolen blanket company say their partnership with PHH “was a no brainer!”. When you stay in-house It’s hard to miss the merino woolen blanket draped over the bed and woven in mottled, earthy tones. 

Each blanket contains a minimum of 70% recycled wool plus a return and recycle program for the lifetime of the blanket. This company has diverted tonnes of textiles waste from landfill, and donated nearly 300 blankets to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Melbourne. Sam and Karina say about themselves, “we are two sisters who imagine a world without waste.”

The blankets are warm, rugged, and comforting – perfect for a lazy afternoon or curling up with a movie. But they also play an active part in reducing waste and landfill. Rejecting the take-make-waste paradigm, Seljka’s blankets are made from recycled offcuts from the factory floor of a Tasmanian wool mill, and repurposed into a beautiful product.

For a lot of what you see in Paramount House Hotel, the process is as important as the product. When you stay in house, you’re a part of our neighbourhood, but you’re also a part of these stories. Each item plays a role in making the experience what it is. And we’re proud to collaborate with people who are trying to make things better, not just make better things. 

Seljak blankets are available to purchase through our online store.