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Short answer: a German hotel buyer (Einkäufer) or textile wholesaler usually opens with five questions: is it OEKO-TEX certified, is it suitable for industrial laundering, does it come in German standard sizes, can you answer our supply-chain questionnaire, and what does it cost delivered with duty. Have those answers ready and the conversation moves on to price.
The five questions
| The question | What they mean | A good answer |
|---|---|---|
| OEKO-TEX? | Tested for harmful substances. The label is widely recognised in Germany | The certificate number for the product, checkable online |
| Industriewäsche-geeignet? | Will it survive a commercial laundry or leased-linen service | Wash temperature rating, shrinkage figure, hem construction |
| Standardgrößen? | The sizes German hotels already stock | Yes, with the list below |
| Lieferkette? | Can you complete our supplier questionnaire on labour and environment | An honest answer about which certificates sit where |
| Preis frei Haus, verzollt? | Price delivered, duty paid | An FOB price plus a landed estimate with 12 percent duty |
German towel sizes and names
| German name | English | Typical size |
|---|---|---|
| Seiftuch | Face cloth | 30 x 30 cm |
| Gästetuch | Guest towel | 30 x 50 cm |
| Handtuch | Hand towel | 50 x 100 cm |
| Duschtuch | Shower towel | 70 x 140 cm |
| Badetuch | Bath sheet | 100 x 150 cm |
| Badematte or Badvorleger | Bath mat | 50 x 70 cm |
The German "Handtuch" at 50 x 100 cm is larger than the hand towel common in the UK or the Gulf. Quote the German sizes, not your usual ones.
Hotelwäsche and leased linen
A large share of German hotels do not own their linen. They lease it from textile service companies who wash and deliver it. The real buyer is then the textile service company, and it buys on wash-life. See how to spec towels for tunnel washers, which applies equally in Germany.
The supply-chain questionnaire
German companies above a certain size must check their supply chains under the Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz, and they pass questionnaires down to suppliers. Answer accurately.
Our position: OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is available on certified lines. Social and environmental audit certificates sit with specific certified units and are confirmed per order. We don't claim them as our own.
Duty and delivery
- Duty: 12 percent on Indian towels and bed linen until the India-EU FTA enters into force. See what 12 percent means for your price.
- Import VAT: 19 percent (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer), normally recoverable.
- Transit: 22 to 28 days by sea from Cochin to Hamburg or Bremerhaven.
- Labels: fibre composition in German. See EU labelling for towels and sheets.
What German buyers value after the first five
- Colour and weight that stay the same from order to order.
- Delivery on the confirmed date.
- Plain, written answers. A precise "no" is respected more than a vague "yes".
If you are a distributor
We can quote in the German sizes above, with German fibre labels, and ship to Hamburg or Bremerhaven. Trial runs start at 500 pieces and wholesale pricing at 2,000 pieces per SKU.
Our German-language overview is Hotelwäsche aus Indien. For a quote, send us sizes and quantities.
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Written by
Dr Abin Babu
Founder & Chairman, Anabyn Global Ventures
Anabyn exports hotel and home linen from Kerala, India. These guides come from the questions buyers ask our desk. About the team
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