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Short answer: a useful student pack covers the first night: a fitted sheet, a duvet cover, a pillowcase and a bath towel, in the bed size the room really has. Leave out anything students will replace or ignore. Decide whether duvets and pillows are in the pack or already in the room.
Three pack levels
| Item | Basic | Standard | Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitted sheet | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Duvet cover | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Pillowcase | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Bath towel | 1 | 2 | |
| Hand towel | 1 | 2 | |
| Tea towel | 2 | ||
| Duvet and pillow | Supplied in room, or sold separately |
The Plus pack gives a spare set, so a student can wash one and use one. Parents buying for a first-year often prefer it.
Get the bed size right
Student beds are not always standard. Three-quarter beds (about 120 x 190 cm) and long singles are common in purpose-built blocks. Ask the operator for mattress width, length and depth for each room type before ordering. A pack that does not fit the bed is worse than no pack.
Fitted sheets suit students better than flat sheets. They stay on, and nobody has to learn hospital corners.
What to leave out
- Top sheets. Most students use a duvet only.
- Decorative pieces. Cushions and runners add cost and get left behind.
- Heavy towels. Students dry laundry on a rack. A 450 to 500 GSM towel dries overnight. A 650 GSM towel does not.
Fabric choices
| Choice | Why it suits students |
|---|---|
| Poly-cotton or easy-care cotton | Dries fast, needs no ironing |
| 180 to 200 thread count | Durable and affordable |
| Mid-tone or patterned colours | Hide marks, and tell flatmates' sets apart |
| White | Cheapest. Fine for operators who launder centrally |
Who buys the pack
| Buyer | What they want |
|---|---|
| The accommodation operator | Low cost, one size per room type, delivered to rooms |
| The student or parent, online | Looks decent, arrives before move-in |
| International student services | Ready in the room on arrival |
For operators, the pack is a service and a small revenue line. For students flying in with one suitcase, it is the difference between a made bed and a bare mattress.
Packing for move-in day
- One pack per bag or box, labelled with bed size and pack level.
- Outer cartons marked by building, floor or room type, so staff can distribute without opening them.
- A printed contents card inside, with care instructions.
- Compact packing. Storage space in the weeks before arrival is always short.
The packing and labelling guide shows carton marking options.
Timing
Move-in dates are fixed. Count back: goods at the accommodation three weeks before arrivals, sea freight, 30 to 45 days of production, and sampling before that. For a September intake in the UK, the order should be placed by May. See the pre-opening countdown.
Ordering
Bed linen at 200, 300 and 400 thread count starts at 50 pieces per size, in standard or custom sizes, so odd bed sizes are not a problem. Towel trial runs start at 500 pieces and wholesale pricing at 2,000 pieces per SKU.
See our page for student accommodation bed linen. To price packs, send us bed sizes, pack contents and bed numbers.
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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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