In this article
Short answer: linen-hire towels earn money per wash, so the spec should be written for the wash line. Fix six things: loop security, hem construction, piece-weight tolerance, shrinkage, whiteness and drying behaviour. Feel in the hand comes last.
What a tunnel washer does to a towel
A continuous batch washer moves towels through a series of chambers, then a press squeezes the water out under high pressure, and a dryer finishes them. Compared with a hotel's own machine, the towel is washed more often, pressed harder and dried faster. Weak points fail early.
The six lines to fix
| Spec line | Why it matters to a laundry | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Loop security | Loops that pull out under the press leave bald patches and lint | Firmly anchored pile. Test by pulling a loop on the sample |
| Hems | Hems are the first thing to fail | Double-turned, lock-stitched hems with secured corners |
| Piece weight tolerance | You bill and load machines by weight | A stated weight per piece, plus or minus 3 to 5 percent |
| Shrinkage | A towel that shrinks out of size is rejected by the hotel | Finished size after wash, with a stated maximum |
| Whiteness | Grey towels are returned by customers | A white agreed against a reference, stable under your process |
| Drying | Dryer time is energy cost | A weight that suits your dryers. Heavier is not better |
Weight: choose for the line, not the brochure
A 600 GSM towel costs more to buy, holds more water, takes longer to dry and weighs more on every load. Many linen-hire operators find the best return in the 450 to 550 GSM range. Run the sum for your own energy cost in the cost per wash calculator.
Test before you commit
- Ask for 20 to 30 pieces, not one.
- Put them through your own line for 50 cycles, tagged.
- Weigh and measure at 0, 10, 25 and 50 washes.
- Record hem failures, pulled loops and colour against an unwashed piece.
Fifty cycles on your own line tells you more than any test report.
Sizes
UK hotels commonly use a bath towel around 70 x 130 to 70 x 140 cm and a bath sheet around 90 x 150 cm or larger. Standardising on fewer sizes across your customers cuts your stock. See how linen-hire companies standardise pool stock.
Duty and transit
- Duty: 0 percent on Indian towels and bed linen under the India-UK CETA, in force since 15 July 2026, with the required proof of origin. The standard rate would otherwise be about 8 percent on towels and 12 percent on bed linen.
- Transit: 21 to 26 days by sea from Cochin to UK ports.
- Production: 30 to 45 days.
See what changes on a towel invoice under CETA.
Order sizes
Trial runs start at 500 pieces, which is enough for a proper line trial. Wholesale pricing starts at 2,000 pieces per SKU, and our volume curve gives 22 to 27 percent off list at 5,000 to 9,999 pieces.
Consistency between orders
Pool stock only works if this year's towel matches last year's. We make each reorder against the approved spec and a retained reference. Read why laundries pay for consistency.
Our page for commercial laundries has more. To arrange a line trial, tell us your target weight and size.
Share this article
Want pricing on what you just read?
Leave your work email — our export desk replies with specs, MOQ and a quote within 1 business day.
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
Ready to Order?
Send us your specification. We reply within one business day and send a priced quote within 48 hours.
Request an Export QuoteWhere to go next