When making a large investment in hotel bath towels and linens, it is also important to invest in supplies for linens and bath towels to keep them stain free and in great condition. There are basically two ways of maintaining linens: caring for them in an on-site laundry facility or employing a commercial linen laundry service. The size of the hotel, the number of staff members and the number of regular guests will help you to determine which way you to go about laundering your linens.

A commercial laundering service will pick up soiled linens and deliver freshly washed and pressed linens according to the schedule you set up with them. Alternatively, purchasing laundry equipment will allow you to launder linens and towels as necessary. When choosing this option, remember to consider the cost of water and energy that the washers and dryers will use, as well as detergent, stain remover and bleach.

1. Use a textile laundry service to keep your designer bath towels and linens in top shape.

2. Invest in commercial laundry equipment to care for hotel bath linen in house.

3. Purchase laundry supplies for hotel linens and bath towels at hotel or janitorial supply distributors.

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Employ the services of textile laundry service to care for hotel collection bath towels and linens

Using the services of an external laundry company will reduce the every day duties of running a hotel. Laundry services take care of stain removal, washing, drying and pressing hotel linens and return linens ready for use by even the most discriminating clients.

I recommend: Good Will Industries has a commercial services division that launders and presses your commercial linens. Ecolab is another company that offers laundry services for the hospitality industry. It will design and implement laundry services according to your direct specifications.

Purchase commercial washers and dryers to care for hotel bed linens and towels in house

When it makes sense for you to take care of hotel laundry in house, purchase a high-quality industrial washer and dryer. Manufacturers build industrial machines to process extra-large loads of laundry. Many machines operate with energy-efficient technology to help minimize energy prices.

I recommend: UniMac has been providing commercial laundry equipment for over 50 years and manufacturers machines to be both time and energy efficient. Alliance Laundry Systems is also a provider of commercial laundry equipment. It carries several brands of industrial washing and drying machines.

Locate vendors of commercial laundry products to care for linens and towels

A commercial detergent will have the strength to conquer tough stains. Use a quality product to keep white bath towels and linens bright. Bleach is also important for disinfecting linens after each guest use. Look to commercial janitorial supply or hotel distribution services to find quality detergent, stain removers and bleach.

I recommend: Heavy duty detergents are available at Valtec Industries, which manufactures detergent to be efficient in both hard and soft water. Its formula is perfect for use in industrial machines. Another provider of commercial laundry detergent is Twin Supply. Choose from several brands of detergent, stain remover and fabric softeners. Laundry bleach is sold at UnoClean. It packages its powdered bleach in individual boxes for perfect dispensing in each wash.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  A hotel bath towel is not much different than a towel you would use at home. Follow the washing instructions as closely as possible for a long-lasting, durable towel.

Bed and breakfast and hotel owners know that linens and towels are an important part of their businesses. It's hard to create an at-home feeling for clients without plush, designer bath towels and linens.

Not all commercial linens are created the same, and it takes a discerning purchaser to identify high-quality hotel bath linens and hotel bath towels.

White is usually the hotel bath towel color of choice because this color is least affected by high-potency bleach. Spas and salons sometimes opt for alternate colors including pastel shades or vibrant colors.

The following small business owners can benefit from tips on ordering commercial linens online:

1. Salon and spa owners.
2. Bed and breakfast and small hotel owners.
3. Bath product retailers.
4. Fitness center owners.
   

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Ordering designer bath towels and commercial linens online

Commercial linen companies and towel retailers offer numerous options for hotel bath linens. Monogrammed towels and organic cotton towels are just two options.

I recommend: SoftLinens.com offers a wide variety of Egyptian cotton sheets and towels. F & B Specialty Linen has a full line of linens and towels imported from Europe. Bloomingdale's sells designer bath towels and linens from Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan.

Selling bath towels in your store

If you own and operate a retail store specializing in bath products, towels and washcloths are both appropriate companion items to complete your merchandise offerings. You'll probably offer more realistic color options than hotel or spa owners who are looking for practical colors that can hold up to frequent use.

I recommend: If you're selling bath towels and washcloths as add-on items, you might not need wholesale quantities. Try The Company Store for a variety of towel colors in just the quantities you need. Don't forget well-known bath towel retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond.

Consider renting commercial linens

If your needs are temporary, or you don't want to front money to purchase new linens, consider renting linens and towels.

I recommend: Visit Rentlinen.com to request more information about linen rentals.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you own a store that sells bath products and are selling towels and washcloths as well, make your display eye-appealing. Match or coordinate your towel colors with the colors of the bath products. For example, red or pink towels pair well with fruit-scented products such as apple or raspberry.
• •  Organic cotton towels are a great choice for Earth-friendly businesses. Product offerings for organic towels have expanded in recent years, although you might not find as many color options in organic cotton lines. Green hotels use organic cotton towels and linens, and retailers who sell Earth-friendly bath products would benefit from selling organic cotton linens rather than those made with traditional cotton.
• •  If you prefer to own commercial linens rather than renting, you can still outsource the required laundering. Utilizing a laundering service can save you time and money and reduce your staffing requirements. A variety of laundering options exist, and it's fairly easy to devise a schedule that meets your needs.

When figuring the pricing and costs of linens and bath towels, it's imperative to consider the costs of a laundering service as well. When choosing to rent linens and towels the company usually includes the laundering service, eliminating this fee from your linen budget. The quantity of commercial linens your establishment will use on a daily basis will have large bearing on your choice to rent or own linens and towels and the quality of towel that you will purchase.

Hotel collection bath towels and linens come in varying degrees of quality. A five-star hotel should purchase the highest quality linens available, while a road-side motel can get away with purchasing lower quality linens. One thing to keep in mind is the durability of the towels. You will have to replace low-quality towels more frequently, which adds to the long-run cost. In searching for commercial linen solutions for your establishment consider the following:

1. Purchase hotel bath towels from wholesale vendors.

2. Get the best price on economy towels.

3. Locate textile rental services to increase the quality without a huge price tag.

Action Steps
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Get the best prices on hotel towels from wholesale commercial linen companies

Manufacturers generally make luxury bath towels from 100% Egyptian cotton or bamboo, which offer soft and absorbent textures. A set of Egyptian bath towels can run anywhere from $40 to $150, but bamboo blend bath towels can run as much as $200 per set.

I recommend: United Textile Supply is a wholesale distributor of fine designer bath towels and linens. Image Textile is another hotel distributor that carries luxury bath linens for hotels.

Find an economy hotel bath towel for a small price

When luxury bath towels are not in the budget, value-priced towels provide a more affordable option. Economy towels start at just under $20 per dozen to around $40. Keep in mind that lower-quality towels may not wash as nicely, and you may need to replace them more often.

I recommend: Towel Wholesalers.com sells economy-priced towels. Its towels are on the high end of the cost spectrum for economy towels. Master Linens has economy towels priced on the low end of the spectrum. It sells towels in cases of 25 dozen, but it accepts smaller with a 12% surcharge.

Find a rental company that provides linens and towels for hotel establishments

The price for renting hotel bath linens and bed linens greatly varies depending on the size of the establishment and the frequency that the company must provide clean linens. To get an accurate estimate, it's necessary to contact the textile rental companies directly.

I recommend: RentLinen.com is a textile rental service. It provides a list of reasons why you might want to rent instead of purchase hotel linens. Spic & Span Linen & Uniform Supply is another textile rental service. Locate a provider in your area with its rental provider location finder.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When using laundry services for hotel linens, it's a good idea to have a washing machine, dryer and detergents on hand in the event of an emergency. When business is slow this is also a great way to save money.

Linens and bath towels come in a variety of styles, sizes and thread counts to fit a wide spectrum of tastes and budgets. While the term "linen" generally refers to bed sheets, genuine linen sheets are made from flax plant fibers.

From organic and luxury linens and bath towels to the difference between Egyptian and supima cottons, learn a few important linens and bath towels key terms to ensure you purchase the linens and bath towels that meet your or your customers tastes, standards and price constraints.

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Organic linen

Organic linen is linen made from all-natural materials. The materials, usually cotton fibers or fibers from the flax plant, are fertilized with naturally-occurring composts as opposed to synthetic chemicals.

I recommend: Natural-Environment.com offers extensive information about organic linen types.

Luxury linens and bath towels

Luxury linens and bath towels are made from the finest 100 percent cotton for optimum softness. Linens with the highest thread counts are deemed 'luxury' linens. Higher-quality linens often offer fine details, such as hand-stitched embroidery, for a more luxurious look and feel.

I recommend: Table & Kitchen Linen offers information on luxury linen types and styles and how to care for linen in general.

Egyptian cotton

Egyptian cotton is cotton that originates from the Nile area in Egypt. Considered the epitome of luxury cotton, Egyptian cotton bath towels and linens are strong, durable and soft due to the long cotton fibers produced.

I recommend: JWSeason.com offers more information on Egyptian cotton and other types of cotton used in bath towels and linens.

Bath sheets

Bath sheets are a style of bath towel that provide a larger surface area than standard bath towels provide. Bath sheets are generally 6 feet in length or more.

I recommend: Read more about bath sheets and other styles of bath towels at wisegeek.com.

Thread count

Thread count is the number of threads per square inch in bed linens. A higher thread count indicates a better quality, softer bed linen. A low thread counts produces a stiff, rough bed linen.

I recommend: Homefurnish.com offers more information on thread count.

Pima or Supima cotton

Pima cotton is a type of quality cotton grown in the United States and in limited other countries. Pima cotton produces a strong cotton thread of at least 1 inch and 3/8 long. 'Supima' is the trade name given to pima cotton. If a product is marketed as 'supima' cotton, the cotton is made from 100% pima cotton.

I recommend: Supimacotton.org offers extensive information on the history of pima cotton and the types and styles of pima cotton available.