Content about Clothing

Equipment Manufacturing: Steve Hietpas, Maytag Commercial Laundry, St. Joseph, Mich.

Although not directly related to the manufacturing of commercial laundry equipment, for some of our customers this topic is a major concern. Professional laundry managers can do two things to help stem the flow of objects found in dirtied linens: an employee training program and, where applicable, conveniently placed containers for depositing razor-sharp objects.

In healthcare settings, a number of pointed objects—hypodermic needles, for example—are used on a regular basis. These needles, if left in soiled linens, are dangerous to professionals processing the laundry. By incorporating collection receptacles in or near every patient’s room, it makes disposing of these items properly more convenient and more likely. Coupled with a program to train staff of the importance of sharps disposal, laundry processing is much safer for all parties involved.

In the food and beverage industry, training again plays an integral role in reducing the amount of cutlery found within soiled linens. The awareness gleaned from training helps to protect those processing the linens and ensures the vast majority of utensils are available for patrons.

Textile/Uniform Rental: Tom Peplinski, Golden West, Oakland, Calif.

Sharp objects can be a safety concern to all those handling soiled linen. Each year, millions of workers suffer workplace injuries that could have been prevented. Approximately 30% of all workplace injuries involve cuts or lacerations, and about 70% of those injuries are to the hands or fingers.

Some practical steps can help minimize the risk of contact with sharp objects:

• Include the issue of sharp objects in your hazards safety meeting
• Post reminders that sharp objects may be present in soil area
• Be sure that gloves (puncture-resistant, when possible) are worn
• Be sure all personnel are trained in the procedures of handling soil
• Have a clear, written policy and procedure covering first aid
• Keep good housekeeping rules that include eliminating sharp objects and edges
• When sharp items are found in soil, try to identify customers from which they came and inform them of the issue.
• Post anti-sharp/anti-garbage posters at customer’s soil area
• Offer to speak at customer’s safety meeting to address the potential problem
• Inspect the area where the soil container is placed to see if there might be a safer area elsewhere
• Inform all service personnel when sharps are found so they are aware of the risk

Finally, review past incidents/injuries involving cuts and lacerations. Have participants discuss the cause of the injuries and possible solutions as to how the worker or employer could have prevented them. Apply suggestions for improvements to your “Cuts and Abrasion” policy and procedures.

Commercial Laundry: Richard Warren, Linen King, Conway, Ark.

Laundries don’t put the sharps into the linen stream, and we can’t keep them out.

I find that infection control staffs at hospitals are embarrassed about the issue, so we need to be sensitive in our approach. I find them quite willing to work with a laundry that maintains a professional attitude toward what they perceive as their own problem. We certainly can’t be heavy-handed when we discuss this issue.

We have done some things physically that have practically pushed this problem into extinction. We contact the infection control people, our point of contact in the linen department, and the linen committee to talk about how to keep the sharps out. They need to know where the offending item came from, so we help by taking a picture of the item. Sometimes it’s identifiable. If the discovery is made in the sorting department, we make note of the specific carts we are working with at the time. We e-mail all this information to personnel at the hospital so they have something to work with. Calling them to complain just keeps the adversarial relationship alive.

Not all hospitals recognize the urgency of the situation, but those that do have shown a dramatic decrease in incidents. We apply the same procedure to all manner of rogue hospital items, some of obvious value. Any customer would appreciate that attention.

There are commercially manufactured machines that “scan” the soiled laundry for foreign objects, and are used at the point of linen collection. I don’t have any first-hand knowledge regarding their effectiveness.

FORT WORTH, Texas — The occupational wear division of Dickies is expanding its product offerings and geographical availability so that it can more fully and efficiently serve a growing customer base, the company reports.

Beginning this month, Dickies offers customers in the food service, hospitality and healthcare industries “head-to-toe” uniform options, including juniors sizing and footwear, as well as a full range of men’s and women’s uniform apparel needs.

In addition to servicing customers across the United States, the division now also provides workwear uniform solutions for customers across Canada.

“We’re pleased with the progress we’ve made in the last two years to provide our customers with deeper inventories, faster turnaround times and same-day service on Dickies’ core industrial product line,” says Alex Smith, senior vice president of occupational wear at Dickies. “The Dickies Workwear Delivered service model has been well received in the marketplace and our category expansion and entry into Canada is the natural next step.”

Dickies also plans to expand its healthcare presence later this year. The company services healthcare workers with uniforms and is now preparing to launch a full line of industrial laundry medical scrubs.

“Dickies has a strong retail presence in the scrub category,” Smith says. “We are excited to leverage that brand strength to offer an industrial laundry-friendly scrub line that will allow our customers to grow their healthcare business.”

A product launch for the tactical and government sectors is also planned this year.

TEXTILES: TOM LANGDON, ENCOMPASS GROUP, MCDONOUGH, GA.

Approaching this issue from a textile sourcing and laundry processing point of view, we see varying degrees of linen abuse, depending on how our customers process. With the development of more resource-saving equipment, the linen has to be more durable today that it has in the past. For example, most of the newer tunnel washers reuse water from the first cycle, and if linen (especially apparel) is not colorfast, you can end up with cross-contamination staining on other items.

Everyone throughout the supply chain is cost-conscious, so one of the first steps is making sure your linen has been properly processed when you receive it.

There have been instances in which PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) used in the weaving process was not completely removed in the finishing process. This can end up creating a buildup on flatwork ironer equipment. Depending on the process, this linen may process fine in one laundry and create havoc in another. PVA is water-soluble and disperses in wash temperatures of 160 F. It can redeposit on the linen, however, if not thoroughly rinsed.

The second step is to test suspect linen for abuse. There are ways to determine if the fibers have been damaged through chemical or excessive heat during processing. One method is the Fehling’s solution test. This process can detect the presence and amount of certain chemical residue that can damage cellulose fiber, primarily cotton. If these fibers become damaged, they weaken and will wear out prematurely.

Historically, the primary test for evaluating linen durability has been the AATCC 1961-IVa method for Colorfastness to Commercial Laundry. This test is becoming outdated with regards to the healthcare industry. It calls for a 2% solution of chlorine bleach, and most of our industry has moved away from chlorine in favor of hydrogen peroxide or other less aggressive chemistry in efforts to extend linen life. The industry or related agencies need to develop and publish an updated test method that includes the newer formulas and equipment being used in the industry.

The third step is to evaluate your linen. You could be using the wrong type, construction or blend. The move to higher-content synthetic fibers has raised the bar for the life expectancy of today’s linen. If you try comparing a 100% cotton bath blanket or terry towel to a blend, you will see a significant difference in life expectancy.

The fourth and final step is to be an educated user. Many of you that have been around a long time may be familiar with some of the information I’ve covered. But those of you who are less experienced should enlist your linen provider’s help. Your provider can help you get acquainted with the techniques and quick checks to help manage your linen purchases and usage. Also, check with your chemical supplier, as many can provide a troubleshooting guide to linen abuse.

HOTEL/MOTEL/RESORT LAUNDRY: JR NORRIS, DELTA UNIFORM AND LINEN

Isn’t this the pot calling the kettle black? During almost 20 years in the restaurant business, I witnessed my fair share of regular linen abuse. Now, after being in the linen supply business for the past several years, and seeing the other side of this equation, I find myself cringing at the condition of items I see coming back. Some might think that’s a good dose of Karma for me, but I like to think my experience gives me an alternate viewpoint and advantage in identifying and solving the problem.

When items come back damaged or discolored, I try to identify where the abuse took place. I inspect the facility before approaching the client; the worst thing you can do is point the finger at the client without inspecting your facility and processes first (I learned that the hard way).

Sometimes during this process, I’ll even go so far as to climb into each of my machines to identify potential issues with the washing and drying process. I also try to identify if handling by employees is causing the abuse. If facility employees are causing the abuse, I spend time talking about how to prevent abuse, and I always make a point to share the item price. Once the employees understand what it would cost them to replace the damaged item, the carelessness stops.

Another way to identify potential problems is to witness item delivery. I ride along with my route personnel weekly to try to identify if improvements can be made to prevent products from being damaged during distribution. I watch them load their route trucks to see how they treat all products, and I try to identify other contributing factors. I have been able to find and make repairs to trucks that had sharp edges and to screws that were tearing goods or had that potential.

If it turns out to be an issue on the client’s end, we typically use the main rule of baseball: three strikes and you’re out. This doesn’t mean that we stop servicing the account after three strikes. It just means we find a different way of getting the point across.

First, we send back the damaged item with a sticker indicating the item’s intended use and what we believe to be the inappropriate use. When it comes back abused a second time, one of our managers personally visits the client and reiterates that training is needed to prevent the product damage from continuing to happen. Last, we charge a replacement fee if/when it happens a third time.

Depending on how the bad the items are, sometimes we skip the three-strike rule and charge for the linen immediately. Because we operating a weekly linen rental business, we have to make sure the customer understands that there are financial consequences for recurring linen abuse.

Remember, it’s all about getting back to the basics and training. Always give your employees and customers the proper tools and information to be successful.

MEMBER AT LARGE: DOUGLAS STORY, SWISHER HYGIENE

Knowledge is king! The more a customer knows about the cost of linen and what happens when the linen is damaged or lost, the more likely they will be tuned in to the need to protect this asset.

We are in a service industry, and part of our regularly scheduled service program should be to train the customer on how they can control costs via efficient use of linens; protecting their linen from abuse and loss should be part of that program. Training should include:

• Identifying sources of abuse (chemicals reputed to stain or damage linens; bleach, acids or mechanical devices that can cut linens or cause them to tear; etc.)
• Physical samples of abused linen from the same or similar facility
• Actual breakdown of what it costs to replace a damaged or lost item
• The presence of upper management and “direct contact” workers

When linen is found to have abuse stains or damage, the items should be taken to the facility and become part of the training and education process. The sooner this is accomplished within a customer service contract, the quicker the abuse can be minimized. Allowing prolonged abuse only creates a situation in which abuse becomes a hard-to-break habit.

About the possibility that you’re abusing the linen during processing and/or distribution, the answer is yes. The same training program used for customers should be implemented with staff and employees of the laundry operation.

Floor drags and drops, equipment tears, caster stains, mildew stains, etc., are just a few of the abuse issues that can occur if laundry operations are not following proper procedures or the plant is using malfunctioning equipment.

Enhanced quality control programs in which everyone is trained will aid to minimize linen abuse in a facility.

Check back Tuesday for the third and final part!

MEMBER AT LARGE: DOUGLAS STORY, SWISHER HYGIENE

There are a lot of stains out there that we all work to try to remove in our day-to-day efforts, everything from medical stains in the healthcare industry to various types of waterproof make-up stains in the hospitality industry, but the stain that I find most difficult to remove is the idea of producing linen with “no or zero stains.” This is an extremely difficult issue to deal with because many actually believe they can produce linens/fabrics with absolutely zero stains every time, every day.

Is this possible? Well, yes, it is possible. We could process all linens on wash formulas that would produce a quality level in most classifications about as close to a “zero stain” program as possible. So why don’t we? Why don’t we go with what many of the manufacturing QC gurus call a zero-defect operation, or in our case the zero-stain process? In manufacturing, would a zero-defects operation cost you more money than a process that yields a few defects?

Yes, especially in an operation where we do not technically have control over the quality of the raw material coming in the door. Linen or fabric is our raw material. Unfortunately, hundreds or thousands of 100% cotton sheets having the same structure and design were not necessarily produced from the same raw material. Some need a greater level of soil removal than the rest. Our goal is to provide our customers with linens that are as clean and structurally sound as the linens were when the items were new.

OK, so why don’t we launder the product to produce zero stains? Isn’t that what the customer wants? Yes, but in reality they do not want stains delivered, so our quality control operation should make sure that doesn’t happen. At the same time, the customer and/or the laundry want to make sure the finished goods are protected from excess damage via wear and tear. Laundering fabrics of all types is one of the few “manufacturing” processes in which the raw material and the finished goods are structurally and generally the same.

Here are a few reasons why we shouldn’t process work to deliver zero stains:

• In every wash load, there are a mix of linens from heavy soil to light soil, while the average washer formula is written to deal with moderate- to heavy-soiled items.
• If we processed the linens for zero stains, we would be subjecting the lightly soiled items in every load to excess mechanical, chemical and processing treatment that could damage or shorten the life of the majority of finished products. Lightly soiled items generally constitute 50-70 % of a washer load (there are exceptions, i.e. bar towels).
• Extra time (increased labor), extra water, wear and tear on equipment, more chemicals, shortened linen life, and higher energy consumption are just a few of the costs that will be increased in one’s drive to produce a zero-stain product.

So what’s a laundry manager to do in search of a zero-stain product? Keep quality control on top of product quality delivered to the customer while the plant works to maximize quality while minimizing the downside potential to the final product and the operation.  

Over the years, many studies have developed acceptable levels of stain/rejects for various operations. The averages of these studies are as follows:

• Hospitality (hotel/motel linen) — 2.5-4.0% rejects
• Healthcare — 3.5-5.5% rejects
• Nursing Home — 4.0-5.5% rejects
• Linen Supply — 5.0-6.0% rejects

The secret to a highly efficient laundry operation is not to have zero stains. No, in this case of production management, it is better to have a percentage of stains within acceptable levels in order to protect the finished product and the sustainability of your operation or business.

We all want to produce the best product possible, but we are going to have to accept a level of rejects that many in true manufacturing businesses could not.

LINEN SUPPLY: STEPHEN MARCQ, GENERAL LINEN SERVICE

The most stubborn stains to remove (as opposed to those that defy removal, such as stainless steel and cement stains) are mildew, ink from pens left in pockets, and a variety of medical ointments.

I am sure others will provide excellent technical advice here on how to contend with these after the fact, but this is truly a case of prevention being the best cure. Ongoing customer education and gaining early buy-in to linen conservation practices is the key, beginning with training on using a product for its intended purpose, and providing the appropriate grade article for that use. Other tips include recommending higher-grade towels for light duty in the front of the house, and saving second-quality ones for the heavy cleaning tasks.

Pre-sorting of linen immediately after use is critical to prevent stains. This include bagging tablecloths and napkins separately from bar mops and aprons, keeping shop towels separate from industrial garments, and so forth. As always, encouraging customers to only put linen into the soil bags will help prevent staining, especially in situations with weekly pickup schedules. Selling bags of ragged-out towels at a good price to “hard” users can be a good strategy as well.

Place laminated signs with pictures of the items that should go in each bag on the wall over the bag stands, and replace as necessary. Convince the customer that taking good care of your linen while it’s in his establishment is not only good for you, it’s also good for his long-term linen costs.

HOTEL/MOTEL/RESORT LAUNDRY: JR NORRIS, DELTA UNIFORM AND LINEN

Stubborn stains can be a real challenge in today’s commercial laundry facilities, because stains can have a negative effect on production, leading to a smaller profit margin. We are lucky to have an experienced dry cleaner as our owner. We also have two ex-dry cleaners on our production staff, so stubborn stains have met their match here.

The key to not setting stains or avoiding a mountain of rewash is sorting. Proper sorting in your facility can eliminate headaches and money being washed down the drain. Make the minimum effort to pre-sort those pillowcases and terry and your production times and rewash will be greatly reduced. If the stains are caught during the sorting process, they can be pre-spotted and processed without incident.

On occasion, no matter how hard you try, stains will slip by the attentive eyes of the sorters. The majority of the stains we encounter are lipstick and make-up, primarily mascara. Make-up wears off during the night on pillowcases and sheets. Other times, the mascara is whipped off using hand towels, bath towels or washcloths. These oil-based stains are then transferred to the linen and terry. As we all know, oil-based stains need chemicals in order to be removed effectively.

Mascara, make-up and any other oil-based stains are best removed by using a solvent-based stain remover such as Pyratex. At Delta, once a stain is discovered, it is separated and sent to rewash. We employ one person who is responsible for stain removal. Once the type of stain is determined, the linen is treated based on the spotter’s recommendation and experience, then sent for rewashing. Always remember to wash treated textiles shortly after spotting.

Click here for Part 1.

“Our resort has upgraded its linens everywhere, from the guestrooms to the pool to the five-star restaurant. So, the pressure is on to clean, handle and store these goods so they give us the longest useful life possible. What advice can you give me about processing high-thread-count linens?”

Consulting Services: David Chadsey, Capital Equipment Consulting, Winter Haven, Fla.

The hospitality industry is extremely competitive. One of the ways that properties have sought to differentiate themselves is by using high-quality textiles throughout their scope of services.

Events seem to blend together for me after having worked more than 25 years in this industry. But it seems to me this whole high-end-hospitality-linen rage started a decade ago with the luxury pillow-top bed. Oh, yes, the indulgent extravagance of a bed with a built-in pillow top.

Unfortunately, many of the pioneering hospitality decision-makers didn’t work in operations. In many properties, the discovery that standard-sized sheets do not fit on thicker mattresses was a stark revelation upon install.

No problem. Purchasing comes to the rescue with wider, longer sheets. But these sheets don’t fit width-wise down the ironer. Uh-oh. As an average, full-function finishing line costs about $250,000, many laundry operations were left to figure out temporary solutions until capital resources were made available for new equipment. Today, the ironing line of 130 inches wide plus is the specification standard in nearly all hospitality applications.

Who can forget the national media coverage several years ago that told America that hotels don’t launder their bedspreads after every guest checkout? Oh my! Again, sales drive the train and property differentiation comes first. “Here’s an idea—let’s put a duvet-covered quilt on every bed. Then we only have to wash the cover.”

Wash and iron, Mr. Hospitality Exec. Ironing a duvet cover, as those working in hospitality have learned, is like ironing a mega pillowcase on steroids. Again, operations were instructed to figure it out. Soon, everybody learned that high quality comes with a price—more labor, more utilities, and more equipment.

For decades, the T-180 sheet—and blended, at that—was the standard throughout the hospitality industry. No longer. The Holiday Inn Express that I stayed in recently had tuxedo T-220, 100% cotton bed linen. In many ways, cotton is easier to wash—the fabric loves to open up and surrender stains in hot water. But finishing is another issue.

It seems like the industry already went through this in reverse nearly 50 years ago. If you want cotton flatwork to look nice, it has to be ironed. Fifty-pound washers and tumble dryers in the basement simply will not provide a high-quality finish.

Pay attention, folks. If the high prices of cotton continue, I would expect the major mills to introduce new “looks and feels like cotton” polyester bed linen any day.

Through all of this change, Milliken led the charge in table linen, producing amazing imitation cotton food-and-beverage products. This product line has come a long way from the original Visa introduction. Most of this high-end, spun-poly-type fabric provides exceptionally long life, stable color, and ease of processing.

Uniforms: Barb Herman, SanMar Corp., Issaquah, Wash.

First, from a textile perspective, the task here really starts during the decision-making process to upgrade your linens (or any other textiles).

If a resort has an on-premise laundry (OPL) with commercial washing and finishing equipment, then the biggest part of this decision is the balance between image (look and feel) versus fabric durability in dye fastness, shrinkage, shape hold, snagging, soil/stain release, and the ability to wash and finish the product at high temperatures.

Many “high-end” linens are designed for look and feel, but are not built, and will not withstand, the rigorous processing needed to properly clean and finish the goods.

The wash floor chemical suppliers and dryer/ironer manufacturers operate in OPL and rental (linen supply) channels. They are well aware of the processing standards, chemical usage, and machine operation, as well as fabric performance testing that can be offered to evaluate potential premium linens for your operation.

With “high-thread-count” linens comes the risk of damage in both use and processing. The smaller denier of the yarns is what provides the look and feel, but it is simply not as durable as more-commercial products. More care needs to be taken in how these goods are processed in an OPL.

Stains on lighter fabrics become one of the most volatile issues for OPLs. Whites can be bleached to remove stains. However, lighter colors will fade drastically with typical commercial bleaching, and most fabric manufacturers warn against the use. Darks typically fade faster and show inconsistency in inventory as wear occurs. It is important to test products through the expected life cycle before making a decision to purchase.

With regard to storage, it is important to have proper shelving, cabinetry and carts that can be easily kept clean and neat. Goods should be organized in such a way that your housekeeping staff can handle them without the risk of product falling on the floor, or in areas around your resort that might cause staining.

The shelving and material-handling equipment (such as carts) should be segregated as “clean” and “soiled” so that you keep your soil redeposition in check. Finally, you will need to train your housekeeping staff to assist you in spotting stains and heavy soil, and in separating linens and toweling while cleaning rooms, so there is no redeposition in typical wash loads.

Moving from standard-grade linen to high-end also dictates that you inspect and maintain your washers, dryers, ironers, sorters and accumulators in such a way that they are kept clean and free of burrs that might cause snagging. The higher the thread count, the higher the risk.

Upgrading linen can certainly enhance the image of a resort and bring new and repeat customers. Let’s face it. We all want to sleep and bathe in comfort. Taking the time to identify the proper product by qualifying and testing, setting the processing and handling standards, maintaining the storage and handling equipment, and constantly training staff to be part of the overall image of your resort can be the difference in a successful upgrade.

Tomorrow: High thread count does not equate to more durability. In fact, the opposite is true …
Click here for Part 1.

ASHTABULA, Ohio — When laundry managers review their injury logs with inspectors from OSHA or from their workers’ compensation insurance carriers, back injuries frequently rank among the most commonly reported. On average, each back-injury claim represents a week of lost productivity, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, plus associated healthcare costs. The culprits triggering many of these back injuries are not difficult to fix.

By paying attention to ergonomics, work positioning and the elimination or minimization of repetitive bending, reaching and lifting, laundry managers may save their workers from needless pain and injury and save their companies from needless, burdensome costs.

Considerations in Specifying

The importance of determining exactly how the spring-loaded mechanism is to be used becomes critical to whether ergonomics may be introduced as a cost savings or as a cost. Specifying the right spring-loaded mechanism requires the following key considerations:

Large items such as sheets or small items such as face cloths — Carts and trucks with relatively straight, vertical walls accommodate spring-loaded mechanisms most effectively because the platform may travel farther down toward the bottom without impediment. Carts and trucks with tapered walls or with stepped walls to permit nesting when empty sometimes block smooth travel and create gaps between the platform and the sidewalls in which small items may fall.

Linen transport cart, in-plant utility truck or basket — The more people are to be involved in moving and handling the load, the more effective using spring loading becomes and greater the value of hiding the spring mechanism under the platform.

Loaded by hand or catching from a freefall — If laundry trucks are to catch linens freefalling from a sling system, chute or conveyor, the platform needs to be able to accommodate the additional load borne in absorbing the fall without breaking and without the springs collapsing. The distance of the fall and the weight upon landing need to be determined to ensure the ideal number of springs is included. It is common for this type of dynamic load to require 50% more load-bearing ability of the platforms than a typical, hand-loaded platform. Using a large sorting table under the chute and transferring the linens to spring-loaded carts and trucks may offer a less costly yet ergonomically sensible alternative.

For soiled or cleaned — Preventing the spring-loading mechanism from contacting soiled laundry is important for infection control and, therefore, the hidden coil design offers an advantage.

Bagged linen or loose — Bagged linen is less likely to snag on the covered spring mechanism than loose linens.

Though each individual application will help guide the type of spring-loading mechanism to be specified based on balancing a variety of practical factors with cost considerations, choosing either type of spring loading delivers welcome support for workers and aids in the reduction of repetitive-motion injuries.

Click here for Part 1.

ROANOKE, Va. — The escalating cost of textile products is causing many organizations to refocus on reducing linen-replacement costs.

During my years in this industry, both as a laundry manager and as a laundry consultant, the challenge of reducing linen-replacement costs has been a recurring theme. Some years ago, I had the pleasure of working with a major hospital on a linen-cost-containment program.

The immediate goal was to lower the hospital’s annual expenditures on linens; the hospital had been trying to accomplish this for several years. It was making the same mistakes that many U.S. healthcare facilities make: It was looking for a quick and easy solution.

There is no such quick fix available. But it is interesting and educational to review the efforts of this hospital and compare them with the eventual solutions. In order to save money on the purchase of replacement textiles, this hospital began an aggressive purchasing program designed to:

• Limit the amount of new linen stored at the hospital.
• Obtain the lowest cost per item based on purchase price.
• Reduce the number of linen items in circulation.
• Educate the linen users on the cost associated with linen service.

Goal One: Reduce Stored Supplies

This can be done simply by not ordering more linen until the current stock has been put into circulation. The catch then becomes having new linen available when it is needed. This requires an understanding of the hospital’s linen system and its seasonal fluctuations, knowledge beyond that possessed by most purchasing agents.

Often the linen vendors will attempt to assist the hospitals in understanding their linen system. There are many linen “control” systems on the market, but the majority of them are little more than advance-order systems for the vendors.

This particular hospital made the mistake of becoming overly dependent on the textile vendor’s promised one-week delivery on all linen items. The vendor was able to meet most of the orders for the first couple of months, but then the sporadic ordering (no towels one month, then triple the monthly order the next) caused delivery times to stretch out until two and three weeks became the norm.

The hospital was ill prepared to cope with projecting its needs in advance and routinely ordering predictable amounts of textiles, especially when it had been promised one-week delivery. The natural result was periodic linen shortages that made patients and staff unhappy. These problems caused the administration to return to the former policy of stocking linen items in the storeroom in an effort to ensure an ample supply at all times.

Goal Two: Reduce Per-Item Costs

The hospital adopted the philosophy of buying on purchase price instead of cost per use. It began to purchase muslin (T128) sheets instead of percale (T180), and the textile vendor assured the purchasing agent that patients and staff would never know the difference.

The hospital entered into a period of buying lower-quality items that were “just as good, only less expensive” than what it had been purchasing. There were some short-term savings by doing this, but the test of any good purchasing program is the test of time. Problems began to develop within the first year.

1. Gowns that had so nicely covered the patients no longer performed in the same manner. There was less material per gown, so IV’s were harder to handle, resulting in increased cutting of sleeves. Ambulatory patients began to wear two gowns, one on the front and one on the back. This practice almost doubled the usage. Net result was a cost increase on this linen item.
2.  The muslin sheet—that had seemed to be such a good buy—wore out more quickly than the percale. The greatest concern was the speed with which the cotton disappeared from the 50/50 blend. The majority of the cotton was worn out of the sheet during the first year, leaving a coarse 100% polyester sheet.
   
   
   The nursing staff found these sheets unacceptable and therefore took it upon itself to rag them out. The muslin sheets weighed more than the percale sheets and cost more to process. Net result of the economizing effort was to increase the monthly input of sheets, increase poundage in the laundry and decrease user satisfaction.
3. The washcloth was another item affected by the attempt to lower costs. This certainly seemed like a prime target for a lesser-quality product, especially because of the high replacement rate. The hospital began to purchase a lighter-weight washcloth but stayed with the usual 12x12 size. It was not long before complaints began to come in from the nursing floors.
   
   
   The new washcloth was shrinking a lot more than the others. After three or four washings, the washcloth became closer to an 8x8 size. The net result of this change was an increase in utilization. Respect for the product dropped and its abuse increased. The replacement rate more than doubled.

Next page: Reducing the number of items in your inventory...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With today’s announcement that it has acquired South Florida-based Q Linen Service, Swisher Hygiene Inc., a provider of hygiene and sanitation products and services, has acquired three laundry service companies in three separate deals in the past two weeks.

Q Linen Service serves the Miami market and provides facilities services such as the delivery of linen, bar towels and aprons to the foodservice and hospitality industries. Giuseppe Calderone, one of the owners of Q Linen, has joined Swisher Hygiene.

“Cotton prices are incredibly high, and our textile suppliers are warning that they’ll continue to go up. Can you suggest some ways we can extend the life expectancy of the textiles that we process without completely sacrificing quality?”

Textiles: Elizabeth Easter, Ph.D., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.

CHICAGO — Soaring demand amid low supply levels has pushed cotton prices to record heights in recent months, and the costs of finished goods have risen in turn.

Textile manufacturers are working feverishly to maintain their raw-materials supplies while providing their customers with finished goods that won’t break their linen or uniform budgets.

On the laundry side, linen conservation has never been hotter. The manager who can extend linen life without sacrificing product quality will see his or her value rise, too.