MATERIAL SOLUTIONS: READER’S QUERY
WATER RISE: Water charges worldwide are set to rise steeply, but simple steps by launderers can minimise costs
sense to adjust the dips for every rinse to the minimum achievable, based on the alkalinity of the final rinse for each classification. In many cases, the savings achievable are substantial, yielding significantly reduced water costs and cycle times.
Conclusion
Our industry has never been afraid of innovation and this month we have highlighted some of the recent opportunities which the market leaders are seizing to address historic problems of poor
productivity and profitability, along with opportunities for market growth. If you have any queries about what is now possible and how to set about improving your business, please contact the Editor at
kathy.bowry@
laundryandcleaningnews.com
If you have a problem that you think LTC Worldwide can help with, or that you feel would make a good subject for Material Solutions, please call T: +44 (0)1943 816 545 or E:
enquiries@ltcworldwide.com or W:
www.ltcworldwide.com
Reader query: Successfully processing high thread-count linen
Top-end establishments demand top- end results on their very expensive linen, says Richard Neale, who offers advice on how to achieve this outcome
M 24
ore five-star hotels and other premium establishments are specifying high thread count bedding, suggesting ever higher figures for the total number of threads per square inch (or per 25 mm square). Hotel buyers and executive housekeepers have come to value the superior drape, softness and breathability of high thread cotton sheeting and believe, correctly, that this enhances the immediate appeal of the bed to discerning travellers, particularly those for whom high room rates are not a problem. This issue, we look at some of the misleading claims that are distorting the market and how to handle
high thread-count textiles successfully, in either contract laundering or top-of-the market rental.
High thread-count textiles generally have significantly more than 200 threads per square inch and each thread is much finer than those used for a traditional percale construction (which has 180 – 200 threads per square inch). By using finer threads, it is possible to pack in more threads per inch, but the spinning cost is much greater because of the greater length of thread needed and because greater care is needed to minimise slubs and weaker sections of yarn (and the consequent risk of faults in the weave).
Some suppliers claim very high thread counts (up to 700 or even 800 threads per square inch) and achieve this by using yarns made up of several threads laid parallel. The dominant factor in the weaving cost is the number of picks, i.e. the number of weft yarns per inch running
from side to side of the bale of cloth. By using weft yarns composed of several fine threads it is possible to offer say 400 threads per inch in the weft direction, but at a cost of only say 50 picks per inch (with each weft thread made of eight fine threads). This can underpin a claim of a total of say 800 threads per square inch, but the performance is unlikely to be the same as if this had been achieved by weaving individual threads, rather than eight woven together as one. Desizing: weavers usually need to apply a sizing to the warp yarns to reduce the friction, because the weft yarn is inserted at ever higher speeds (which reduces the weaving cost). With high thread count textiles, it is vital that this sizing is removed during cloth finishing (when it can be washed off easily at low temperature). If this washing off is incomplete then many types of sizing will harden onto the yarns during heat
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