TSA Warns Members Of April 2025 Forecast – Laundry Cost Index

TSA Warns Members Of April 2025 Forecast - Laundry Cost Index

Following the recent budget announcements, and the already published minimum wage increase we have forecast in the existing Laundry Cost Index (LCI) model what the impact will be in April 2025 when these changes are implemented.

The most significant concern for our industry is that we will see wages rise by almost 10% which is a combination of the impact of the National Insurance changes made at the recent budget which we anticipate will have an impact of 2.69% plus the published National Living wage at 6.7% giving a total of 9.39%. With general inflation and uncertainty around energy costs, we conservatively estimate the overall impact to be 5.64%. The industry needs to be planning for this significant uplift in cost which is why for only the second time in the history of the LCI (25 years) we have published a forecast.

Latest Laundry Cost Index

If you have any queries or would like any further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

T: +44 (0)20 3151 5600
E: tsa@tsa-uk.org

12,480 tonnes of carbon emissions saved through laundry and hospitality campaign

Huge progress through plastic-free linen service initiative

Traditionally cleaned linens for hospitality businesses have been protected by plastic covers, during transit from the laundry and while they are stored before being used. In recent years hospitality linen services have used 100 tonnes of plastics a week to protect clean textiles – of which only about 9% is recycled. With the drive to banish single-use plastic, finding sustainable alternatives has been a key objective for the Textile Services Association (TSA), UKHospitality (UKH) and the UK Housekeepers Association (UKHA).

In 2023 the three organisations along with its members agreed to work towards removing all single use plastic where possible from the processing of bed linens and towelling by 2025. It was described as an historic agreement – but an agreement is one thing, putting it into operation is quite another.

Recently the TSA conducted a survey of members to see how the plastic-free campaign was progressing.  “The results are incredibly encouraging,” says David Stevens, CEO of the TSA.  “83% of respondents have started removing plastics from their operations – and nearly 40% say their delivery of hospitality linens is already plastic-free, including some of the biggest companies in the sector.”   A further 5% said delivery would be plastic-free by the end of 2024, 17% by 2025, and the remainder by the end of 2026.  It’s estimated that up to 80% of single use plastics has already been taken out of the linen delivery system in the UK.

Stevens says, “Our research uncovered the unsustainable figure of 100 tonnes of plastic per week being used to wrap linen.  Reducing this usage by 80%  will save a staggering 12,480 tonnes of carbon emissions per year – and over 4,000 tonnes of plastic waste would no longer be going to landfill.”

Replacing plastics required planning and investment in alternative methods. These have included stacking linens direct into cages, using cage liners, and using hampers.

In some cases it’s a huge challenge to eliminate the plastic cover. For example, it may be that the particular operation requires bundles of clean linens to be left outside temporarily, and a plastic wrap provides the most effective protection.  And while hospitality is the prime focus for this initiative, there are other sectors that employ single use plastics for linen service, where the challenge will be greater.  This is particularly the case where ensuring sterilisation  is a critical issue, such as in the healthcare sector. 

The survey results were presented during a round table meeting of laundry and hospitality organisations.  One of the attendees was Premier Inn, who have been engaged in the  programme to remove single-use plastic wrapping of hospitality linens for the last two years.  The company’s procurement manager, Barnaby Mager, said, “It hasn’t been easy.  We’ve worked in partnership with our laundry suppliers to overcome the operational issues and together we’ve achieved a 50% reduction so far.  We are looking forward to improving this further.  Premier Inn is hugely supportive of the progress being made across the industry.”

Center Parcs is also fully behind the industry’s move to find a sustainable solution.  Samantha Stephenson, procurement manager said, “We are extremely keen to be involved in any initiatives to remove plastic, but it’s a challenging issue for holiday parks, when you are constantly dealing with the elements.  We are currently in talks with all of our laundry partners to review our packaging and hope to go plastic free as soon as possible. In the meantime, we have established a collaboration with our linens wrap provider to bale, collect and closed loop recycle our linen and towel packaging.”

“There is a huge amount of support for this campaign across our industries,”  says Stevens.  “We’ve already made enormous progress, which is down to everyone involved being committed to the objectives.  These are significant steps in the progress towards net zero.” 

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us either via email or phone: 

E tsa@tsa-uk.org

T +44 (0) 20 3151 5600

TSA announces dates for Laundry Open Week 2025

Recruitment drive initiative is back after 2024 pilot success

How to encourage recruitment for the commercial laundry sector in the face of national staff shortages? After a successful pilot in 2024, the TSA (Textile Services Association) has announced the dates for next year’s Laundry Open Week, which will run from 24th to 28th March 2025.

“Getting in front of potential recruits is made harder by the fact that every other industry is trying to do the same,” says David Stevens, CEO of the TSA. “It’s a busy, noisy, crowded space. But we have so much to offer: a great career path, decent wages, an ethos of support and diversity, a growing sector, the use of the latest technology… Laundry Open Week is the chance to get the message across.”

The TSA has worked closely with ETSA, the European Textile Services Association, to develop the Laundry Open Week initiative.  During the week commercial laundries across the UK and Europe will open their doors to allow visitors to see and discuss the range of careers available. Part of the message is the diversity of careers on offer: of the UK’s commercial laundry workforce of 24,000 or so, only about a third handle the laundry.  The Week will underline all the other opportunities, such as engineers, customer service reps, HR, drivers, sales and finance teams.

It’s not just about career opportunities: the Week is also an opportunity to underline some of the industry’s forward-thinking initiatives, around areas like sustainability, inclusivity and mental health, since these also prove attractive to potential staff. 

One of the companies who took part in 2024 was Micronclean. “We found it very positive,” says Nyle Chapman, the company’s learning and development officer. “The people who attended came with limited knowledge of the industry and of us as a company – and they left knowing a lot more! Subsequently several of them applied for positions with the company. Seeing what we do at first hand definitely changed their perceptions of our industry and of the careers it offers. We look forward to being involved in the 2025 Open Laundry Week.”

“Our industry is a real hidden gem, and it can be a great career for many people,” says Stevens. “We are keen to showcase to the general public what we can offer. The UK’s first Laundry Open Week was very much a pilot, and I’d like to thank all of our members who took part. We are looking forward to see how we can build on this event in 2025. There were some good lessons learned and it will be great to have more laundries taking part.”

The TSA is putting together resources for any laundries who want to participate in Laundry Open Week 2025. For more information contact the TSA

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us either via email or phone: 

E tsa@tsa-uk.org

T +44 (0) 20 3151 5600

Update from the TSA

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GLARE will enhance laundry industry’s sustainability credentials

TSA’s carbon footprint measuring platform will give hospitality, healthcare and manufacturing operators clear sustainability data

The TSA is putting the final touches to an initiative that could help commercial laundries around the world to become more sustainable. GLARE – Global Laundry and Rental Emissions platform – will allow laundries to easily measure their carbon footprint and may help to highlight how they can reduce their emissions.

Increasingly operators in industries such as hospitality, healthcare and manufacturing are scrutinising their suppliers’ sustainability credentials – GLARE will give them clear and comparable data about laundries’ emissions.

Measuring a businesses’ carbon footprint is an important step towards sustainability, but there’s an issue: which methodology is best?  There are many to choose from, each of which will give different outcomes.  The TSA’s Sustainability Steering Group worked with consultant Grain Sustainability to make provisions within the industry’s sustainability roadmap to measure and reduce carbon emissions, using well-established platforms such as Compare Your Footprint.  This platform became the foundation for GLARE – however, the long term vision is to specifically tailor it for the laundry industry.  For example, it could potentially include emissions factors relating to oxygenated bleaches, as used by commercial laundries, and recycled rental textile products.

David Stevens, CEO of the TSA, says, “One of the critical things with this type of platform is that it has to be easy to use, to encourage operators to put in the data.  We’ve trialled GLARE with some of our members, and they have described it as flexible, simple and intuitive.”   

The TSA’s GLARE initiative received an enthusiastic welcome when it was presented to several other national associations in Europe and to the TRSA (the USA’s Textile Rental Services Association).  They have agreed to support and promote it, seeing it as a global solution to a global issue.

GLARE will be launched early in 2025, when full details will be released.  In the UK it will be offered free to TSA members.  “We believe GLARE will make a major contribution to the industry’s carbon net zero objectives,” says Stevens. 

For more information contact the TSA

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us either via email or phone: 

E tsa@tsa-uk.org

T +44 (0) 20 3151 5600

Laundry owners and executives Assemble!

TSA unveils details of the 2025 National Congress

The TSA has announced the date and venue for the 2025 National Congress, which will take place on Wednesday 5th February at the Harbour Hotel in Southampton. The Association has also unveiled some of the highlights of the event, including the launch of ‘The Economic Value of the Textile Services Sector to the UK’ report, recently produced by Hatch.

The Congress is open to laundry owners and executives who receive an invitation to apply for tickets.  These are available on a first-come, first served basis and the event is usually a sell-out.  Along with the Hatch report, other key presentations will feature thought-provoking topics such as sustainability, the industry roadmap, and how to reduce energy consumption by 60%!

The keynote address speakers for 2025 will undoubtedly stimulate debate.  In the morning session Mohammed Qahtani will demonstrate how he came to be crowned world champion public speaker, while in the afternoon football legend Harry Redknapp will strut the stage in his inimitable style.

Alongside the insightful speaker and panel programme, the Congress is a chance to network with colleagues and competitors from across the industry.  On Tuesday 4th February, the evening before the main event, delegates staying overnight can join the informal reception in the hotel’s HarBar. On the 5th February, after the conference, there’s a drinks reception followed by the Industry Dinner, including entertainment. 

Delegates will also be able to explore the venue’s facilities.  The Harbour is a ‘super-yacht-inspired’ hotel that offers five-star luxury including a spa and rooftop bar. 

For more information about the Congress, please contact the TSA.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us either via email or phone: 

E tsa@tsa-uk.org

T +44 (0) 20 3151 5600

Laundry Cost Index: 2024/2025 FYQ2

Laundry Cost Index

Please see our latest published Laundry Cost Index for 2024/2025 FYQ2 below:

Latest Laundry Cost Index
Please see the previous annual increases below for comparison to the latest cost index with an annual increase of 4.27%:
The Full Report
Annual Increase
Laundry Cost Index 2023/2024 FYQ1
3.84%
Laundry Cost Index 2023/2024 FYQ4
6.19%
Laundry Cost Index 2023/2024 FYQ3
5.84%
Laundry Cost Index 2023/2024 FYQ2
7.09%
Laundry Cost Index 2023/2024 FYQ1
8.16%
Laundry Cost Index 2022/2023 FYQ4
9.34%
Laundry Cost Index 2022/2023 FYQ3
17.33%
Laundry Cost Index 2022/2023 FYQ2
20.28%
Laundry Cost Index 2022/2023 FYQ1
23.01%
Laundry Cost Index 2021/2022 FYQ4
20.13%
Laundry Cost Index 2021/2022 FYQ3
9.70%
Laundry Cost Index 2021/2022 FYQ2
5.92%
Laundry Cost Index 2021/2022 FYQ1
3.26%
Laundry Cost Index 2020/2021 FYQ4
1.43%
Laundry Cost Index 2020/2021 FYQ3
2.00%
Laundry Cost Index 2020/2021 FYQ2
1.64%
Laundry Cost Index 2020/2021 FYQ1
2.02%
Laundry Cost Index 2019/2020 FYQ4
2.73%
Laundry Cost Index 2019/2020 FYQ3
1.75%
Laundry Cost Index 2019/2020 FYQ2
2.95%
Laundry Cost Index 2019/2020 FYQ1
4.00%
Previous Laundry Cost Indices

If you have any queries or would like any further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

T: +44 (0)20 3151 5600
E: tsa@tsa-uk.org

Servisure’s Support for Ukraine: Delivering Essential Gear for Search and Rescue Operations

09 October 2024

Matthew Kerry Director of Servisure Ltd, part of the Isa Lea Group, based in Buckley, Wales has taken a meaningful step to support the people of Ukraine by assembling a vital care package. This package includes high-visibility workwear specifically designed for search and rescue operations, ensuring that those on the front lines can perform their duties safely and effectively.

In addition to the high-visibility gear, the care package also contains a range of polo shirts, sweatshirts, and other essential garments intended for both civilian use and members of the armed forces. These items aim to provide comfort, functionality, and a sense of normalcy amidst challenging circumstances.

“At Servisure, we believe in standing in solidarity with those affected by conflict and crisis. Our contribution reflects our commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts and providing practical assistance wherever possible. Servisure’s Support for Ukraine: Delivering Essential Gear for Search and Rescue Operations.”

For further information please click here!

The TSA’s new Supplier Document Portal makes contracting easier

Get easy access to supplier-specific H&S documents

The Textile Services Association (TSA) has launched the Supplier Document Portal on its website, a useful and functional platform that can enhance a contractor management process within laundries. The document portal aims to provide its members with access to the health and safety documents required to complete a work contract, especially when a supplier needs to attend a laundry site in person. This launch is part of the TSA’s mission to provide laundry and supply members with tools and resources to make their operations as safe and effective as possible.

TSA’s H&S Steering Group together with Shyju Skariah, Director of TSA’s Technical Programmes facilitated contractor management training from a H&S perspective earlier this year. The expert group recommended the bespoke development of the document portal to ease the repetitive administrative burden on both laundries and suppliers.

The Portal is simple to use. Suppliers can sign up and then upload essential documents to their profiles. A link can then be sent to a laundry allowing them to download the first documents they’ll need. This will then allow the suppliers to identify more specific follow-ups required, based on the initial responses. This helps to reduce the administrative burden and streamlines these complex processes.

As regulations and legislation change regularly, the platform also allows users to raise a query about any document on a supplier’s profile. The query will be sent to the supplier allowing them to address it, and update the document if required.

“Agreeing a new contract between two companies can be a time-consuming process,” says David Stevens, CEO of the TSA. “Our new Supplier Document Portal takes the guesswork out of whether you’ve got all the documents you need to get things off on the right foot. We know it’s going to be a useful resource for the laundry industry and its partner companies.”

The Supplier Document Portal is available for both laundry and supplier members of the TSA, but non-member suppliers can sign up to use it for an annual fee. The Portal can be accessed at supplierportal.tsa-uk.org

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us either via email or phone: 

E tsa@tsa-uk.org

T +44 (0) 20 3151 5600

TSA’s Infinite Textiles™ Scheme Web Page Goes Live!

The scheme is designed to accredit businesses for their responsible and innovative practices in sustainable handling of textiles products throughout its life cycle. As much as it is geared for the current challenges in the industry, it is equally a forward looking solution for the way things are developing in this sector.

If you are a laundry, recycler or hotel interested in the scheme, please click below for all the information: 

Infinite Textiles™ Scheme

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us either via email or phone: 

E tsa@tsa-uk.org

T +44 (0) 20 3151 5600