‘The
textile services sector sits behind practically every sector of the UK economy’
Research
conducted by Hatch Regeneris concludes that the textile services industry is
‘core to the operation of many businesses in vital and important sectors of the
UK economy.’ It highlights three markets
of particular significance, hospitality, healthcare and manufacturing,
concluding that without the support of the textile services industry they would
face insurmountable problems. Yet the
long-term sustainability of textiles services in the UK is under considerable
threat and action is needed if it is to survive.
The
research was commissioned by TSA, the Textile Services Association, and was
carried out in 2020. The key problems it
highlighted are dramatically rising costs, downward pressure on prices and
severe staff shortages. However, since
then the industry has suffered even more setbacks and its position is even more
precarious. “Brexit, the pandemic and
escalating fuel costs have amplified the issues to a catastrophic extent,” says
David Stevens, CEO of the TSA. “Without
serious price rises for customers and government support – at the very least in
terms of access to the EU labour market – there is a real risk that many
textile services companies will go out of business.”
Textile
services encompass the supply, rental, laundering and maintenance of textiles. It ranges from bedding and towelling in
hotels; to PPE and workwear in factories; to surgical, pharmaceutical and high-care
food workwear; to mats, roller towels and washroom services in a wide range of
sectors. Each week the industry
processes 53 million textile items to end users in the UK.
The
report estimates that the textiles services industry contributes a total of
£1.3billion in GVA to the UK economy and £190million to the Exchequer, while
supporting 28,000 FTE jobs. It notes
that hospitality is dependent on the industry, since the provision of clean,
fresh linen is fundamental to their business.
Just one hotel with 100 bedrooms will get through 750 pieces of linen
per day. Similarly in manufacturing, the
report says production lines would come to a standstill within three days of
not receiving new workwear. Meanwhile,
healthcare and social care can’t function safely without bedlinens, surgical
gowns and patient wear washed to very high specifications.
Aside
from those three key sectors, as the report points out, ‘the textiles services
industry sits behind practically every sector in the UK economy.’
“If commercial
textiles services ceased to operate, many UK businesses, industries and sectors
would grind to a halt,” says Stevens. “We
continue to press the Government for help, but so far they continue to ignore
us, despite organisations like UKHospitality and NHSI supporting our
arguments.”
The Hatch
Regeneris research, ‘The Economic Value of the Textile Services Sector to the
UK Economy,’ is available to download at tsa-uk.org, from the TSA publications
section in the documents library.
The TSA is the trade
association for the textile care services industry. The TSA
represents commercial laundry and textile rental businesses. Membership
ranges from family-run operations through to large, multi-national
companies. Visit www.tsa-uk.org for more information.
Press Enquiries:
The Publicity Works:
01263 761000; tim@publicityworks.biz
David Stevens, CEO,
Textile Services Association,
T: +44 (0)20
3151 5600 M: +44 (0)7966
531954 E:
david.stevens@tsa-uk.org