Commercial laundries need to ensure that their wash results are of a consistent high-quality, regardless of the industry they serve (industrial, hospitality or healthcare). EMPA laundry swatches are a valuable tool for independently validating commercial laundry wash results. These swatches are standardised, pre soiled, fabric samples, that allow for objective assessments of the effectiveness of your laundry processes.
Internationally, EMPA swatches are created by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, locally they are offered/tested by the AWTA (Australian Wool Testing Authority). EMPA’s are widely recognised as a benchmark for testing soil removal, whiteness and durability of textiles and are often used in laundry testing to evaluate colour retention and fabric integrity after laundering. There are many benefits to using EMPA swatches to validate commercial laundry wash results, including:
- Quality Assurance: EMPA swatches enable consistent and objective evaluations of the laundry process and quality. This helps in maintaining high standards and meeting customer expectations.
- Objective Performance Metrics: EMPA swatches provide concrete, quantifiable data on colour retention, fabric wear, and soil removal. These metrics offer valuable insights into the laundry’s performance.
- Benchmarking: The swatches can serve as benchmarks for assessing the laundry’s performance over time and comparing it with industry standards like AS4146:2000.
- Troubleshooting: If wash results deviate from expectations, the use of swatches can help pinpoint issues and areas for improvement in the laundry process.
- Customer Confidence: Demonstrating the use of swatches for independent validation can instil confidence in customers, assuring them of the laundry’s commitment to quality.
Laundry swatches like EMPA’s, are a highly valuable, cost effective tool for objectively and independently validating commercial laundry wash results. They provide reliable data on colorfastness, fabric integrity, stain removal, and overall laundry performance, ensuring quality and customer satisfaction. You should however, always request the independent AWTA result to ensure complete integrity in the process.