Writing a Hotel Towel Specification: A Procurement Guide
By The Velocity Wear Team
Large hotel groups have procurement teams and detailed linen specs. Independent hotels often buy towels based on a sample that felt nice. That's how a property ends up with three slightly different white towels, some that shrink, and a laundry bill that doesn't make sense. A simple specification fixes this.
What to include
- Item and size in centimetres.
- Weight in GSM.
- Fibre: for example 100% combed cotton.
- Colour: white, or a specific colour reference.
- Border: plain, dobby or satin.
- Branding: embroidery, woven label, placement and size.
- Care: wash temperature and drying compatibility.
- Packaging: bagged, tagged, bundled.
A sample spec
- Bath sheet: 90 × 180 cm, 650 GSM, 100% combed cotton, white, dobby border, tonal logo embroidered centred on border.
- Bath towel: 70 × 140 cm, 550 GSM, same finish.
- Hand towel: 45 × 75 cm, 500 GSM, same finish.
- Face towel: 40 × 60 cm, 450 GSM, same finish.
Talk to your laundry
Commercial laundries run specific programmes. Share your spec before ordering and ask whether heavier towels will affect drying time or cost. Some laundries charge by weight, so a heavier towel costs more to launder every time.
Par levels
Most hotels hold around three par of towels per room: in use, in laundry and on the shelf. Add extra for pools, spas and gyms. Build in allowance for losses and rejects.
Consistency across reorders
Keep the spec on file and quote it on every order. White varies between mills and batches; a clear spec and a retained sample help reorders match.
Lifecycle and replacement
Track towel age and condition. Replace in planned batches rather than emergency top-ups, which lead to mismatched stock.
Budget and cost per use
The cheapest towel isn't the cheapest over its life if it thins, frays or greys quickly. Think in cost per use: purchase price divided by the number of washes before replacement.
Quick checklist before you order
- Spec written for every towel item?
- Laundry partner consulted?
- Par levels calculated?
- Retained sample for reorders?
- Replacement schedule planned?
Sampling and approval
Before ordering at scale, request samples of each item in your spec. Test them through your laundry process several times, check shrinkage, colour and embroidery, and have housekeeping and front-of-house staff give feedback. Sign off a sample as the approved standard and keep it for reorders.
Budgeting across the year
Towel replacement is a predictable operating cost. Build it into the annual budget based on room count, par levels and expected replacement rates. Ordering in planned batches can reach better quantity pricing than ad hoc top-ups.
Guest-facing branding
Decide how visible branding should be. Some hotels embroider only bath sheets and use plain hand towels. Others brand everything with a subtle woven label. Consistency across rooms matters more than which option you choose.
Accessibility and guest comfort
Consider guests with accessibility needs: larger bath sheets, easily reachable towel storage and towels that aren't too heavy to lift when wet. Small considerations make a big difference to comfort.
Supplier relationships
A consistent supplier who understands your spec saves time on every order. Share your forecast so they can plan, and flag any rebrand early so embroidery changes can be scheduled.
Ordering
Our towels are 100% combed cotton in five sizes at 450 to 650 GSM, with embroidery, dobby borders and woven labels. Minimum 50 per design, 10 to 15 working days from artwork approval. See wholesale towels and custom hotel towels.
