As the linen, uniform and facility services industry grows ever-more competitive—especially with the national chains that can apply massive marketing muscle and economies of scale—deciding whether or not to refit flatwork with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags is getting easier for laundry operators—particularly independents.

Tagging technology is hardly new. Datamars introduced its LaundryChips™ in 1990. Textile Rental (renamed Textile Services in 2012) and Industrial Launder (IL) began featuring ads and articles on this garment-tracking technology in the early ’90s. Like any innovation, RF tracking has evolved. Today’s systems are far more accurate than those of its infancy. Still, even though ...