Media Information

General Results

Two national surveys completed by TRSA, the leading global textile services trade association, have found the majority of both businesses and consumers prefer that employees wear uniforms. The primary reasons for this preference, according to the survey are related to image, trust and identification.

Surveying both textile service decision makers and consumers nationally, TRSA found 82 percent of businesses report a preference for employees wearing uniforms, while 86 percent of consumers across service, healthcare, hospitality and restaurant sectors prefer uniforms as well.

“These two surveys provide a unique and detailed perspective on business issues related to uniforms and linens across multiple industries, as well as how these textiles influence consumer perceptions and choice,” explained Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA. “We believe the resulting data will help better educate our members, and ultimately influence marketing and service improvements as they interact with their consumers.”

Both national surveys found significant business growth opportunities for textile service providers across several industries. For instance:

• Nearly half of all healthcare workers clean their uniforms at home despite 68 percent of consumers reporting they are concerned seeing scrubs and other medical uniforms outside of a healthcare facility.
• One in three hotels report a preference for outsourcing linen services but cannot locate a textile services provider.
• Fifty-seven percent of the most affluent and frequent diners prefer restaurants using table linens and would pay more for meals at these restaurants that use them.

An executive summary of the data on business decision maker and consumer views plus releases of findings related to specific textile services markets (industries) are available.

Executive Summary | Business to Business Survey | Consumer Survey

F&B/Restaurant Results

Two national surveys recently completed by opinion and research firm Fabrizio Ward found a majority of consumers prefer dining in restaurants with tablecloths. The surveys also found expectations of the quality of service and a customer’s willingness to pay more both increase due to the presence of tablecloths in a restaurant.

Key findings for the food and beverage industry include:

• 57 percent of consumers prefer eating at tables with tablecloths.
  • Of those, 67 percent earn more than $80k annually
  • Of the 43 percent who don’t prefer tablecloths, nearly half are under 35 years old
• When restaurants use tablecloths, the survey found:
  • 62 percent of consumers expect a higher level of service.
  • 60 percent expect higher quality food.
  • 55 percent believe the restaurant pays more attention to details.

55 percent of survey respondents are willing to pay more at a restaurant that uses tablecloths and linens.

“For many restaurants, tablecloths and other linens are plausible but are sometimes seen as an unnecessary expense. However, what these findings demonstrate is tablecloths can boost consumer perceptions, expectations and even the check,”explained Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA. “It’s a reasonable investment to improve both the stature of the establishment as well as the bottom line.”

In addition, 88 percent of food and beverage companies that were surveyed agreed renting reusable textiles (i.e., tablecloths, napkins, uniforms, etc.) save restaurants time and money.

Healthcare Results

Two national surveys recently completed by opinion and research firm Fabrizio Ward found an overwhelming segment of both the public and healthcare decision makers agree that lab coats, scrubs, gowns and other garments laundered by professional textile services are cleaner and more hygienic.

By reaching out to both textile service decision makers and consumers nationally, the survey found within the healthcare industry:

• 82 percent of healthcare company decision makers feel rented lab coats, gowns, scrubs and uniforms are more hygienic.
• 83 percent of consumers say a professional launderer provides a cleaner lab coat vs. workers cleaning those coats themselves
• 68 percent of consumers are concerned when seeing medical professionals wearing scrubs outside of a medical facility.
• Two thirds of hospitals have a problem with linen loss.

“This survey data is telling us there are universal concerns about hygienic lab coats and other healthcare garments,” explained Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA. “The industry and the public agree professional textile services providers offer cleaner, more hygienic hospital garments. And since seeing those garments outside a healthcare facility is a concern for the public, partnering with a reputable commercial laundry can significantly address these concerns.”

In addition, Fabrizio Ward found two thirds of hospitals struggle with linen loss issues. This is consistent with previous research conducted by TRSA, which found linen loss typically costs the healthcare industry more than $840 million per year.

Hospitality/Hotel Results

Two national surveys recently completed by opinion and research firm Fabrizio Ward found a large segment of the hospitality sector is failing to calculate the full, accurate cost of laundry on their businesses and that outsourcing laundry services is better for the environment.

By reaching out to both textile service decision makers and consumers nationally, key findings for the hospitality industry included:

• Less than half of all hotels account for key laundry costs such as energy, water, machinery maintenance and employee labor costs
• 77 percent of consumers feel hotel conservation programs are about saving money while nearly 60 percent want hotels to pursue more environmentally friendly laundry practices.
• One in three hotels prefer to outsource laundry services but could not locate a textile services provider

“This survey data is telling us is that there are huge opportunities for the hospitality sector,” explained Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA. “There is significant room to improve on laundry cost calculations and to better educate guests on specific steps hotels are taking–on their own or with a commercial laundry partner–to reduce their carbon footprint. It also presents our members with the challenge of doing a better job connecting with and educating the hotels in their regions.”

In addition, when presented with data about commercial laundry operations, 52 percent of hospitality decision makers with an opinion agreed outsourcing laundry is better for the environment because it uses fewer resources such as water and energy.

Industrial/Uniform Results

Two national surveys recently completed by opinion and research firm Fabrizio Ward found industrial business leaders believe textile service providers can reduce their expenses and environmental impact while improving their corporate image.

Of the industrial business decision makers surveyed by Fabrizio Ward, findings included:

• 84 percent believe renting uniforms improves their corporate image.
• 78 percent believe renting reusable textiles allows the company to save money by writing off the rental expense and eliminating linen loss and other laundry issues.
• 70 percent believe renting reusable textiles reduces solid waste, provides better quality and is environmentally sustainable.
• 63 percent believe renting reusable shop towels minimizes hazardous waste concerns.

“We’ve learned the industrial sector recognizes the expertise of the textile services industry,” explained Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA. “It gives us an opportunity to help these businesses offload expenses and operations that are beyond the scope and expertise of their primary mission while also helping them operate in a more environmentally responsible way.”

About TRSA

TRSA represents companies that supply, launder and maintain linens and uniforms. Our members help businesses, retailers, healthcare facilities, restaurants, government and other organizations enhance their image and provide clean, safe environments for their employees and customers. TRSA strengthens and promotes the linen, uniform and facility services industry by building a stronger, safer and more environmentally conscious community through advocacy, education, research, benchmarking and networking. TRSA quantifies our industry’s commitment to cleanliness and sustainability through its Clean Green and Hygienically Clean Certification programs.

About Fabrizio Ward

Fabrizio Ward is an opinion research and consulting firm focused on supporting successful communications. Our job is to help organizations meet their business objectives by providing research-based insights that bring clarity to a situation and provide recommendations to guide decision making.

Our clients have varied objectives, from surviving crises, managing issues, influencing public policy, enhancing reputations, seeking competitive advantage. But their common thread is the desire to have the most effective communication plan possible. One that targets the right audiences, strikes the right tone, avoids unwinnable battles, delivers the most compelling messages and achieves the objective.

The firm’s partners have conducted research on behalf of a host of trade associations dealing with a wide variety of objectives and purposes. Some of the more recent experience with associations includes: National Retail Federation, National Auto Dealers Association, America’s Natural Gas Alliance, and Global Automakers Association.

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