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RFID linen tracking hardware: washable UHF laundry tags, fixed tunnel readers, antennas and handhelds for hotels, hospitals and laundries. Samples available.
RFID linen tracking puts a washable passive UHF tag on every sheet, towel, gown and uniform, so readers can count an entire cart or bag in seconds instead of item by item. A typical system has laundry tags sewn into each item, fixed readers with antennas at sorting and dispatch points, handhelds for linen-room counts and software that reconciles every count. We supply the tags and reader hardware for hotels, hospitals, industrial laundries and uniform-rental operations; the laundry management software comes from your software provider.
Linen moves in bulk between the user and the laundry: soiled out, clean back, often across several sites and carts a day. Hand counting that volume is slow, and when counts are skipped nobody can say where items went missing or who should pay for them. Hotels dispute invoices with outsourced laundries, hospitals lose gowns and scrubs between wards, and uniform-rental firms cannot prove which garment went to which wearer.
Barcodes help only a little, because each label still needs line of sight and one scan per item. UHF RFID, which follows EPC Gen2 (ISO/IEC 18000-63), reads through fabric and bags without line of sight and can inventory many tags per second. The trade-offs are specific to laundry:
Every installation follows the same chain: laundry tag → antenna → UHF reader → software.
Tagging comes first. At a tagging station a USB desktop UHF writer reads each new tag, optionally encodes a serialized EPC, and registers it against the item before it goes into circulation.
| Tag format | Build | Typical items | Points to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sewn fabric (textile) tag | Thin, flexible, stitched or heat-sealed like a care label | Sheets, towels, table linen, garments | Wash-cycle and pressure ratings; ironing rating; band |
| Silicone tag | Sealed, flexible, thicker than fabric | Workwear, mops, heavier textiles | Temperature rating; attachment method; band |
| PPS button | Rigid polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) disc | Uniforms, workwear, items that tolerate a hard tag | Button size and feel; press rating; placement away from ironer rolls |
Before ordering in volume, run this checklist against your own process:
Wash-test a batch of samples through your real process, then read them at your planned read points. The range of laundry and garment tags covers fabric, silicone and PPS button formats.
| Location | Recommended hardware type | Key spec to check |
|---|---|---|
| Soiled-linen intake and sorting | Fixed reader at reduced power with low-gain antennas under the sorting table | Read zone small enough to count one customer’s items at a time |
| Clean-side dispatch tunnel | 8-port fixed reader in a shielded tunnel with antennas on several sides | Antenna count and layout; GPIO for cart sensor and stack light |
| Conveyor or bag rail | 4-port fixed reader with antennas along the line | Read rate at line speed; trigger input |
| Hotel or ward linen room | Android UHF handheld reader | Band variant; battery for a full count; app or SDK |
| Uniform or scrubs dispensing cabinet | Fixed reader with PCB antennas inside the cabinet | Read coverage of every shelf; cabinet shielding |
| Tagging station | USB desktop UHF reader/writer | Same band as site readers; EPC write support |
| Every item | Laundry tag suited to the item and wash process | Wash, temperature and pressure ratings; band |
Pair fixed readers with suitable UHF antennas: compact circular-polarized panels for tunnels and PCB antennas for cabinets. For floor counts, handheld UHF readers run Android apps and scan barcodes too.
Contain the read zone. A tunnel lined with metal keeps RF inside, so carts waiting outside stay uncounted. Set reader power to the lowest level that reads a full cart reliably, and use a photo-eye on a GPIO input to start and stop each inventory.
Read dry linen. Plan read points at soiled intake and at clean dispatch, where items are dry. If you must read damp items, test with realistic moisture levels and expect lower read rates.
Verify counts, not just reads. Dense stacks and metal cart frames can hide tags. Compare every count with the expected quantity, re-scan exceptions and test with your own carts, bags and load sizes.
Match the regional band. Readers ship in 902–928 MHz (FCC) or 865–868 MHz (ETSI) versions, and some laundry tags are specified for 902–928 MHz only. Check both before ordering; our UHF frequency by country guide lists other bands.
Plan the software link. Fixed readers connect over TCP/IP or RS232. Ask for the command protocol or SDK early, so your software team can confirm how reads, antenna numbers and GPIO events arrive.
Avoid reader interference. Where several readers operate close together, separate their antennas and enable dense-reader settings if the reader supports them.
Per laundry plant
Per customer site (hotel, hospital, uniform user)
Per item
Not supplied: laundry management software, shielded tunnel enclosures, carts, conveyors and sewing or heat-seal equipment.
Tell us the installation country, the item types and quantities to tag, your wash process (maximum temperatures, press, drying, ironing, any autoclave cycle), the read points you plan and how your software connects to readers. We’ll suggest tag formats to wash-test and a reader and antenna layout per read point. Request a quote and we’ll reply within 24 hours.
IP66 integrated UHF reader that identifies vehicle tags at up to 12 m (9 dBi) or 30 m (12 dBi), with Wiegand 26/34, RS485, USB and optional TCP/IP.
IP66 all-in-one UHF reader and access controller: stores 5,000 users, controls the gate lock, opens by Bluetooth and reads tags at up to 10 m or 20 m.
445 mm IP66 integrated UHF reader with a 12 dBi linear antenna that reads vehicle tags at 10–20 m and reports over Wiegand, RS485 or optional TCP/IP.
309 mm integrated UHF reader that reads EPC Gen2 cards and tags at 2–10 m, with Wiegand and RS485 output, IP66 housing and a TCP/IP plus Bluetooth option.
Lower-cost integrated UHF reader for parking lanes: up to 10 m (9 dBi) or 15–20 m (12 dBi), with Wiegand 26/34, RS485, USB and optional TCP/IP.
220 × 220 × 40 mm EPC Gen2 UHF reader with a 5 m read range for parking and gate lanes, Wiegand, USB and RS485 output, and an optional RJ45 TCP/IP version.
Compact 128 × 128 × 40 mm UHF reader with a 3 m read range, metal rear shell and IP65 rating, outputting Wiegand, USB and RS485, with an optional TCP/IP version.
Four-antenna fixed UHF RFID reader for dock doors, portals and cabinets, with Impinj R2000 chip, 20–33 dBm output, RS232, TCP/IP and 2-in/2-out GPIO.
Each sheet, towel or garment carries a washable passive UHF tag with a unique number. Fixed readers in tunnels, sorting stations and cabinets, plus handhelds in linen rooms, read whole bundles at once, and your laundry software compares each count with what was sent, received or billed.
Thin sewn fabric tags suit flat linen and garments because they are flexible and hard to feel. Silicone tags are thicker and sealed, and PPS buttons are rigid and heat-resistant for workwear and heavy items. Choose by checking each tag's rated wash cycles, temperatures and press pressure against your own process, then wash-test samples.
Yes. EPC Gen2 anti-collision lets one reader inventory many tags per second. Densely packed or damp items shield each other, though, so tunnels use several antennas on different sides and software checks the result against an expected quantity. Test with your own loaded carts before fixing the design.
Only if the tag is specified for both bands. Readers are ordered in a 902–928 MHz or 865–868 MHz version, and some laundry tags are tuned for 902–928 MHz only, which shortens their range at 865–868 MHz. State the country on your RFQ so tags and readers are matched.
No. We supply the tags, readers, antennas, handhelds and desktop encoders. Fixed readers connect over TCP/IP or RS232 with a documented command protocol, so your laundry software provider or in-house team integrates the counts.
Compare UHF RFID reader bands by country, including US, EU, UK, China, India and Japan. Understand ERP, EIRP, channel conditions and radio approvals.
Wire a UHF reader's D0, D1 and ground to your controller, match 26/34-bit Wiegand, size 12 V power and trigger the barrier by relay. Diagrams included.
Yes, RFID works on metal with tags built for it. See why metal detunes standard tags, compare ABS, PCB, ceramic and label tags, and test read range properly.
Send your card type, interface and quantity. You get a quote, lead time and compatibility notes within 24 hours — samples available for most items.
