14/10/2026
Different technologies. Different strengths. Why RFID for laundry?
The challenge is not just identifying one towel. It is keeping track of textiles moving through an entire operation.
QR codes and 1D barcodes need a visible code to scan. They are useful identification tools, but that requirement adds handling when labels are hidden inside a pile of textiles.
NFC, itself part of the RFID family, is designed for close-range interactions. Great for a deliberate tap, but not the natural choice for bulk textile identification.
UHF RFID allows multiple tagged textiles to be identified quickly, without direct line of sight or presenting each label individually. That makes it particularly useful where large volumes need to move through reading points efficiently.
With suitable laundry-grade tags, identification can also withstand the repeated washing, heat, chemicals and mechanical stress of industrial laundry processes. Selecting the right tag and attachment method matters.
At Leanwave, we connect those reads with software that makes textile movements understandable. Receiving, dispatch, returns and recorded wash cycles become information teams can use to check inventory, investigate discrepancies and identify delays, with less reliance on manual counting.
We choose RFID for these applications because it fits the process, not because every other technology is wrong. The right solution always starts with the operation.
The goal is not simply to read a tag. It is to understand what is happening to your textiles.
