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Wiping Cloth Company President Suggests Ragged-Out Textiles Still Hold Value

I read with interest your article in the June 2009 issue of American Laundry News titled Define criteria for ragging out linen, then train staff to recognize signs, take action. There were many excellent points brought up by your Panel of Experts.
I feel that you missed an opportunity to suggest to your readers that they should consider selling their discards to a reputable wiping cloth company.
Next time you run a story on this subject, I would be pleased to offer my perspective on the value of discards and the best way to maximize revenue generated by discards. Our company has been buying from commercial laundries nationwide for more than 50 years. We also have relationships with buyers of these ragged-out linens around the world.
It is a nice thought to donate products to charities; however, many charities either don’t want the product because of the condition, or they have no need for it.
Many wiping cloth companies have large storage facilities, cutting equipment, and markets to recycle discards, including processing them back into fiber to be used for insulation, soundproofing or carpet padding.
In this economy, the value may not be as high as it has been in the past, but there is still value in those ragged-out textiles.

Larry Groipen
President
ERC Wiping Products
Lynn, Mass.

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