The RFID laundry tag built for real industrial laundry conditions: the LaundryChip™
RFID laundry tags identify and track garments, linen and reusable textiles throughout the laundry process. They enable automated counting, inventory visibility, wash-count tracking, loss reduction and customer reporting. An RFID laundry tag is a small, durable washable transponder permanently embedded in a textile item to enable automatic identification and tracking.
Not all RFID tags survive industrial washing. Standard tags fail quickly under high temperatures, chemical detergents, water extraction, tumble drying and mechanical pressing. That is why Datamars developed the LaundryChips™: specialized RFID tags purpose-built for industrial laundry environment, delivering durability, reading performance and long-term reliability across garments, linen, workwear, hospitality textiles, healthcare textiles and textile rental operations.
Datamars invented the first RFID laundry tag in 1990. Today, over 500 million LaundryChips™ are in use worldwide, across more than 10,000 installations in 65 countries.
TAG FORMATS
Main LaundryChip™ formats and application methods
One tag does not fit every textile application. The right choice depends on textile type, available space, wash conditions, reading requirements and application method. See the video on how to attach RFID laundry tags to linen.
Source tagging: sewn directly into the textile hem during manufacturing. Completely invisible once embedded (E.g. FT401ST, FT403).
Patchable: heat-sealed directly onto the fabric without sewing (E.g.: FT401PA, FT403). Also available with integrated QR code (FT401-QR; FT403-QR) or Datamatrix code (FT401-MX; FT403-MX) for smartphone reading.
In pouch: pre-inserted into a sewable pouch with generic or personalised logo. Ideal for retrofitting existing textile inventory. (E.g.: FT401 in pouch)
Vulcanized into rubber (floor mats, entrance mats, mops): vinyl-based UHF transponder that vulcanises seamlessly with the mat during production. No visible tag, no interference with the mat’s function. (eg F401 MAT)
Laundry Cart Tracking (TrolleyChip): rugged on-metal UHF transponder in durable white ABS housing, with laser-engraved Datamatrix code.
USE CASES
LaundryChip™ applications
The LaundryChip™ supports textile identification across laundry and textile service environments: hotel linen, healthcare garments and linen, private wear, mats and mops, workwear and uniforms, restaurant table linen and napkins, gym towels, spa and wellness robes, sports team apparel, textile rental items.
The same principle applies across all: each item receives a unique identity, read automatically and connected to operational data.
For a complete overview, see all our RFID solutions specialized for any laundry sector and textile.
TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE
Key specifications
- Durability: engineered to last the full textile lifetime. Minimum 200 industrial wash cycles guaranteed for workwear.
- Temperature resistance: withstands industrial washing temperatures, tumble drying and high-pressure ironing. High temperature variants handle the most extreme thermal conditions.
- Chemical resistance: survives continuous exposure to industrial detergents, bleach and chemical sterilisation agents.
- Mechanical resistance: built to endure water extraction presses, roller ironers and folding machines.
- Bulk reading: UHF technology reads up to 1,000 items in 3 seconds, without line-of-sight, without separating items.
- Compact form factor: FT401 at 70 x 10 mm and FT403 at 37 x 15 mm. Among the smallest laundry RFID tags on the market. Invisible once embedded.
- Smartphone reading: Standard UHF RFID tags require dedicated readers to be identified. Datamars offers specific LaundryChip™ variants with an additional printed QR code (FT401-QR) or Datamatrix code (FT401-MX), allowing item-level identification with any standard smartphone camera where a dedicated RFID reader is not available.
Full technical specifications of our most widely used RFID laundry tags: UHF LaundryChips™ 401 & 403. Complete transponder portfolio: products to identify and track every kind of textile.
COMPLIANCE & CERTIFICATIONS
LaundryChip™ certifications
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
The entire LaundryChip™ 40x and 50x families are certified free of harmful substances and safe for direct skin contact. Relevant for workwear, private wear, healthcare garments and any textile worn against the skin.
MR Conditional
The LaundryChip™ FT401 is certified suitable for use in magnetic resonance equipment (1.5t and 3t). The only RFID laundry tag on the market with this certification. A critical differentiator for hospitals and imaging centres.
ISO 9001
All LaundryChips™ are developed and manufactured in-house under rigorous quality management. Datamars is one of the few fully integrated RFID laundry tag manufacturers with complete control over design, production and quality.
SELECTION GUIDE
How to choose the right RFID laundry tag
The right tag depends on your specific operation. Key factors:
Textile type
Flat linen, garments, napkins, mats, workwear, private wear: each has different space constraints and handling conditions.
Attachment method
Source tagging, patchable or in pouch. Depends on when and where tagging happens in your process.
Available space
Hem width and surface area determine which format fits. FT403 for the smallest items.
Reading mode
Bulk reading (UHF, up to 1,000 items simultaneously) or single-item reading (LF/HF). Most modern operations choose UHF for speed and scale.
Wash conditions
Temperature profile, chemical agents, mechanical stress level.
Existing infrastructure
Already running LF or HF readers? Compatible tags and combo systems are available for phased transition.
Datamars Textile ID supports customers with tag selection, application method guidance, sample evaluation, project setup, integration with readers and software, and guidance for existing or new textile inventories.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Frequently asked questions
Engineered to last the full lifetime of the textile. Minimum 200 industrial wash cycles guaranteed for workwear. Performance depends on tag variant, textile type and wash conditions.
Yes. UHF LaundryChips™ read up to 1,000 items in 3 seconds, without separating or manually handling items. No line-of-sight required. For the full technology comparison, see UHF RFID for textile services.
Yes. The whole LaundryChip™ 40x and 50x families are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified: tested and confirmed safe for direct skin contact.
Both are UHF LaundryChips™ with the same patented double loop antenna and reading performance. The FT401 (70 x 10 mm) is the standard format for flat linen and garments. The FT403 (37 x 15 mm) is for smaller items like napkins and small towels where hem space is limited.
LaundryChips™ use a proprietary encapsulation material engineered for industrial laundry. Silicone format is not part of the standard range, but custom formats and materials can be discussed. Contact us.
Yes. Each LaundryChip™ carries a unique, non-cloneable identifier, supporting both operational tracking and authenticity verification throughout the textile lifecycle.
Yes. Datamars supplies bulk RFID laundry tags for hotel programs with custom encoding, branding and volume pricing. See hotel linen tracking.
Tag price depends on variant, format, volume, encoding and custom requirements. Contact us for a quote based on your specific application.
Yes. Because Datamars designs and manufactures all LaundryChips™ entirely in-house, we have full flexibility to develop custom solutions for specific client requirements: custom formats, sizes, antenna designs, branding and application methods. Whether the need is a minor adaptation of a standard format or a completely bespoke tag engineered for a specific textile, wash condition or application, our team can support the project from design through production. This end-to-end control over development and manufacturing is something very few RFID laundry tag suppliers in the industry can offer.
For high-volume flat linen, the FT401 and FT403 combined with pass-through reading systems deliver the highest throughput. See RFID flat linen tracking.
The FT401-ST (source tagging) or FT401 in pouch, with a minimum guaranteed durability of 200 wash cycles. See workwear and uniform tracking.
The FT401, the only RFID laundry tag with MR conditional certification. See healthcare linen and garment tracking.
Yes. Each tag carries a unique ID linkable to a specific client contract, enabling billing, loss tracking and lifecycle management. See RFID textile rental tracking.
The tag is the first component. A complete system combines tags, readers and software. See RFID laundry tracking.
Yes. For system architecture and remote monitoring, see RFID laundry management system.
Not in the tag itself. The LaundryChip™ carries only a unique identifier code. All operational data associated with that code, such as textile type, customer, wash count and location history, is stored in the connected software database. Reading the tag gives the system access to that data, but the tag itself contains nothing more than its unique ID. It is not a storage device: it is an identity code permanently attached to the textile.
No. RFID readers operate at very low power levels and emit non-ionizing radio waves, the same category of electromagnetic radiation used by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile phones. Non-ionizing radiation does not carry enough energy to damage biological tissue or DNA. UHF RFID systems used in industrial laundry operate in the 860-960 MHz frequency range and comply with international safety standards, including ICNIRP guidelines and regional regulations such as FCC (USA) and CE (Europe). Exposure levels in normal RFID system operation are well below the limits established for both workers and the general public. RFID technology has been in use in industrial environments for decades with no documented health effects at the power levels involved.
Compared to standard RFID tags designed for logistics, retail or general labelling, yes: RFID laundry tags cost more. But the comparison is not meaningful, because they are not the same product. A standard RFID tag is not built to survive hundreds of industrial wash cycles, high-pressure extraction, chemical detergents, tumble drying and mechanical ironing. A LaundryChip™ is. The higher price reflects a fundamentally different level of engineering, materials and durability, not a margin premium on equivalent technology. In industrial laundry, a tag that fails before the textile does generates replacement costs, process disruptions and data gaps that quickly exceed any initial saving on tag price. The cost of a LaundryChip™ is directly proportional to its value: long service life, consistent read performance and reliability across the full lifetime of the textile.
GET STARTED
Need help choosing the right tag?
Contact us and tell us about your textile types, wash conditions and operational requirements. We will recommend the right LaundryChip™ configuration for your application.
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