A method for preparing and/or monitoring the wet treatment of items of laundry wherein the items of laundry are counted using their electronic data carriers. An electronic data carrier of the item of laundry is determined. If more than a single electronic data carrier is detected, this indicates that there are multiple connected items of laundry which do not permit washing. The electronic data carriers can be used to determine the number of items of laundry loaded into a washing machine and the number of items of the same unloaded batch of laundry. If the unloaded batch of laundry has a lower number of electronic data carriers than during loading, this indicates that not all the items have been unloaded from the washing machine and there is a risk of the washing machine becoming blocked.

Textiles coupled with electrical components that are responsive to actions of the wearer and the surrounding environment. The textiles comprise a variety of sensors that interface with the cloud, networks, and devices. The textiles monitor physiological characteristics of the wearer. Objects in the environment may interact with the electrical components of the textiles. Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems that include electrical components, such as, accelerometers, gyroscopes, Bluetooth chips, NFC chips, and RF tags integrate with the textiles to wirelessly communicate with networks.

Disclosed are a tag for managing laundry and a method of classifying and transferring laundry using the same. The tag for managing laundry includes a tag portion, a box number portion, a laundry number portion, and a barcode part. The tag portion includes another tag portion and is attached to each piece of laundry classified by customer. The box number portion for distinguishing between the laundry shops is formed by printing a unique number on one surface of each of the tag portions. The laundry number portion for checking the number of pieces of laundry left by customers is formed by printing the number of pieces of laundry left by the customers on one surface of the tag portion. The barcode part for facilitating transfer of laundered laundry from the laundry plant to the laundry shops is formed by printing a barcode including information of the box number portion and the laundry number portion on one surface of the tag portion.

The method of classifying and transferring laundry includes a step of collecting at least one piece of laundry left by customers at the laundry shops; a step of respectively attaching the tag portion to laundry left by the customers; a step of transferring the tag portion-attached laundry to a laundry plant; a step of scanning the barcode part of the tag portion respectively attached to the laundry by means of a barcode scanner when washing of the laundry transferred to the laundry plant is completed; and a step of classifying the laundry by laundry shop according to scanned information and transferring the classified laundry to the laundry shops.

A system and method for tracking, treating, and laundering stains on a fabric item is disclosed. The system and method uses a stain tracking app to store and transmit data about the stain to a piece of laundry equipment. The system and method optionally uses an RFID tag to mark the stain or stains on a fabric item and uses a transponder or smartphone to locate the RFID tag and the stained fabric item. The user is then able to precisely locate both the stained fabric item and the precise location of the stain or stains on the fabric item for an optional chemical pretreatment prior to laundering. The stain tracking application transmits information about the stain to the piece of laundry equipment which can then be used to determine optimal pre-treatment and cleaning parameters to optimize removal of the stain or stains.

Methods, system and apparatus for the scheduling the retrieval, delivery and laundering of customer loads of laundry. The system may receive laundry service orders from customer, schedule couriers or delivery services for the transportation of bags of laundry from the customer to a washer located at a laundry facility. The washer may be located at a residential laundry facility or a commercial laundry facility. The system may provide the washer with instruction for performing the laundering tasks and track the progress of each load of laundry through the process by having the washer scan unique identifiers attached to the laundry bags, washing machines and dryers.

A removable marking element for the labelling of a textile comprises a fabric layer, having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and an adhesive layer for securing the marking element to a textile by heat and pressure, wherein said adhesive layer is bonded to the lower surface of the fabric layer, wherein the adhesive layer is composed of at least two sublayers, including a first sublayer forming an outer layer of the marking element and comprising a thermoplastic urethane for securing the marking element to the textile by heat and pressure, and a second sublayer bonded to the first sublayer and located between the first sublayer and the fabric layer, wherein the second sublayer comprises a thermoset.

A system and method for marking, tracking, and locating stains on a fabric item for application of a stain treatment prior to laundering is disclosed. The system and method uses an RFID tag to mark the stain or stains on a fabric item and uses a transponder to locate the RFID tag and the stained fabric item. The user is then able to precisely locate both the stained fabric item and the precise location of the stain or stains on the fabric item for a chemical pretreatment prior to laundering. Once the stained fabric item is located, the RFID tag is removed and once all RFID tags are removed, the transponder is placed in a standby or power saving mode.

A device for the automatic loading of hangers in an apparatus for ironing shirts or similar items includes a storage configured to support a plurality of hangers and an arm comprising a gripping and releasing. The arm is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the gripping and releasing end is close to the storage to pick up or receive a hanger from the storage, and in the second position, the gripping and releasing end is placed above the manikin placed upstream of a loading station of the apparatus, to release the hanger, previously picked up, into the seat of the manikin.

A washing machine having a washed laundry/garment treatment system. The washing machine comprises a rotatable drum, a soap/laundry dispenser, a water supply flow valve, an ozone generator and a control panel for controlling operation of the rotatable drum, the soap/laundry dispenser, the water supply flow valve, and the ozone generator. The laundry/garment treatment system comprises a source of an additive/treating composition to be added a washing machine without any laundry/garments contained therein, and the source of the additive/treating composition is connected to the washing machine to supply a quantity of additive/treating composition thereto for mixing with water and formation of a treatment mixture. A circulating pump is connected to the washing machine for pumping the treatment mixture into a treatment holding tank. A mixture feed valve controls the flow of treatment mixture from the treatment holding tank back into the washing machine for treating the laundry/garments, following washing thereof.

A system and method for electronically tagging items for use in controlling electrical devices are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: a controller; a tag reader interface in data communication with the controller, the tag reader interface being configured to receive item information read from an electronically readable tag attached to an item placed in an electrical device; a display device driver in data communication with the controller for driving the display of operational messages for a user/operator of the electrical device, the operational messages being based on the item information; and an appliance interface in data communication with the controller for receiving control commands from the controller and for issuing corresponding control signals for controlling the electrical device, the control commands being based on the item information.