The short answer
- Soiled or infected linen goes into the bag where it is removed, and the closed bag goes into the washing machine unopened.
- The bags are hot water grade: they stay closed in cold or damp conditions and dissolve above 65°C.
- Standard bag: 660 × 840 mm (about 26 × 33 inches), 28 micron, transparent, closed with a water soluble tie strip.
- About 39 g of film per bag, roughly 25,000 bags per tonne.
Every time soiled linen is sorted, emptied or handled, staff are exposed to what is on it. Water soluble laundry bags take that step out: the linen is bagged once, at the bedside, and nobody touches it again until it is clean. We make these bags in Coimbatore from our own patented hot water soluble PVA resin, and supply hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and hotel laundries.
What a water soluble laundry bag is
It is a transparent bag made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film. It is strong enough to carry a load of wet or soiled linen, yet it dissolves completely in a hot wash. The bag is closed with a tie strip made of the same water soluble material, so nothing has to be removed or opened before washing.
Hospitals use them for linen that should not be handled again: linen from isolation rooms, linen soiled with blood or body fluids, and linen from patients with infections. In the UK, for example, NHS guidance on linen handling (HTM 01-04) asks for infectious linen to be placed in a water soluble bag.
From ward to washer
- Collect. Soiled linen goes into the bag where it is removed, on the ward or in the room.
- Tie. The bag is closed with its water soluble tie strip. It stays closed while it is carried, stored and transported to the laundry.
- Load. The closed bag goes straight into the washing machine, unopened. No sorting, no emptying.
- Wash. As the wash heats above 65°C, the bag and its tie strip dissolve and release the linen into the wash water.
Why hot water grade
PVA film comes in two grades. Cold water grade dissolves at room temperature, which is right for sachets dropped into a pond or a tank, but wrong for a laundry bag: wet linen, a damp trolley or a cold pre-rinse would open it too early.
Our laundry bags are made only in hot water grade. In cold water the film softens but holds; it dissolves once the water goes above 65°C. That is what keeps the linen sealed from the ward to the hot wash.
The wash it needs
The bag needs a wash that goes above 65°C. Hospital laundries already wash infected linen hot to disinfect it; NHS guidance, for example, sets a disinfection stage of at least 65°C held for 10 minutes, or 71°C for 3 minutes. A cycle like this dissolves the bag as part of the normal process.
- Load the closed bags with the rest of the wash; do not cut or open them.
- A cold pre-rinse softens the bag but does not open it; the bag dissolves once the main wash heats up.
- For a load of many bags, a full wash cycle gives the film time to dissolve completely.
Sizes and specifications
| Standard size | 660 mm wide × 840 mm high (about 26 × 33 inches) |
|---|---|
| Custom sizes | Up to 28 inches (711 mm) wide |
| Film thickness | Standard 28 micron; from 28 micron, to your requirement |
| Grade | Hot water soluble: dissolves above 65°C |
| Closure | Water soluble tie strip |
| Colour and print | Transparent, unprinted |
| Film per bag | About 39 g (standard size), roughly 25,000 bags per tonne |
| Strength | Tensile strength 12 to 18 MPa, elongation at break 150 to 200% |
Transparent bags let staff and laundry teams see what is inside without opening them.
Working out bags per tonne
A flat bag is two layers of film. Film per bag (g) = 2 × width (cm) × height (cm) × micron × 1.25 ÷ 10,000, where 1.25 g/cm³ is the density of our film. For the standard bag: 2 × 66 × 84 × 28 × 1.25 ÷ 10,000 = about 39 g.
Getting the best from the bags
- Store them dry, in their original packing, away from water, wet floors and steam.
- Handle them with dry hands or dry gloves.
- Bag linen promptly and send it to the laundry the same day. Very wet linen slowly softens the film from inside, so a bag of wet linen should not wait for days.
- Do not overfill. Leave enough of the bag free to close it with the tie strip.
After the wash
The bag dissolves into the wash water and leaves no residue on the linen. Our film is made from PVA with starch and vegetable oil derivatives, and was tested by CIPET, a Government of India institute, to ISO 17088:2021: it reached 91.04% biodegradation in 165 days and passed the disintegration, plant growth, earthworm and heavy metal tests. It is non-toxic.
Ordering from India
We supply hospitals and laundries across India, and we export. We have shipped our film, garment bags and laundry bags to buyers in the UK and Croatia. For export buyers:
- Terms: ex factory, Coimbatore (EXW). Your freight forwarder collects the goods from our plant.
- Prices: quoted in Indian rupees.
- Payment: in advance.
- Order size: export orders usually start from 1 tonne, roughly 25,000 standard bags.
- Lead time: confirmed with your quote.
- Documents: technical data sheet, safety data sheet and the CIPET test report, shared on request.
To quote, send us the bag size (or ask for our standard), micron, quantity and your country. We reply within one working day.
Questions buyers ask
At what temperature does a water soluble laundry bag dissolve?
Our laundry bags are hot water grade: they dissolve in water above 65°C. In cold water the film only softens, so the bag stays closed until the hot wash.
What size are hospital water soluble laundry bags?
Our standard bag is 660 mm wide and 840 mm high (about 26 × 33 inches) in 28 micron film. We make custom sizes up to 28 inches (711 mm) wide.
How are the bags closed?
With a water soluble tie strip, which dissolves in the wash with the bag. There is no drawstring.
Can the laundry bags be printed or coloured?
No. Our laundry bags are transparent and unprinted, so staff can see the contents without opening the bag.
How many laundry bags are in a tonne?
Our standard 660 × 840 mm bag in 28 micron film uses about 39 g of film, so a tonne of film makes roughly 25,000 bags. We confirm exact figures with your quote.
Do you export water soluble laundry bags?
Yes. We have shipped our film, garment bags and laundry bags to buyers in the UK and Croatia. Export orders are ex factory Coimbatore, quoted in Indian rupees, with payment in advance, and usually start from 1 tonne.
