Importers, manufacturers and wholesalers of commercial textile linen products

Britannia Textiles Ltd   
6 Natalie Street   
PO Box 113   
Nelson, New Zealand   
Freephone: 0800 800 366   
Email: office@britannia.co.nz   

*min order 10 per item

Help me Choose a Fabric - Table Linen

Table Linen comes in 2 fabric types - 100% Polyester or 100% Cotton.

The following questions may help you choose the right Table Linen for you:

Do you mind having to iron the Table Linen?
If you don't want to iron the Table Linen then the answer is simple, you need 100% Polyester, and it is worth paying the extra for the premium Passport (white) or Signature (colours) both made by Milliken. This will be highly presentable straight from the tumble dryer.

Cotton of course needs a lot of ironing to bring it up to presentation standard.

Who will wash your Table Linen?
Cotton requires more care and takes longer to dry than 100% Polyester, plus it requires ironing. So if you are washing the Table Linen yourself you may prefer to use Polyester. if you are getting it laundered it will be ironed anyway. Note that Polyester will, under good care, shrink less than cotton, BUT it will shrink very badly if exposed to excess heat.

These days cotton is more expensive too.

Cotton cannot release stains the way really good polyester can (which has special processes to help it relaease stains).

Do look at hiring your table linen - that way you always get crisp linen when you need it with no hassle. A laundry can whiten them and release stains you can't.

How often will it be used?
Being a man-made fibre, 100% Polyester has more strength and will last longer than Cotton fibres. If your Table Linen will be regularly used and washed you may prefer to use 100% Polyester.

Do you 'need' coloured Table Linen?
Cotton is white, mostly with a Rose Damask pattern, whilst 100% Polyester Signature is readily available in a range of vibrant colours and is without a pattern. The reason cotton is not kept in colours is that it fades badly and this is not acceptable in commercial use.

Don't be tempted by cheap coloured table linen - when it loses colour it cannot be matched to newer cloths. P.S. there is an importer passing inferior cloth off as 'Visa' - a Milliken trademarked name! Visa is not sold at all in NZ anymore!

Do you 'need' the elegance of the Damask Rose?
100% cotton is mostly in a damask rose pattern and this combined with the extra softness and absorbency has great appeal.

We also stock a beautiful smooth sateen cotton cloth if you like the feel and absorbancy of cotton without the pattern.

Summary

If you want the best possible elegance and feel, and can live with the extra processing requirements, hassle, cost, and shorter life (and you're a wee bit fussy) - go cotton.

Everyone else should get polyester. Occasional use get cheap stuff - hire use needs better stuff.

Look at hiring it.

Find out more about Signature and Cotton Damask

We also have 100% cotton Momie serviettes, and some other Polyester napkins if you need a cheaper alternative.

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