Washable microchip tracks hotel items

Hotel guests may think twice before helping themselves to hotel room items, with the invention of a washable microchip to track frequently stolen goods such as robes, towels and bed linens.

The radio-frequency identification chips, designed by US company Linen Technology Tracking, are already being used by three hotels in New York, Miami and Honolulu.

The Honolulu hotel has already reduced pool towel theft from 4,000 a month to just 750, saving $15,200.

William Serbin, executive vice president of Linen Technology Tracking, says the inspiration for the device came from toll road technology.

The device can last for more than 300 wash cycles, and also helps hotels manage stock rooms and supplies more effectively.

According to the Australian Hotels Association, millions of dollars a year are lost in the hotel industry due to theft, and a survey by Accor Hotels reveals women are more likely to steal than men.

One Australian hotel has come up with solution to this problem, offering guests the chance to buy items in their room, including the bed.

What other ways can you capitalise on consumers’ love of hotel-branded goodies? Perhaps a partnership with a hotel, used to showcase your particular product range, might be the way to go.