Today, Susan from our Council or Extraordinary Housekeepers brought us on a tour of the Globalinens Worldwide Inc. factory in Cabuyao, Laguna. If you're a fan of five-star hotel stays and beach vacations, chances are you've already spent a cozy night wrapped in Globalinen's products. The company was operating from one warehouse back in 2008. Fast forward to 2017, they now have two complexes of warehouses and are building a third. The company employs more than six hundred Filipinos, many of them husband and wife pairs. Employees are paid higher than Manila minimum wage and even have the option to take out a payment plan for a housing complex built for them nearby.
Upon entering tall, cream-coloured gates, we were met with a fresh delivery of fiber fill, neatly wrapped and stacked outside the original warehouse. Ilyn, the sales head, directed us to the adjacent warehouse where we were shown the variety of products they offer: from bedroom linens and hotel slippers to bathroom and kitchen towels. Every order is tailored to specifications of the buyer.
After a thorough inspection and a number of answered questions, Mr. Fung, the company owner, proudly led us into the warehouse containing their brand new equipment for making duvet fillers and bed toppers. It was housekeeping heaven and anyone with a remote interest in linen could spend hours watching the hypnotic movement of the giant sewing machine or the huge contraption that turns freshly unpacked fiber into soft, wispy layers ready to be laid between 600-thread count cotton sheets.
We entered five more warehouses after that, each with new wonders inside... a complete housekeeping geek-out moment with every new contraption. From the pairs of ladies folding blankets with precise, synchronised movements to the men cutting layers of fabric like it was soft crepe layer cake.
Often when we mention that Abueli's staff training program is based on hotel standards, we're asked how to make beds at home as cozy as the ones in hotel rooms. The crisp quality of the linen is brought about by a machine called a flatwork finisher that costs about the same as a midsize luxury sedan. This is definitely not something we would advise for home purchase, but what we can help you with is sourcing the same linen packages from the supplier of many of your favourite hotels. The Globalinens' price sheet and recommended package is now available to Abueli clients upon request. Up next... cleaning materials!
