On January 20, 2026, a joint meeting of the Industrial Laundries Committee (KpPP) and the Small Laundries and Dry Cleaners Committee (KpMPCHČ) of the Association of Laundries and Dry Cleaners of the Czech Republic (APaČ) took place in Brno. The main topics included revisions of technical standards, current European legislation on EPR and DPP, the APaČ activity plan for 2026, and new projects aimed at supporting members.
Revisions of Standards and Technical Issues
Members were informed about ongoing revisions of key standards, in particular ČSN EN 14065, ČSN EN 13795-1, and OS 80-06 – Linen for Hotels and Restaurants. As part of the discussion on OS 80-06, comments were raised regarding the need to include the final finishing and ironing phase in the maintenance cycle.
EPR and the Digital Product Passport
A significant part of the meeting was devoted to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and the Digital Product Passport (DPP). Members agreed on the APaČ position, which supports the objectives of European legislation while emphasizing the need to reflect the specific nature of textile services, particularly their highly circular rental-based B2B model. APaČ will therefore align with its European partners and actively promote this position within the Czech context.
APaČ Activities in 2026
The 2026 activity plan was reviewed and updated, including:
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rescheduling the APaČ Road Show to April,
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scheduling of online and in-person seminars as part of the cooperation with partners RENARDS (grant consulting) and Langmeier & Co. (law firm),
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adding a study trip to the Expo Detergo trade fair in Milan (October 23–26, 2026).
Attention was also given to preparations for the 2026 Market Survey, carried out in cooperation with NEUBERT marketing, the results of which will be presented during the INTERCLEAN 2026 conference.
New Member Benefit: Anonymous Employee Assistance Line
Members were introduced to a proposal for a pilot project of an anonymous employee assistance hotline, to be delivered in cooperation with the non-profit organization Dobrokruh. The proposal received very positive feedback, and final approval is scheduled for the APaČ Board meeting in early February.
Additional Projects and Industry Innovations
Other planned APaČ activities include the completion of the Industrial Laundry Exhibition at the Svitavy Museumand further development of the dry cleaner certification system.
An interesting contribution was also made by Blankyt Plus, presenting a project focused on expanding the dry-cleaning collection network using self-service locker boxes, which is currently being tested in a pilot phase.
Czech Association for Textile Care
