Bedding & Associated Textile Items For The Custodial & Immigration Sectors

Varied product specifications and industry leading knowledge.

The custodial and immigration sectors require very different specifications of product depending on the setting. As highly experienced and a long-term partner supplier to Government departments and private FM providers, we have built up industry leading knowledge, compliance and product variations.

In the custodial sector, we work with customers across Police Custody Suites, Young Offender Institutes, Prisons and Approved Premises.

For immigration, we cover the whole service users’ journey from arrival into the UK and first night, provision across Immediate Accommodation (IA) and Dispersed Accommodation (DA), and where applications are rejected, Immigration Removal Centres (IRC’s).

Matching Bedding Products To Environment & Risk

Due to the complex nature of the product requirements for these sectors, we have been dedicated to deliver best in market products, ensuring legislative compliance is met, but continually striving to ensure the greatest level of comfort and product performance is achieved.

The below aims to introduce some of the considerations for bedding and textiles in this sector, so that your purchasing decisions and product performance are able to meet and achieve expectations.

High Risk To Very High Risk Settings

For YOI’s, Prisons and Immigration Removal Centres, where there is a heightened likeliness of deliberate fires being created and spread, we provide the relevant level of fire retardant product. Ordinarily the standards sit across BS7175 crib 5 (medium to high risk) and BS7175 crib 7 (high to very high risk), as well as BS5867 for window coverings.

We work only with UKAS approved testing laboratories to ensure that our products are continually compliant, with certificates available on request.

Where Fire Risk Is Not A Concern

In areas such as immigration housing, the need is to ensure that service users receive products which provide dignity and whole of life value. Be it bedding, clothing, dining or household items, we provide pre-assembled cartons of product which contain everything that users will need.

In These Settings, Users Have Limited Capacity To Buy / Use Their Own

Across custodial settings, unless enhanced rights are granted to the user, all items are supplied by the provider. For immigration contracts, service users are limited by their spending ability, with the service providing the basic, fundamental items to the user.

Compliance Not At The Sacrifice Of Comfort

While flammability compliance in custodial settings is a critical aspect, we have worked hard over the years to develop and re-engineer items to ensure comfort. Improving sleep quality is designed to aid improved behaviour and prisoner rehabilitation. We have developed our product range in various ways.

Spunsoft Bed Linen

As soft and luxurious cotton is not suitable for the environments due to them being highly flammable, the material of the item needs to be 100% polyester. Typically, this is not a comfortable material, and can be particularly uncomfortable in warmer weather.

Our R&D team have worked with our partner mills to re-engineer the items, with factors such as additional spinning processes, which ultimately makes the item much softer to touch, and more comfortable.

Custodial Duvets That Are Not Non-compliant On Washing

In very high risk locations, our duvets and pillows, as well as our linen are inherently fire retardant. This means no matter how many times they are washed, or where bleach is used to remove the presence of bodily fluids, they will still be fire retardant, compliant to the relevant standard, just as they were when they were new.

This is important, as it increases the whole of life value significantly, provides safer environments, and saves the establishment money, as well as a reduction to their carbon impact.

Pillows That Are Wipeclean In Situ

We have developed the most comfortable, compliant, fire retardant (BS7175 Crib 7) wipeclean pillow on the market.

A significant increase in comfort compared to solid foam equivalents, not only does this improve sleep quality, but it also reduces the rate of the item being purposely ‘destroyed/broken down’ to try to make it softer. Our pillow is filled with hollowfibre polyester and has breathable outer fabric.

Towels

We supply a range of towels in a large number of colours, which provide comfort and absorb water well. Most of our towels are manufactured using recycled materials without compromising product quality.

Our Extended Custodial & Immigration Product Range

While our core product range is bedroom and bathroom textile items, we have grown the range in this sector significantly over the years in close collaboration with our customer base and supplier partners. As a result, we stock and supply the following additional items:-

Clothing

Male and female clothing across t shirts, sweatshirts, jogging bottoms, underwear, socks, footwear, outerwear and beyond, all suitable for the environment. For example, in custodial settings, our jogging bottoms do not contain drawstrings so as to reduce the risk of them being used as a ligature or a weapon, and they do not have pockets or elasticated cuffs which would aid the ability to conceal items.

Items For High Risk Users

For those deemed at risk of self-harm, our anti-ligature range of clothing (tops and bottoms & smocks), blankets, and pillow can be used in association with specified regular user checks. With a mass of stitching which contrasts with the main tear resistant fabric, we are a leading provider of these items for those who are deemed to benefit from having them, offering dignity and warmth.

Other Items

Net laundry bags for washing items, used for keeping all personal items together in the washing machine, and discharge bags for a users belongings once they are released. Mattresses of differing specifications and compliance needs can also be supplied.

Household

Across dining, cooking (pans and utensils), cleaning hardware and even electricals and consumables, we are able to provide a wide range of items to suit the setting and the user. No item is not considered- our global sourcing network means that we can supply pretty much anything.

 

Please do feel free to get in contact to request a brochure, have a look at some of our samples, or talk through your requirements. Our team are highly experienced in the requirements for differing settings, and would be delighted to explore this with you for yours.

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The complex settings we operate in dictate the need for specialist items, and this led us to Thomas Kneale- they have a very wide range and stockholding, and it is all backed up with the relevant compliance documentation. Even more significant are the fast turnarounds that are necessary in the event of a disturbance or surge in demand. Thomas Kneale are operating from the early hours of the morning- we have had deliveries arriving very early, and very soon after placing orders.