Apparel makers aren't the only ones stitching together a plan to deal with rising cotton costs. Hotel chains, including some of the world's biggest brands, are looking to pass costs on to customers as soaring commodity prices hit the bottom line.
Best Western, the world's largest hotel family with 4,000 hotels in 80 countries, has seen prices for linens, towels and pillows rise substantially over the past year. A queen sheet-size linen set, which cost $72 a dozen in 2010, now runs $116. Bath towels are up 54 percent. The costs for all hotels are becoming hard to absorb.