Omo Brazil launderettes to cut CO2, energy consumption

29 / 08 / 2020

By Marwa Nassar - -

Omo Brazil launderettes will help attain sustainability goals through cutting greenhouse footprint, energy and water consumption and plastic use.

Omo is aiming at encouraging people to use launderettes under the same idea of using Uber transport service in lieu of buying a car.

Omo Brazil’s Business Development Director Teo Figueiredo said “There’s a considerable sustainability angle to having your washing done by a laundry service provider.”

“Commercial top-loading washing machines hold more clothes and use up to 72% less energy and water than front-loading household machines,” Teo explains. “The average residential washing machine uses 120 liters of water per cycle, our machines use 40 – and that’s a considerable water saving, not just for the planet but for Brazilian households that pay for their water supply.

“Instead of spending four to five hours taking clothes from wash to dry,” he continues, “our machines have your washing ready in 75 minutes. They use 2kW of energy per cycle, smaller household machines use 9kW.”

Larger loads can save detergent and cut back on plastic too. “Most people overwash clothes and add too much detergent to machines which can really impact an individual’s carbon footprint,” says Teo. “If all your laundry was service washed by a professional provider, you’d reduce your plastic consumption by 10kg a year.”

And it’s not just the process that can be more sustainable, having clothes properly laundered can add to their lifespan in people’s wardrobes. According to consumer psychologist Kate Nightingale who is quoted in the Guardian newspaper, as more people invest in sustainable clothing, “going to a laundry run by a trusted brand that produces quality products means, by association, that your products will be safe”.

The Acerte stores are currently in the process of being rebranded as Omo launderettes, the first one is customer ready, and 15 stores have been sold to licensed franchisees.

The launch of an app is imminent. It will allow customers to have their washing collected and returned freshly laundered to their door. Teo expects the app launch to be followed by an increase in franchisee and customer interest, as it provides minimal social contact and access to professional cleaning services while the public continues to live with the threat of Covid-19.