Electrolux research: we wash clothes as if there was no climate change

By: Trademagazin Date: 2021. 04. 21. 08:28

Nearly two thirds of Europeans (63%) continue to wash at 40°C or higher, despite over a decade of being encouraged to wash clothes at 30°C or lower, according to a new study from Electrolux. Oddly, the Swedish appliance giant is now calling for people to use their appliances less.

Vanessa Butani, head of sustainability for Electrolux Europe, has recently joined the group and is on a mission to help people change the way they wash their clothes. Which currently isn’t good enough, for clothes nor the planet, the white paper “The Truth about Laundry” unveils.

Each year, a 40°C wash releases 27.2Kg of CO2 equivalent more than a 30°C wash. But data from 12 European countries (including Italy, U.K. and Germany) shows that people do their laundry with nearly 1 billion 40°C washes a week.

“What our report shows is that people do care about their clothes and the vast majority recognize there are environmental benefits to making their clothes last longer,” said Butani. “If we can educate and encourage people to take small but significant steps to update their laundry practices, the savings will be significant.”