London Cleaners is a dry cleaning company that chose to break the environmentally unfriendly connotations attached to such establishments. By adopting a newer and greener way to clean called the GreenEarth cleaning system; the company has ensured excellent service for its customers, health of its employees, and sustainability for itself.
Innovation
Technological advancement, environmental consciousness, and exceptional customer service are some of the tenets followed religiously by London Cleaners. This has lead to process improvements beneficial for all stakeholders.
The biggest innovation embraced by the company is the use of the ‘GreenEarth Cleaning System’. This breakthrough has captured the essence of sustainability by protecting the customer’s garments as well as decreasing the harm caused to the environment. Dry-Cleaning or cleaning without water has traditionally relied on petroleum-derived hydrocarbons posing hazardous risks to the environment. The GreenEarth cleaning instead employs a chemically inert liquid silicone solution. Rather than chemically interacting with the fabric, this solution carries detergent to the fabric, and then rinses away suspended dirt and oils trapped by the detergent. Most importantly it can be adopted without any significant additional costs as it uses the same processes used in dry-cleaning by the traditional solvent.
In addition to being gentle on the environment, GreenEarth cleaning system is also gentle on clothes, resulting in high customer satisfaction.
Impact
Since GreenEarth cleaning solvent atually rejuvenates garments the response from the customers has been overwhelming positive. In a blind challenge of customer satisfaction conducted by Cleveland Magazine in 2005, the company won hands down.
Based on extensive testing like the waste stream testing, GreenEarth cleaning system has demonstrated negligible adverse health or environmental effects. This has benefits for the environment, employees, and customer’s garments. The absence of stringent odors from strong chemicals is notable in a London Cleaners facility making the work environment pleasurable and healthier.
The use of this environmentally friendly solvent has helped the company circumvent the stringent regulations posed by EPA (Environmental Protection Agancy) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regarding the use of traditional perchlorethylene (or perc) solvent. The potential costs and damage to reputation like cleaning up sites that have been contaminated, the ongoing expenses and surcharges attached to buying and disposing of the product, and the public policy issues associated with using the solvent have been escaped by the use of this earth friendly way to dry clean.
The progressive outlook and sensitivity to the environment has won the company a myriad of accolades like being ‘America’s Best Cleaners’, a distinction given to only 30 cleaners worldwide.
Inspiration
With a hope for increased benefit to the customer, well being of the employees and protection of the environment, the founder of the company was determined to find a safer and greener way to dry clean. The increased use of high couture garments by the customers that require more attention, a need to retain the employees that are so valuable in a service based industry, and reducing the company’s carbon footprint were the major motivators that encouraged the company to adopt this new way of cleaning. With a strong business acumen and heart to make a positive change, London Cleaners has certainly found a better and safer way to deliver excellence.
The World Inquiry editorial team edited this profile from the original submission of the interviewer or other source. The views expressed do not necessarily represent Case Western Reserve University, the Weatherhead School of Management or the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit. More >>
