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Did you know that the average front-loading washing machine uses up to 90 litres of water per load? With most of us doing several loads every week, the strain on the environment is significant – which is why Michiko Mavunga, founder of Eco Laundry, was determined to find a better way.
Michiko’s decision to establish Eco Laundry was sparked by her own less-than-satisfactory experience with a washing service. “My mother had taught me how to clean linen and keep it looking white,” she recalls, “so I knew I could do a better job.”
At the time, Gqerberha – where Eco Laundry is based – was in the grips of a long-standing drought, which is why Michiko decided to differentiate her service by offering a reduced carbon footprint. “I had, in fact, been looking for a new challenge for some time. Although I’d had a very successful career in banking, I wanted to start my own venture; something that would bring me joy. I also wanted it to stand out, because I am unconventional by nature. An eco-friendly laundry service ticked all these boxes.”
Michiko’s journey started with intensive research to find out how, exactly, she could cut down on water and electricity use without compromising on customer satisfaction. Her investigations led to her to a retailer that sold washing machines which were particularly energy efficient – and, with all foundations for the business firmly in place, the laundry opened for business in 2017.
This first iteration was blighted from the outset, however. Michiko and her business partner had different objectives and ideals, and the two parted ways just one year later. “I was left with two options: I could either try to take down my former partner, who had taken all our equipment and set up a new venture; or I could start again from scratch,” Michiko says.
Never one to be daunted by a challenge, she cashed in her retirement annuity to purchase new machines – and pursued her dream afresh.
Her perseverance paid off: just three years after reopening, Eco Laundry was ready to open an industrial arm. Michiko explains that this was always part of her vision, as working with corporates is crucial to delivering volume. The company now has three large corporates on its client list, many of which joined at the outset, along with a number of smaller businesses.
Eco Laundry has diversified in other ways, too, and now offers a sneaker cleaning service. Michiko maintains that still more growth is on the cards, hinting that a franchise model may be implemented to help the retail side of the business extend its reach throughout South Africa and beyond the country’s borders.
She has continued on her path of putting her “green laundry for a green planet” ethos into practice with the recent investment in self-heating machines which negate the need for a geyser, making for a marked reduction in the use of both water and energy. Added to this, Michiko has installed a grey water recycling kit, so that the water that would typically get flushed through the company’s drains is redirected to a Jojo tank, cleaned and fed through its machines once more. This has helped to cut down water usage by a further 25%.
Michiko admits that “growing the business has not always been smooth sailing”. “When we first entered the market, we were pioneering a new concept that many people couldn’t grasp – they thought that one laundromat was the same as another. It took a lot of time and effort to educate consumers, but that’s how we won our client base. Of course, once we entered the industrial space, we had to start this process of education all over again,” she says. Her passion is one of the reasons Eco Laundry’s message lands: Michiko is emphatic about the importance of taking care of the planet, and driven to make consumers understand that every action has repercussions. “Is this easy? Certainly not. But I have a strong personality and I never start something without finishing it.”
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