Washing clothes is a chore for us all. Especially, when it comes to uniform which has been put through its paces throughout the working day. However, the environmental impact of this normally just an after thought for many people. From the energy used to heat the water to the chemicals released during the process. There are many ways in which washing our uniforms can be harmful and increase our carbon footprints, if steps to prevent this are not taken.

What Are The Environmental Concerns?

Two of the biggest environmental concerns associated with washing uniforms is the energy and water consumption.

90% of the energy used within washing is from heating the water. This is an expense both financially and in terms of being a source of green house gas emissions. Its estimated that the average household creates 2,200 kg CO2 per year heating water and washing clothes is large contributor to this. Consider washing your clothes at lower temperature to save on these costs, such as 30 degrees. A lower temperate puts less stress on your clothing plus most detergents work well at these lower temperatures. Additionally, its beneficial to use a lower temperature for uniforms which have a customisation. A lower temperature wash helps to preserve the longevity of customised uniforms.

Another environmental concern is the water consumption. It takes a lot of water to wash clothes, up to 75 litres in some cases. In addition, the chemicals used in laundry detergents and other laundry products can be harmful to the environment. These chemicals can end up in rivers, lakes and oceans, where they can harm wildlife.

Release of chemicals into water is also a big concern within the textile and customisation industry. Traditional methods used to customise uniforms, such as screen printing, waste a lot of water. This is approximately 50-60 litres of water per meter. water which has been used is ultimately polluted due to the chemicals which are used within the ink. However for our printed uniforms, use Greenprinted™. This processes of printing uses 95% less water than traditional screen printing. This means that our process is incredibly more water efficient. Within a year of use, instead of screen printing, this can save approximately 1.4 million litres of water.

Tips To Reduce The Impact On The Environment

One way to reduce the environmental impact of washing uniform is to be more mindful of how often you wash them. There are obvious exceptions to this. But, wearing uniform more than once before washing them can help to reduce the number of loads of laundry you need to do, which in turn reduces the energy and water consumption.

Another way to reduce the environmental impact of washing uniform is to use eco-friendly products. There are many laundry detergents, fabric softeners, and other laundry products available that are made with natural, biodegradable ingredients that are less harmful to the environment.

In addition, using a washing machine with a high energy efficiency rating, and avoiding using the dryer as often as possible, can help to reduce the energy consumption associated with laundry. A dryer has a high energy consumption and can put stress on and damage garments. It’s best to air dry clothes with a customisation on to preserve its longevity.

Overall, it is important to be mindful of the environmental impact it has. By being more mindful of how often we wash our uniforms, and using eco-friendly products, we can help to reduce the environmental impact of laundry and make a positive impact on the planet.