European Textile Services Association

Textile Rental Services: an environmentally friendly industry

A Life Cycle Assessment comparing domestic to industrial washing carried out by the reputed German Öko-Institut showed that:

industrial laundries use 64% less water than domestic washing
industrial laundries use 73% less energy than domestic washing
by resorting to an industrial laundry process, 90% less chemicals are used than in typical home washing
industrial laundries emit 30% less CO² and 36% less NOx than domestic washing

In comparison to disposable products, reusables generate less waste. E.T.S.A. commissioned a Life Cycle Assessment of surgical gowns, which shows that when all factors are taken into consideration, including costly disposal of hospital waste, the reusable solution is significantly better for the environment. Why throw something away when a simple and efficient reusable solution is available? Even at the end of a reusable's life-cycle it can still be reused for other purposes.

Moreover, the textile services industry is constantly striving to consolidate its environmental-friendliness by continuously improving the sector's products and processes. E.T.S.A.'s environmental principles set out how member firms commit themselves to exercising the greatest possible concern for the environment, and this over the entire life cycle of the product.