New laundry appliances are smarter for clothes, smarter to use and with smarter features to reduce the use of resources.
Electrolux, a leading home appliance brand in sustainability, is launching a new range of award-winning [1], smart laundry appliances aimed at making clothes last longer and reducing the use of resources. Extending clothing life has been identified as the single largest opportunity to reduce the carbon, water and waste footprints of clothing [2]. The new smart range includes 600-900 series washers, 700-800 series washer dryers and 600-900 series tumble dryers.
An average European discards over 6.5kg of clothes every year with the vast majority (87%) ending up being incinerated or going to landfill [3]. That’s nearly 5m tons [4] of clothing being disposed of every year across Europe with many of the reasons cited associated with laundry care. Piling, color fading and fabric breakdown [5] have all been shown to be key reasons behind disposal, as well as staining, in particular on children’s clothing [6]. Some garments are estimated to be discarded after just seven to ten wears [7].
SMARTER FOR CLOTHES – complete stain removal [8] even at lower temperatures
Low wash temperatures and short cycles can help extend clothing life and are also in demand from consumers looking for greater flexibility when washing multiple loads each week. Electrolux’s UltraQuick 59/49/39min function delivers complete removal of more than 50 common household stains, including ketchup, Bolognese sauce and gravy, all at 30°C and with cycle duration of less than an hour. It achieves this by pre-mixing and evenly distributing detergent and softeners before they enter the drum to deliver resource efficiency and outstanding results.
Available on Electrolux Series 800 and Series 900 washers and Series 800 washer dryers, UltraQuick is a powerful program, optimized for daily mixed loads of cottons and synthetics, that can also save up to 30% of energy [9].
“In 2020, textile consumption in Europe had on average the fourth highest impact on the environment and climate change from a global life cycle perspective [10], comments Sarah Schaefer, VP Sustainability Europe and APMEA at Electrolux Group. “Extending clothing life delivers significant benefits [11] but we want to help consumers go further. We have a goal to double the life of clothes and our new range of smart and effortless appliances is a positive step towards that”.
SMARTER TO USE – making laundry effortless
DynamicDisplay is Electrolux’s most advanced display to date. Available across washers, dryers and washer dryers, the new intuitive screen allows for easy navigation and personalized guidance. On-screen tips are provided and favored cycles can be accessed quickly by customizing settings. A clean and uncluttered control panel effortlessly focuses the attention on the functions and features which can improve efficiency and reduce the use of resources. All of which can also be accessed and navigated via the new, improved smart Electrolux app.
By linking the appliance to the app, data on resource consumption is provided. The result is the appliance and app work together to help the consumer make more resource-efficient choices.
“Good design doesn’t happen by accident. At Electrolux, we take an iterative, research-based and collaborative approach to design that encompasses the entire user experience. We call this philosophy Human Touch,” adds Roberto Barbieri, Senior Design Lead, Product Line Care, Electrolux Group. “Design is at the center of providing an effortless and seamless connected laundry experience. This is critical to making life simpler and better for consumers and this extends to the new improved Electrolux app.”
SMARTER FEATURES – can help reduce energy, time and water
New SmartSelect from Electrolux effortlessly guides consumers to save time, energy and water. Available on certain models within the 700-900 series washers and washer dryers, it adjusts washing based on needs. As the consumer selects the cycle, SmartSelect provides feedback, adjusts program length and temperature as a guide towards helping to save time and resource. With one click SmartSelect can save up to 80% of energy, 50% of time and 20% of water [12].
SmartSelect is also available on 700-900 Series tumble dryers. With one click, the desired level of dryness is selected from extra dry to cupboard dry to iron dry, to help deliver the best drying result. The dryer will also automatically adjust the cycle length to ensure minimum energy consumption and perfect results.
SmartSave is a new function on 900 series tumble dryers which gives consumers the choice between faster drying time or lower energy consumption, helping consumers to make the best choice according to their needs.
“According to our science-based approach and Life Cycle Assessments, up to 85% [13] of the global climate impact of an appliance, during its lifespan, is generated when it is in use,” adds Sarah Schaefer. “The more we can therefore do, using smart technology and design, to help consumers make better choices for their wardrobe, their lives and to reduce the use of resources, the better”.
Selected models in the new lineup are part of Electrolux EcoLine which includes the highest energy class of appliances within the Electrolux laundry range. Highlighting key features to drive more efficient use of resources, the Electrolux EcoLine laundry range also has selected models with an energy rating better than A in the EU energy class [14].
The new range of Electrolux washers, dryers and washer dryers is now available across Europe with additional models launching during fall 2024.
[2] WRAP, Design-extending-clothing-life.
[3] EU Monitor, The impact of textile production and waste on the environment.
[4] Calculation is based on number of Europeans: 741,884,712, total amount of textiles discarded (kgs) = number of Europeans x 11 = 8,160,731,832 kgs. Clothing represents more than 60% of textiles discarded. 60% of 8,160,731,832 kgs = 4,896,439,099 kgs /1000 = 4,896,439 tons discarded every year. /365 = 13,415 tons discarded every day
[7] Barnardo’s, Survey of 1500 women as part of #MyBarnardosDonation – Campaign (2015); Morgan, L.R. and Birtwistle, G., An investigation of young fashion consumers’ disposal habits (2009).
[8] Based on external test of stain removal on 50 common household stains using UltraQuick 30°C program with 5kg load.
[9] Based on internal test comparing energy consumption of the 40°C cotton program with the 39 min 30°C UltraQuick program.
[12] Based on internal test comparing energy, time and water consumption of SmartSelect Normal setting Cotton 40° with SmartSelect Extra Light setting Cotton 20° on a 4kg cotton load.
[13] Based on global Electrolux Group life cycle assessment data. Data is available on request.
[14] In energy consumption considering the EU energy consumption threshold. For washing machines exceeding top energy rating A with 5% up to 40%, in washer dryers with 5% up to 15% and for tumble dryers exceeding top energy rating A+++ with 10% up to 25%.
For further information, please contact Electrolux Press Hotline, +46 8 657 65 07.
