Eco-friendly Dry cleaning

Sustainable Tip of the Week:
Don't dry-clean all your clothes!

Sounds bizzare I know, I didn't want to believe it either especially because many of us are so reliant on these services. I don't intend to persuade you to stop using dry cleaning services altogether, but rather persuade you to use eco-friendly dry cleaners. You may want to after you learn of the effects dry cleaning has on our environment and your health.


Here are the facts:

• Of the 35,000 dry cleaning business in the U.S. 85% still use the toxic solvent perchloroethylene (perc) known to cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, and which has been linked to reproductive problems, as well as disorders of the central nervous system.

• International Agency for Research in Cancer has labeled perc a probable human carcinogen, as has the EPA in a recent Cleaner Technology Substitutes Assessment.
  

Alternatives and Why They’re Better:

Liquid CO2 is created by obtaining CO2 emissions from previous industrial and agricultural processes and putting them under high pressure until it compresses into liquid form. CO2 is an abundant and renewable resource, and its production does not contribute to global warming.
In liquid form, it carries biodegradable soaps as water does in a washing machine. Once the process is over, the CO2 turns back into a gas and over 90% of it is reused.

Unfortunately, this process is more expensive than traditional dry cleaning, and even though the machines used save a business money by requiring fewer employees to use it, businesses are reluctant to buy and utilize the machines because they cost over double what traditional dry cleaning machines cost. The biggest proponent of liquid CO2 cleaning is a company called Hangers which has franchises all over the country.

Wet-cleaning uses water and non-toxic, biodegradable detergents to clean fabrics. It is a straightforward process to perform, but because the process uses just water and soap, more time and skill is needed to clean the clothes effectively and carefully. Some of the waste products, such as steam, get reused later in the process. Wet-cleaning is less expensive than other “green” dry-cleaning methods such as CO2 cleaning.

GreenEarth (liquid silicone dry cleaning solution) is the brand name for a liquid silicone dry cleaning solution. Silicone is a naturally occurring substance, primarily in the compound form SiO2, or sand. Silicone is used in many other consumer products such as shampoo, soap, and lotion. After it’s been used, the silicone decomposes into three natural substances: sand, water, and carbon dioxide. The process has done very well in consumer satisfaction reviews and isn’t exceedingly expensive. People like that their clothes come out odorless, softer, and the colors seem more vibrant.

“Organic” Cleaners- Many dry cleaners try to market themselves as environmentally friendly by calling themselves “organic.” However, this doesn’t mean they’re actually being green. Some “organic” dry cleaners are trying to be more eco-conscious, but the solvent they use is still very harmful. The most common “organic” dry cleaning agent is DF-2000. It is less toxic than perc, but it is petroleum-based and it contributes to global warming. Under this process, the clothes are cleaned with DF-2000 vapor, so the clothes never get wet. This saves energy because the clothes don't need to be dried but the agent itself isn't very eco-friendly.

Here is a list of some Places Around Boston that are Eco-Friendly Cleaners:

Corner Cleaners
1301 Washington St. Newton,
MA 02162 Phone: 617-969-1711

Moonie's Cleaners
233 Bowdoin St. Dorchester,
MA 02122 Phone: 617-282-1046

Natick Cleaners
13 Watson St. Natick,
MA 01760 Phone: 508-655-8200

Kelly Green Cleaners
266 Hyde Park Ave. Jamaica Plain,
MA 02130 Phone: 617-522-5961

Bush Cleaners
0219 Newbury St,
Boston MA 02116

Clevergreen Cleaners
Beacon Hill
109 Charles street
Boston, MA 02114 617-523-6925

If you go to any of these dry cleaners drop us a line and let us know what you think of their services.

Until next time.

Sustainably yours
Nathalie Zegarra