Being an environmentally friendly dry cleaner, or the best green dry cleaner, is so much more involved than simply stating what dry cleaning solvent a dry cleaner may or may not use. Established recycling programs, innovation, and continual monitoring of equipment and procedures are all keys to minimizing waste and reducing utility usage. All of these factors contribute to the goal of being a socially conscious dry cleaner.
In 2017, we completed an extensive renovation project that drastically reduced our overall utility usage. As a result of this project, we were named the Small Business Project of the Year by the USGBC Central Pennsylvania. We were also named an Energy Project Partner by UGI.
Areas of our Drycleaning & Laundromat Business We Strive to Make Green
Our Washers
All five of our laundromats, as well as our production facility, have energy-efficient washers. Our washers require less water, reduced electricity, and minimal detergent, all of which significantly decrease our impact on the environment. Our washers perform efficiently without sacrificing the quality of wash cycles.
Our Dry Cleaning Solvent
All dry cleaning solvents are carbon-based, which means they are all considered organic. Dry cleaners who promote themselves as “green cleaners” and focus solely on the solvent being used are creating a false narrative for consumers.
However, some solvents, such as our heated hydrocarbon, are safer to use. This allows for more lenient regulations regarding waste disposal, handling, and storage. Additionally, our heated hydrocarbon dry cleaning solvent is not labeled by the EPA as a probable carcinogen.
Please know that all cleaning solvents, whether used in dry cleaning or used at home for household cleaning, are only safe when handled according to the guidelines set forth by the manufacturer. There is no such thing as toxin-free drycleaning. Any solvent, both household and dry cleaning, can produce negative results when handled improperly.
Our Lighting
As an energy efficient dry cleaner, our LED lighting reduces electric usage. This helps create a bright and inviting place to do laundry, as well as a pleasant work environment for our employees.
Our Hangers and Plastic
Our customers are invited to return all dry cleaning plastic and metal hangers for proper recycling. Our recycling programs only exist because of established partnerships, our dedicated employees, and a thorough understanding of the recycling industry.
For over 10 years, Classic Drycleaners has partnered with the Trex Company. They combine reclaimed sawdust, meaning they don’t have to cut down trees, and recycled plastic film such as grocery bags, sandwich bags & our drycleaning bags, to create eco-friendly composite decking materials.
Through innovation, our automated bagging stations allow dry cleaning and shirt laundry orders to be covered with a minimal amount of plastic, reducing waste.
Our metal hangers are recycled on a very local level with the help of our scrap metal partner. Metal hangers cannot be recycled by companies that collect recyclables and trash on a weekly basis.
All returned hangers are sorted by our employees. Some returned hangers are reused at our production facility. For metal hangers that we cannot reuse, our local scrap metal partner delivers these hangers to a recycling facility.
Visit Classic Drycleaners at one of our eight great locations or signup for our Pickup & Delivery service today!
