Sustainable water management

Water is one of our planet’s most precious yet limited resources, and it is essential to our daily operations. That’s why we are committed to responsible water management and promoting sustainable water use across every aspect of our operations.

Sustainable water management

Water is at the very core of our operations. Over the decades, we have optimised our water usage through innovative solutions and implemented responsible wastewater management practices. To maximise our impact, we have set a clear target for sustainable water management:

We aim to improve our water efficiency by 50% by 2030 compared to 2023 levels
in high and extremely high water stress areas.

Water stress means the (in)ability to meet the human and ecological demand for water and it is measured as the ratio of total annual water withdrawal to total available renewable water supply. An area is under high water stress if this ratio is 40–80% or extremely high water stress if it exceeds 80%. In 2024, 16 (22%) of our service centres we in these areas.

Smart water use for a sustainable and cost-efficient service

Optimising our water usage isn’t just about conserving a valuable natural resource – it also allows us to provide our customers with a more cost-efficient service. Here is how we ensure that every wash uses the optimal amount of water while maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness.

Environmental programme

Each laundry creates an annual environmental programme to set water usage targets, track progress, and implement reduction measures. Additionally, we have set a group-wide benchmark for water usage.

Water reusing and recycling

Water reusing and recycling is central to our optimisation efforts. We recover rinse water and recycle it in the washing process in most of our laundries. In larger plants, water from cleaner textiles is reused for washing dirtier items like mats, boosting efficiency. To go even further, we are investing in wastewater purification – especially in water-stressed areas – to improve our water efficiency and minimise withdrawals.

Collaboration

We partner with leading detergent suppliers and industry experts to continually refine our processes and achieve optimal water efficiency per kilogram of textiles. Beyond our own operations, we play an active role in the European Textile Service Association to contribute to industry-wide initiatives.

Machine maintenance

We actively maintain our washing machines and equipment because well-functioning machines use less water and energy. Regular upkeep and process control procedures ensure everything runs smoothly, helping us deliver high-quality textiles. Our staff is trained to use optimised washing programmes to save water while ensuring hygiene and effective washing.

Wastewater treatment

To ensure sustainable water management at the end of our laundry process, we treat wastewater from our laundries before being released. All our facilities use filtration systems to remove solids, lint, and some microplastics. When needed, we install on-site treatment plants to meet local regulations. We regularly monitor wastewater quality through composite sampling, which helps us refine our processes and improve treatment efficiency. Wastewater can also be purified using advanced technologies and reused in washing.

Sustainable water management in action

Achieving 56% water reduction in India

Aquaest water recycling project in collaboration with Nalco Water recovered 74% of water at the plant and reduced our total freshwater usage in Chennai by 56%.