The rise of "Speed Laundering" - Electrolux report reveals convenience reshaping wash and drying habits across Europe

STOCKHOLM, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New study reveals surprising trade-offs, knowledge gaps, and opportunities for time-saving solutions to increase clothing life and to help close the gap between good intention and action.

A new report from Electrolux, published today, reveals the growing dominance of "speed laundering" in Europe, driven by busy lifestyles, flexible working and a rising demand for convenience. The study exposes how consumers are prioritizing faster laundry cycles, the trade-offs they're willing to make, and the opportunities for innovative solutions that deliver both speed and increased clothing life.

Extending the life of clothing is a highly effective way to reduce the fashion industry's substantial environmental impact. [1] The industry generates more greenhouse gases
than all international flights and shipping combined. [2]  Additionally, Europeans discard about 16kg of textile waste per person annually, with 88% ending up in landfills or being incinerated [3], despite most items still being usable. [4] According to the Electrolux Care Index, published in 2024, consumers who choose shorter cycles and lower temperatures can lengthen the lifespan of their clothes by more than 50%. [5]

The need for speed: laundry in the age of convenience
The report is based on analysis of 22.6m wash cycles and 6m drying cycles in 2024, gleaned from Electrolux connected appliances, and research among over 15,000 adults in 14 European countries. It highlights a clear shift towards faster laundry routines.

Key findings include the rise of the "Under an Hour" Wash: a third (33%) of all washes now take less than an hour, with an additional 25% completing in just 1 to 1.5 hours. Fast drying also follows suit with nearly a quarter (24%) of tumble-drying cycles now completed in under 90 minutes, with almost half (47%) finished in under two hours. There has also been a momentum shift to morning laundry. A majority (54%) of Europeans now prefer laundering before midday, solidifying a trend that began during the 2020 stay-at-home mandates.

The dilemma of delicates and new EU rules
Modern lifestyles increasingly demand convenience, and consumers want versatile and flexible solutions to care for all wardrobe essentials. Yet, when it comes to tumble drying delicates, consumers report facing a dilemma. They want their clothes to dry quickly but the vast majority worry about damaging certain fabrics such as wool. Over three quarters (76%) of tumble dryer owners reported being very wary of tumble-drying wool, with nearly half (49%) avoiding it altogether. It's a similar story with other fabrics and items including silk, duvets, down jackets and outdoor wear.

Interestingly, the features that tumble dryer owners want, so that they can dry delicate fabrics, are frequently offered in heat pump dryers. These dryers are currently in the minority amongst those polled. However, from July 2025, the European Union (EU) has updated the Energy Label and ecodesign for tumble dryers to implement stricter energy efficiency standards. Currently, only heat pump tumble dryers meet the new requirements, which is why Electrolux decided to phase out condenser appliances.

Energy efficiency still a driving force
Electrolux has been monitoring consumer attitudes toward energy costs and usage with appliances since 2022. This latest report shows that for over half of Europeans (53%), energy efficiency will be a major influence on their next major appliance purchase. While slightly down from 59% last year, this clearly demonstrates that energy efficiency continues to be a primary consideration when purchasing laundry appliances.

Concerns over energy costs also significantly impact tumble dryer usage. A substantial 43% of tumble dryer owners stated that these concerns prevent them from using their appliance more often. This is further reinforced by the fact that over a quarter (28%) have actively changed their drying habits in the past twelve months due to energy costs.

Clothing care: trade-offs and knowledge gap
While speed is a clear priority, the report also reveals potential trade-offs and knowledge gaps which, if filled, could close the gap between good intentions and actions. In research from 2024, 84% of Europeans agreed that they care about looking after their clothes. [6] However, only 25% of respondents are aware of the large impact washing has on clothing's life. Established last year, the Electrolux Care Index [7] showed clothing, including jeans and t-shirts, can last 50% longer with gentler wash conditions – namely, shorter cycles and lower temperatures.

"It is with great pride that we publish the 5th edition of this important research. Fundamental to our purpose is a deep understanding of consumers and a dedication to solving real-world problems", says Nikos Bartzoulianos, Group Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Sustainability Europe APMEA at Electrolux Group. "We focus on addressing genuine needs, especially in areas like laundry, where extending the life of clothes and reducing environmental impact are paramount."

Five tips for consumers
The rise of speed laundering presents both challenges and opportunities. Here are five things Electrolux recommends consumers to consider:

1. If speed is a priority: Look for washing machines and dryers that have cycles that can fit around your day. For example, Electrolux UltraQuick, short programme, available in 800 and 900 series washing machines, delivers complete stain removal even at low temperatures. It effectively removes over 50 common household stains - like ketchup, Bolognese sauce, and gravy - at just 30°C, all in under an hour. [8]
2. Certain tumble dryers can safely dry delicates: Electrolux was the first brand in the world to have tumble dryers awarded Woolmark Wool Care Green certification from global wool care experts, The Woolmark Company. The certification ensures the highest care for wool, together with lower energy consumption. [9] All of Electrolux's tumble dryers with the DelicateCare feature are Woolmark certified, but it was the 900 series, launched in 2024, that broke through for the highest honors.
3. Cost of tumble drying similar to one cappuccino a month: Concerns over energy costs prevent a substantial 43% of tumble dryer owners from using their tumble dryer more often. But tumble drying does not have to be expensive. An 8kg A-class Electrolux heat pump dryer with an ECO cycle has an EU average cost around €0.21 per cycle. [10, 11] Drying 160 loads in one year would therefore have an estimated cost €33.50, which is roughly the price of buying a cappuccino, from a leading coffee chain, once a month. [12]
4. Space needn't be an issue: The main reason younger generations and parents of young children don't have a tumble dryer is because of a lack of space. A solution can be to opt for a washer dryer. For example, the Electrolux 900 PerfectCare® Washer Dryer washes and dries clothes, whatever they are made of. Even delicate silk garments keep their shape. [13]  
5. Intelligent sensors can dry even the thickest garment: Dryers with advanced sensors can adjust drying time for optimal, consistent results especially with thicker garments. Electrolux's 3DSense technology, for example, available on all 800 UltraCare models and above, scans moisture levels deep within thick garments, like down jackets and duvets, ensuring complete drying while fully restoring their warmth and fluffiness. [14]        

About the Electrolux Group

Electrolux Group is a leading global appliance company that has shaped living for the better for more than 100 years. We reinvent taste, care and wellbeing experiences for millions of people, always striving to be at the forefront of sustainability in society through our solutions and operations. Under our group of leading appliance brands, including Electrolux, AEG and Frigidaire, we sell household products in around 120 markets every year. In 2024 Electrolux Group had sales of SEK 136 billion and employed approximately 41,000 people around the world. For more information go to www.ElectroluxGroup.com.

Electrolux Group's sustainability leadership has been recognized by the prestigious EcoVadis Gold rating, which places it as a sustainability leader in the industry and within the top 5% of 70,000+ companies globally. The global non-profit CDP also awarded Electrolux Group sustainability leadership with an A- score for its work on Climate. In 2025, the Financial Times has named Electrolux Group as a European Climate Leader for the third year in a row for the company's work to reduce its carbon emissions. Electrolux Group is placed 32 out of 600 European companies that made the list and is the highest-ranked appliance manufacturer.

About the report - The Truth About Laundry

Electrolux has been producing and sharing The Truth about Laundry since 2021. The findings in this latest study are based on quantitative data collected from 15,953 adults across fourteen European markets. OnePoll, a survey-led market research company – managed the research in collaboration with Electrolux and its partners. The survey was fielded between 30th January to 7th March 2025 with data collected in the following countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK; 1000 General Population per market, with a boost to 500 Tumble Dryer Owners. While the data is mainly from EU countries, due to the size and scale of the research, and to maintain consistency with previous years, we have applied the findings to Europe.

The data was weighted for each country to ensure accurate representation by age, marital status, income/social class, ethnicity, and religion. For a statistic of 50% the margin of error for sampling on a sample of 1000 respondents is ±3.1%. For smaller or larger statistics, the margin of error will decrease and falls to 1.9% for a statistic of 10% or 90%. This is based on all countries having 1000 respondents per market. This margin of error is small making the data highly reliable.

References

[1] https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/report/valuing-our-clothes-cost-uk-fashion
[2] A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashion's Future Reference Ellen MacArthur Foundation, A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion's future (2017)
[3] European Environment Agency management-of-used-and-waste-textiles
[4] Fashion Revolution
[5] The Truth About Laundry report Love Clothes for Longer edition 2024
[6] https://admin.betterlivingprogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The-Truth-About-Laundry-Love-Clothes-for-Longer-edition-2024-Electrolux.pdf
[7] https://www.electroluxgroup.com/en/new-electrolux-group-study-shows-short-wash-and-low-temperature-key-to-reducing-environmental-footprint-of-clothes-42380/
[8] Based on external test of stain removal on 50 common household stains using UltraQuick 30°C program with 5kg load
[9] Become a Woolmark Wool Care Licensee | Woolmark
[10] The average energy consumption per cycle with the cotton standard program (ECO) according to EU Regulation EU 2023/2534 is 0.73 kWh. It is not the specific energy consumption of the 8 kg drying cycle
[11] Cycle cost calculated using the EU average electricity price in the second half of 2024 — a weighted average using the most recent (2023) consumption data for electricity by household consumers (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Electricity_price_statistics#Electricity_prices_for_household_consumers)
[12] Calculated with an average price of a cappuccino at Starbucks in Germany of €3.25 x 12 months = €39
[13] Compared to air drying confirmed by external test performed in May 2022
[14] Based on external test of thermal resistance for items dried with 3DSense Technology, performed according to ISO 11092

For further information, please contact Electrolux Press Hotline, +46 8 657 65 07.

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