What made your hero take action?
The Eco Laundry Room uses Spanish-made Energy Star rated front-load washers and German-made intermittent dryers. The washing machines use 43 percent less water than equivalent models, and the dryers use half the gas than conventional models. Clients can wash and dry their clothes in under an hour. The facility is Bullfrog-powered and uses roof top solar tube panels to heat the hot water, using less energy. The Eco Laundry Room makes its own eco-friendly soap, Eco Sudz, which is sold in the vending machines. The owners used eco-conscious materials to build the laundromat including a flooring product made of recycled materials and tables made of concrete and steel.
The on-site coffee house, Guru Coffee, serves fair trade and organic coffee and is located beside the kids’ play area. Free Wi-Fi is also available. The space is designed for families to enjoy downtime and for business people to have the option of working on-site. The Eco Laundry Room is the first of its kind in the GTA.
The Eco Laundry Room is open 365 days a year from 6am to 10 pm.
"Doing laundry never felt so good....."
What were some of the challenges they faced?
Many customers believe that because a company is "green", they must be more expensive. The Eco Laundry Room is not only less expensive but a time saver.
What did they achieve?
The Eco Laundry Room is owned by Natasha Bick-Kelso, Brant Kelso and Paul Bichler.
2471 Danforth Avenue is the second location for the Eco Laundry Room. The first location opened in Peterborough Ontario in September of 2007.
The Eco Laundry Room in Peterborough won several awards including The Peterborough Examiner's 2009 Reader's Choice Poll for Favourite Laundry, The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce 2008 Business Excellence Award Winner for Commercial Restoration and Runner-up in Environmental Practices. They also placed 3rd in online voting for the 3rd Season of CBC's Dragons’ Den. The Eco Laundry Room recently auditioned for Dragons’ Den, Season Six.
What has happened since? How are they inspiring people today?
Currently, they are working with several potential franchisees and are also looking for other GTA locations to expand the business.
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Hi - if you're a frequent user of the Eco Laundry Room - I'd like to hear from you. I'm doing a story for the Toronto Star.
Thanks.
Valerie Hauch, vhauch@thestar.ca
I really love the Eco Laundry Room! Love the atmosphere, the cafe and the fact that this laundry mat offers a lower environmental foot print!
Who likes to do laundry? Certainly not me!! However, when I'm down to the bare minimums of my closet and forced to wear my 80's clothes, I know its time to go to The Eco Laundry Room. I love this place. It’s clean, chock full of machines that actually work and get your clothes clean, and there is a great owner there that is quick to help you out and remember your face from week to week. I always go here around lunch time and eat some cool organic food in their coffee house while my clothes are in the dryer. Ummm…Free parking!
I dropped off my boy’s hockey equipment including goalie pads for washing and the service was awesome and actually affordable, too.. Thanks so much Eco Laundry Room and good luck in the contest!
This is such a comfortable place, I actually enjoyed doing laundry!