Shopping for pre-used items and adopting sustainable laundry habits go perfectly hand in hand! These two practices are key pillars of a more circular lifestyle and are crucial steps in the journey to reducing textile waste. That’s why we’ve continued our collaboration with Sellpy. This time, we focused on educating the Sellpy community through their social media channels. Using playful polls, competitions, and quizzes, we shared reminders to wash clothes at lower temperatures.

We are so inspired to see washing temperature advice on national Swedish TV. In this episode of Modeinferno Modeinferno – Episode 7: Is 30 Degrees Enough? (SVT Play) the host fashion and sustainability expert Emily Dahl explores how we care for our clothes, and if 30°C is enough and sufficient to get them clean. The answer? Yes, for both your clothes and the planet. The episode also features an interview with Kevin Florström, a devoted advocate for sustainable fashion and home care routines who we have also had the great pleasure of collaborating with. It is amazing to see awareness growing around washing temperature. The episode also features an inspiring interview with the extra-ordinary designer Zamina Scillasdotter, known among other things for her work with Beyoncé. A must-see!

During an early January morning, 30° is enough!, an initiative created by Electrolux and implemented in collaboration with various partners, was finally launched. The launch event took place at the prestigious KA Almgren Sidenväveri in Stockholm and was moderated by fashion expert Emilia de Poret. Guests also got to listen to Electrolux VP of Sustainability Sarah Schaeffer, psychologist Björn Hedensjö and climate psychologist Kata Nylén.

Our study compared the effect of two washing cycles on several fabric types, reflecting two of the most popular owned items in the world – a cotton t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Our study showed that by using gentler washing programs, the lifespan of these garments can be extended by over 50%. Based on this, we have developed the Electrolux Care LCA model to quantify the environmental impact of different washing treatments on a garment’s overall footprint.

The goal of 30° is enough! is to increase knowledge about how clothing care, and especially washing temperature, is important and to inspire as many people as possible to wash at a lower temperature more often. If 83% of Swedish households that wash hotter than 30 degrees lowered it to 30, we would save a whopping 261,167,751.20 kWh. That is enough to turn on 4,965,544 LED lamps for a year. In other words – one lamp turned on in all 4,931,974 households in Sweden for an entire year. (Calculation based on Statistics Sweden and the EU, Eurostat, Demography of Europe – 2024 edition)

We use different methods to spread knowledge and information to reach as many people as possible and we work with fashion experts, sustainability experts and psychologists to create as interesting information as possible. In connection with our press event when 30° is enough! was launched, Scandinavian Mind interviewed with Electrolux VP of Sustainability Sarah Schaefer. We highly recommend reading this interesting interview for more insight into the work with 30° is enough! from an Electrolux perspective.