The Eco Laundry Room was one of the social businesses that pitched its start-up at the 2011 Social Finance Forum during the Good Deals portion of the conference.
Located on the Danforth in Toronto, the laundry mat has everything you could dream of needing when washing your clothes: a cafe called Guru Coffee that offers fair trade and organic coffee and tea; energy-efficient washing and drying machines, the former which uses solar-heated hot water (this cuts expenses as well); tables, chairs and flooring made with recycled materials; free WiFi; accesible bathrooms and a kid's play area. The price is right, too. The cost ends up being cheaper than a regular laundry mat in Canada's largest city.
Get a tour of the state-of-the-art facilities in the featured video. You'll never look at laundry mats the same again.
Contact Information
The Eco Laundry Room website
The Eco Laundry Room on Facebook
The Eco Laundry Room on Twitter
Experience-Creating Cleaners
The Eco Laundry Room Has a Cafe, Kid's Play Area and Free WiFi
Trend Themes
1. Eco-friendly Laundry - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop energy-efficient washing and drying machines with solar-heated hot water.
2. Socially Conscious Cafes - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create cafes that offer fair trade and organic coffee and tea.
3. Integrated Play Areas - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design laundry facilities with accessible bathrooms and kid's play areas.
Industry Implications
1. Laundry Services - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporate eco-friendly practices and amenities into laundry facilities.
2. Cafes and Coffee Shops - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate social responsibility and sustainability into cafe operations.
3. Children's Entertainment Centers - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Combine laundry services with kid-friendly play areas to enhance the customer experience.