Johnsons cleaners open new eco store

Dec 3 2009 by Kathryn Quayle, Chester Chronicle

CHESTER is leading the way in eco-friendly dry cleaning, following a £215,000 investment by one of the UK’s largest cleaning companies, Johnsons Cleaners, into its two local branches this year.

Johnsons Cleaners has launched a flagship GreenEarth drive-in store on Sealand Road and also offers green cleaning at its existing branch in Bridge Street.

GreenEarth is available for the same price as traditional dry cleaning, but is proven to be kinder to clothes, skin and the environment. It uses gentle liquid silicone cleaning solvents which come from naturally occurring sand and give fabric a softer feel, with no tell-tale dry cleaning smell.

Paul Ogle, managing director of Johnsons Cleaners, said: “Our customers are demanding more environmentally-friendly products and services and, as the market leader and the largest cleaning company in the UK, we take our responsibilities seriously – to our staff, customers and the environment where we live and work.

“The introduction of GreenEarth to both of our Chester stores reflects our ongoing commitment to eco-friendly initiatives, nationwide.”

The Sealand Road branch also serves as a central hub for a number of other branches in nearby towns, designed to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by reducing the total number of cleaning loads.

Garments dropped off at other branches are dry cleaned with GreenEarth technology at the central branch, before being returned by van overnight to the original store for collection next day.

Despite requiring additional transportation, Johnsons Cleaners expects to cut its overall electricity and gas consumption across the stores involved by 12% and water usage by 70% in the first 12 months.

This is just one of a number of eco-friendly initiatives Johnsons Cleaners has introduced to its Chester branches, including energy reduction targets, ‘bag for life’ laundry carriers, a ‘go paper-free’ customer communications campaign, and a successful ‘Hand Back Your Hangers!’ coat hanger recycling campaign.