UClean transforms India's unorganized laundry sector into a business | Fusion - WeRIndia

In India, the laundry industry has long been an unorganized sector, mainly served by traditional dhobis. They manually collect, wash, and return clothes to customers’ doorsteps. And it barely makes their ends meet.

However, Arunabh Sinha, the founder of UClean, has defied this perception by turning laundry into a multi-crore business.

UClean, initiated by Arunabh, an IIT Bombay alumnus, commenced its journey in Delhi. Now it has become India’s largest chain of laundromats, operating in over 100 cities.

Arunabh hails from a middle-class family in Jamshedpur. He began his career as an analytical associate in a US-based company’s Indian office in 2008.

Later, he ventured into non-profit work, gaining valuable entrepreneurial insights. In 2011, he founded Franglobal, a business consulting firm catering to foreign brands entering India.

After selling Franglobal, he delved into the hospitality sector in 2015, where he discovered a prevalent issue – guest complaints about laundry services.

Recognizing the disorganization within the laundry sector and the absence of professional players, Arunabh decided to step in. He initiated UClean in Delhi NCR in January 2017.

Initially, the focus was on building the business, understanding challenges, and crafting solutions. By mid-2017, Arunabh saw the potential to scale through a franchise model.

UClean expanded into Hyderabad and Pune by the end of 2017, eventually growing to 350 stores in 104 cities across India.

The company has also extended its reach to Bangladesh and Nepal, with plans to enter more countries in Africa and the Middle East.

One of UClean’s standout features is its laundry by the kilo service. Customers can place orders via the website, app, or call center, and a nearby franchise representative weighs the clothes on a digital scale, charging per kilo. Clothes are washed and returned within 24 hours.

UClean prioritizes environmental sustainability by using industrial laundry machines that reduce water consumption and an enzyme-based detergent that poses no harm to the environment.

They use just 6 liters of water per kilo of clothes, compared to the 14 liters used by average domestic washing machines. Moreover, UClean has transitioned to plastic-free stores, adopting corn-based packaging and replacing plastic baskets with metal ones.

The COVID-19 pandemic, though challenging for many startups, actually benefited UClean due to its focus on health and hygiene.

While other businesses struggled, UClean managed to add more franchises during this period than it lost, emphasizing the importance of their services in the modern world.

Arunabh Sinha’s UClean has not only revolutionized the laundry sector in India but has also set a remarkable example of how a traditionally unorganized industry can be turned into a thriving and eco-conscious business.

Image Credit: Uclean Website Screenshot

Image Reference: https://www.uclean.in/