The anatomy of sustainable domestic laundering behaviour

Licentiate thesis, 2021

Today’s washing appliances are much more efficient than those of a decade ago, yet the environmental benefits of this efficiency are counteracted by changes in consumer behaviour. This thesis presents two alternative ways to limit emissions from domestic laundering, as well as to better understand consumer behaviour related to the practice of keeping clothes clean. More specifically, it examines the potential for shared systems (which are common in Sweden) and finds that this setup could reduce climate impacts by at least 26%. Concerning behaviour, the results presented acknowledge that any final laundering practice is influenced by an intricate interaction between technology, social conventions, and individual concerns. Three overarching principles can be identified using current research literature concerning domestic laundry:

1. Technology changes laundry conventions, while social context dictates market acceptance of new cleaning technology.
2. Technological solutions are often suggested to influence laundry behaviour, but individual concerns seem to override the effect of the interventions.
3. Consumer laundry practices are guided by social conventions that are also rooted in intrapersonal dynamics.

Hopefully these principles (as well as the detailed results from the LCA model) could be used to better understand the possibilities and limitations of domestic laundering, and guide any future interventions aiming for a more sustainable society.