“Going green’ are quite possibly the buzzwords of our time and generation. You can now purchase everything from super fuel-efficient cars, to clothing made from recycled fabrics, low energy-consuming light bulbs and virtually thousands of products engineered to have a less damaging impact on the environment. Therefore, it comes as no surprise the dry cleaning business is getting in on the green game.
Believing the environment is worth the extra effort, entrepreneur, Michael Kutchuk decided to rebrand and revamp his dry cleaning business, Nettoyeur Écologique Royal, as a “green’ cleaning and clothes alteration service last January. He purchased new more environmentally friendly machines in May 2008. The business has been on Sherbrooke since 1989, with a satellite location on Monkland, in N.D.G.
Nettoyeur Écologique Royal now uses steam-based technology, or the “wet method’, to clean clothing instead of using the chemical perchloroethylene, or PERC. Perc has been flagged as a potential carcinogen by the International Agency on Research and Cancer. Used by the large majority of cleaners, the chemical was banned in California in 2008 because of its links to serious health risks. In Canada, dry cleaners must record how much they use every year and report it to the government, because of the potential risks.
The transition from chemical cleaning was a good way to help the environment, as well as a smart business move for Kutchuk. He said that Nettoyeur Écologique Royal has seen a 20 per cent upswing in sales, and they run out of space to store clothing when demand is high. “I knew it was the way to go,” said Kutchuk while sitting in the tidy, but noisy storefront of his business, where he and two employees work.
Kutchuk says he is the first to offer a steam-based dry cleaning service in Quebec, which helps him stand out from his competitors. Wise, considering there are numerous other dry cleaning businesses nearby.
The process is also good for clothes as it doesn’t require such a high level of heat. “Look at this dress… not a shade of grey on it,” said Kutchuk while holding up a delicate cream wedding dress, whose colour is indeed, grey-free. Perc tends to grey white material because it doesn’t dry completely.
The fact that the machines don’t use the chemical PERC appeals to customers, many of whom Kutchuk says are “eco-concious.” He says his rates are higher than his competitor’s, with most of his clients coming from the Plateau, the South Shore, and nearby Westmount.
“We like the idea of eco-friendly,” said longtime customer Huguette Carbonneau, who noted the cleaner’s does a good job with her clothing. “You have to be [green.]”
Kutchuk said that 20 per cent of his business is derived from deliveries to upscale condominium residents; no surprise there. However, what’s more shocking is the businessman says ten per cent of his clientèle is composed of students. Doing something the green way appeals to students, and if you take a look around Concordia University’s campus, you can see tons of initiatives for sustainability. But, would students pay more for dry cleaning when they need all the money they can get to pay for everyday essentials?
“Personally, I would, because I know that every little thing that we do affects the environment in a big, general aspect,” said Michael Bianco, a third-year student in electrical engineering. “The fact that I don’t have a lot of shirts to dry clean, I might as well pay the difference. But in a material world where [everything] has a cost, I’m pretty sure that it’s going to be hard to convince other people to pay that extra difference when they have a couple of shirts to dry clean a month.”
“If had the money, I would,” said Allison Fruend, a human environment student. But she noted that she rarely goes to the dry cleaner’s – she doesn’t have the kind of clothing that needs special cleaning, like suits or evening dresses. Fellow student Brett Beauchamp added, “people don’t mind paying that little bit more for some service when they know they’re getting better quality.”
As it turns out, Kutchuk’s services aren’t much more expensive than those offered at a typical dry cleaner’s. To get a shirt dry cleaned can cost $2.40 to $4.50. Some dry cleaners charge $1.79 to $2.50. Getting your jacket cleaned at Royal will set you back $9, while it’s around $5 elsewhere.
In order to refurbish his business, Kutchuk took out a loan, and paid it off before upgrading. Dry cleaning machines don’t come cheap: the price tag for Kutchuk’s five new machines was $100,000. But will other business owners take on that risk for the sake of helping the environment?
Steve and Duncan Wou are brothers who took over running their parents’ dry cleaning business, New York System. The shop, located on de Maisonneuve, corner Saint-Mathieu, opened 40 years ago, and still uses perc in its day-to-day operations. The Wou brothers aren’t too concerned about the chemical, though they know it’s bad for the environment if it isn’t treated properly. “We have a disposable company that takes out all the waste,” said Steve, referring to the canisters that collect PERC waste. “If you do that, you should be okay.”
Other companies might skirt around safety regulations by just tossing the material, he added, and that’s bad for the environment.
The brothers don’t seem too convinced by the new wet method machines, and the promise of no smell and no bad chemicals. “Our machine that we use is brand new, and removes all the smell and toxins,” said Steve. “The wet method is good if you know what you’re doing,” added Duncan. According to him, the method can shrink clothing and it requires someone with expertise to stretch it back in to shape.
Will they switch over eventually to the wet method? It seems that chances are the Wous will be sticking with the machines they’ve got for now.
Whether Quebec will follow California’s lead and eventually ban perc remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Kutchuk said he sees expansion in the very near future. Having registered his business’ name and green-and-blue logo, he would like to eventually franchise his green venture. A Nettoyeur Écologique Royal might be coming to a street near you.
