At first, dry cleaning took a dive
It makes sense, right? When all offices closed down, weddings were canceled, and work from home became the norm, dry cleaners saw a decrease in route and retail volume. Simply put, the garments that call for dry cleaning were not getting worn.
Luckily for us at The Folde, wash and fold laundry became increasingly popular to counterbalance the dramatic drop in dry cleaning volume.
The decline in dry cleaning is well documented by NPR, Bloomberg, and CBS – among many others.
Sales increased as summer approached
But the numbers can be a bit misleading here. While dry cleaning specific sales went from -70% to -50%, garment counts trailed behind. Instead of sending their typical wardrobe to the dry cleaners, people were instead opting to take care of their household items with dry cleaning treatment.
Instead of shirts, slacks, and dresses, dry cleaners saw more household items like comforters, curtains, and table cloths.
Consistency encouraged dry cleaners to stay optimistic
Spring 2021 brought most delivery dry cleaners up from -50% to -30% on dry cleaning specific sales.
At The Folde, we’ve noticed the same uptick in dry cleaning – though wash & fold remains strong. While not everyone is trading their sweatpants for their work slacks, it certainly is trending that way.
Whenever you do make that trade, we’re here to help!
