CLEANR 세탁기용

Microplastic fibers that detach from synthetic clothing during washing are discharged into sewage, polluting rivers and oceans, and threatening human health through the food chain. Considering that approximately 60% of clothing materials are synthetic fibers, washing machines are considered the largest source of household microplastic emissions.

However, existing washing machines either lack devices to filter out these microparticles or only have primary filters that catch large lint. Although some use washing balls or filter bags separately, they are cumbersome and have low capture efficiency, preventing widespread adoption. In other words, the problem is the lack of a solution that allows consumers to easily install and manage a filter that efficiently removes microplastics.

Furthermore, while some countries like France are enacting mandatory washing machine filter laws, manufacturers are slow to respond, creating demand for upgrading older washing machines.

CLEANR's washing machine filter is compatible with any washing machine model and designed for DIY installation within 15 minutes. Its structure only requires connection to the washing machine drain hose without separate plumbing tools, greatly increasing consumer accessibility.

It features VORTX technology inspired by nature, a patented design that effectively swirls and captures even small microfibers. As a result, it has achieved a microplastic removal efficiency of over 90% based on external verification standards, and it has been proven to capture particles as small as 50μm (micrometers).

Fluid dynamics are optimized to prevent slowing down the drainage speed due to filter use, ensuring no impact on washing performance. Maintenance is simple, requiring only 30 seconds to remove dust from a week's worth of usage. Typically, the filter is opened after 5-6 washes to empty the collected lint/fiber debris. A smartphone app is linked to provide cleaning reminders and data tracking of the amount of microfibers captured. This allows users to numerically confirm the impact of their efforts on the environment and stay motivated.

CLEANR's VORTX filter technology has high application scalability and is platformized for various plastic emission sources, including commercial laundry (hotels, laundromats), domestic water purification, and textile factory wastewater treatment, in addition to household use. In other words, its versatility in providing microplastic reduction solutions from home to industry with a single technology stands out compared to competitors.

In summary, the CLEANR filter is a top-level microplastic blocking solution that surpasses existing filtration technologies by more than 3 times in terms of ease of installation and use, overwhelming capture performance (>90%), and smart management features.

Consumers in households with high environmental awareness (B2C)are the primary customer base. For example, Millennials/GenZ who are interested in plastic issues are likely to voluntarily install filters on their washing machines, or housewives who are concerned about family health may decide to purchase.

In addition, large furniture and household product distributors or washing machine manufacturers can collaborate with CLEANR to offer bundled sales oroptional features (B2B2C).In fact, filters have been mandatory for new washing machines in France since 2025, and there are legislative movements in some regions such as the United States. Manufacturers can quickly respond by licensing CLEANR technology or forming OEM partnerships rather than developing their own filters.

Also, places with large amounts of laundry, such as hotel chains, laundromats, and hospital laundry rooms (B2B), can adopt it in terms of regulations or ESG management. CLEANR has partnered with university campuses to install more than 100 filters in dormitory washing machines and has begun selling to educational institutions. Furthermore,local governments (B2G)are considering a model of providing subsidies and distributing them to local residents.

Currently, it is launched in the North American market mainly through direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales, and operates sales channels through online malls and its own website. In the future, it will be diversified into standard equipment for new washing machines and distributor packages, and is expected to preempt the global household filter market.

The market expansion of this product is gaining solid momentum as regulations in various countries have already started. Mandatory washing machine filters are being discussed in the EU and some states in the United States, starting with France, and manufacturers are also responding.

CLEANR has been recognized for its innovation and vision, with its founder being selected for Forbes 30 Under 30, and has achieved the result of blocking the discharge of approximately 60 billion or more microplastics in less than a year since its launch. This is leading to word-of-mouth about product effectiveness and trust from institutions.

In terms of production, the filter consists of relatively simple plastic parts + filter mesh, making mass production easy. It is currently being sold with a mass production system after the success of the Indiegogo campaign. The price is known to be in the range of $50-100, which is affordable for the general public, and from an ROI (Return On Investment) perspective, the satisfaction of contributing to the environment once purchased is great.

Of course, there are challenges to overcome. Since consumer behavior change (the habit of cleaning the filter themselves) is necessary, it is important to increase the rate of continuous use. To this end, app notifications and reward programs (e.g., providing points for sending fibers collected from the filter to a collection campaign) are being introduced.

In addition, there are similar filters such as Europe's PlanetCare as competing products, but CLEANR is superior in terms of efficiency and convenience, but it is necessary to secure brand awareness and preempt partnerships in the competition surrounding the market in the future.

Overall, the market outlook for CLEANR is very bright due to the combination of strong driving force of environmental regulations, the trend of improving consumer awareness, and the high level of completion of the product itself. Since washing machine filters are likely to become the new standard between 2025 and 2030, CLEANR has a high possibility of growing into a standard technology provider.

With the CES 2026 Innovation Award (Home Appliance category), the CLEANR filter has been highlighted as an example of environmental innovation practiced at home. Professional judges focused on the consumer convenience of "preventing environmental pollution caused by washing without any special effort" and were amazed at the superior efficiency compared to existing filter technologies.

The media introduced it as "the simplest solution to prevent microfibers from flowing from washing machines into the ocean" and reported it in connection with mandatory filter legislation. In particular, scientific journals and environmental organizations reliably disseminated CLEANR performance by citing verification results from the Shaw Institute, etc., and Forbes, etc. highlighted the actions of the founding team and positively evaluated it as environmental innovation achieved by a young startup.

Overall,"a realistic product that consumers can take action on right away"is the core of the favorable reviews, and it is reported that many visitors and buyers visited the booth at the CES site and showed interest.

Meanwhile, some commentators are concerned about competition if large washing machine manufacturers release their own filters, but CLEANR currently haspatent-based original technology (VORTX)and is likely to become a collaboration target.

In summary, the critics say about CLEANR"an eco-friendly innovation that has both technology and market timing and cannot be underestimated"and has a very positive outlook.