As an entrepreneur in the laundry business in Asia, you need certain tools to navigate the business world. One of such tools is market research and analysis, an important part of your business plan. This process involves gathering and scrutinizing detailed information about the market or industry, serving as a valuable tool for both investors and entrepreneurs.
Investors use market analysis to identify promising opportunities in a particular region and guide their investment decisions. It helps entrepreneurs assess the feasibility of their business ideas. For a laundry business, market analysis helps you identify your target audience. It also highlights the regulations guiding the market in a particular region.
Our in-house analysts have conducted a market analysis of the laundry business in Africa already. In this article, our aim is to provide you with a data-centric market analysis for the laundry business in Asia.
Overview of the Laundry Business in Asia
Asia is the world’s largest continent, both in landmass and population. With 4.7 billion people, Asia makes up 60% of the global population. Asia is also the world’s largest and fastest-growing economy with a GDP (PPP) of $78.83 trillion and a GDP growth of 4.2%.
The dry cleaning and laundry services market in Asia is expected to reach $20.88 billion by 2025. The continent’s Laundry Care market also generated $44.41 billion in 2024. As of 2022, Asia-Pacific was the largest shareholder of the Laundry and Dry cleaning services market with over 35%, growing at a CAGR of 8.4%. Growing economies in the region, most notably China and India, are major drivers of this market.
Indiaโs laundry services market, for instance, reached an estimated $36,78 billion in 2023, with a CAGR of 4.50%.
As of March 2023, Japan had a total of 76,300 dry cleaning facilities, a decrease from 147,000 facilities in 2006. Industry employees also decreased from 54,000 workers in 2011 to 37,000 in 2023.
On the other hand, Chinaโs dry cleaning industry recorded over 100,000 dry cleaners in 2018. The China Laundry Association is open to people who work in laundry and dry cleaning services, equipment manufacturing, and laundry care in China. In 2022, the association held its 11th annual meeting.
Target Audience and Market
The laundry business in Asia is boosted by various growth factors, the most important being growing urbanization. The continent’s working population is rapidly growing. This means that people are living more busy lifestyles and as such, have less time to wash clothes. It has also led to a rise in disposable income and a need for convenience, which means that laundry services are currently experiencing high demand.
The target market for the laundry and dry cleaning industry in Asia is a working, middle-class, person with a busy schedule, who has less time for household responsibilities and sees laundry as a time-consuming chore. Laundromats are rising to the challenge by evolving and adapting to their customers’ needs.
For instance, several laundries have adapted to growing technological demands by implementing mobile apps into their daily function. Customers can schedule pickups, track laundry, and make payments more accessible and convenient.
Market analysis of the laundry business in Asia shows that laundromats are switching to eco-friendly, sustainable practices such as conserving water, energy, and operational costs and using eco-friendly detergents.
Competition
Fornet is a Chinese laundry franchise that has served the industry since 1997. They provide washing and dry cleaning services to the busy working class. With over 22 years of experience, this franchise has over 1500 laundries operating with their logo in 320 cities across China. They also have 150 direct stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Xiโan, and other high-traffic places in China.
Fornetโs core values are to ensure customer satisfaction and provide professional services at a reasonable price. These values are reflected in their fast services and pricing. They also sell products like laundry detergent, silk and wool cleansers, fabric softener, baby laundry fluid, and multipurpose cream cleansers alongside their laundry services.
Fornet is a member of the International Fabric Care Committee.
Uclean, an Indian laundry Franchise, offers quick, professional cleaning services to a younger, middle-class market. They have over 500 stores in more than 150 cities across Asia. Their customer-centric approach is reflected in the way their services are designed digitally.
Uclean allows users to schedule laundry pickups and drop offs through their digital app. It is an eco-friendly franchise, and this shows in it’s custom packages and use of eco-friendly laundry care products. As part of it’s unique selling point, Uclean provides cheaper, high-quality cleaning services. They use temperature-controlled air drying and high-pressure steam ironing to ensure that the laundry is skin-friendly.
Barriers to Entry
For entrepreneurs looking to expand into the Asian laundry market, the biggest barrier to entry would be governmental regulations. For instance, the Chinese government is taking initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint and the smog in its industrial activities.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce mandates industrial and commercial authorities to regulate the laundry and dyeing industry. Thus, anyone opening a laundromat in the country should research relevant laws such as registering a business license and equipping dry cleaning machines with fire-proof and explosion-proof safety equipment.
The government can also carry out environmental influence assessment for newly built, altered, or extended laundromats and residual sewage containing dry cleaning solvent should be appropriately collected or discharged to urban sewage tubes to be treated together.
Indiaโs laundry and dry cleaning services market is also highly fragmented. This makes it difficult for businesses to scale operations and keeps the market localized.
Conclusion
Conducting a market analysis is a fundamental step for new entrepreneurs venturing into the laundry business. This process not only helps in understanding market dynamics, but also in identifying the specific needs and preferences of the target audience. By assessing the how suitable the region is for investment, entrepreneurs can make informed decisions and develop effective business strategies.