UKFT member LaundRe is a London-based denim laundry built to help UK brands shorten supply chains, reduce waste and bring small-batch denim finishing back onshore. Founded by long-standing denim professional Salli Deighton, the east London facility combines laser, ozone and nebulization technologies with low-resource washing systems to offer bespoke finishing, rewashing and reprocessing solutions that prioritise circularity over scale.

A tour of the Canning Town site

The site officially opened in July 25 and UKFT’s team recently visited to meet with Salli and the team. The ground floor is fitted with Jeanologia G2 laser machinery and Yilmak Jeanius nebulizing systems alongside Yilmak’s Rainforest washing machines, which have been selected to meet brands’ requests for low volumes and high-quality finishes. The Rainforest machines reduce water, steam and chemical use and have drums sized for 80–120 pairs of jeans, while two dedicated sample machines allow for limited or bespoke runs.

By the end of the year the site is expected to process around 1,000 units a day and a second shift can more than double capacity if demand requires, says Salli. The second floor provides space for education and showrooms where fabric, fibre and chemistry partners can demonstrate compatibility with LaundRe’s processes.

“We’re not a conventional laundry. We have a really low emission boiler from Fulton suitable for our inner Londonlocation. We won’t use traditional pumice or potassium permanganate. We’re trying to build everything as sustainably and as efficiently as we can from the start,” says Salli. “We’re a problem solving service that helps brands to be more flexible and creative, as well as to reduce overbuying.”

The laser machines are gaining the most attention from brands and designers at the moment, many of whom have never seen them in action in person. Laser technology completely changes how denim can be finished. Traditionally, details like fades, whiskers or patterns are created with heavy water use, chemicals or manual abrasion, which can be slow, inconsistent, and harmful to workers and the environment. With lasers, those effects are produced digitally and with precision, meaning every garment can be finished the same way with far less impact.

The technology also opens up new creative possibilities, says Salli. Designers can use the laser almost like a printer to add patterns, graphics or text directly onto denim without adding another layer of production. This makes small runs, limited editions and bespoke collections far more viable.

From a sustainability point of view, laser finishing reduces water, chemicals and waste dramatically and it’s safer for people because there’s no need for manual sanding or spraying with hazardous substances.

Technology and sustainability at the core

LaundRE’s approach replaces many traditional wet processes with dry and low-resource alternatives. Key features include:

• Jeanologia laser marking for dry, repeatable effects and labelling without added wet procedures.
• Ozone bleaching to sterilise and fade denim while avoiding high-impact chemicals and dramatically lowering water use.
• Nebulization and nano-bubble systems can shorten cycle times and reduce chemical consumption.
• Yilmak Rainforest washers engineered for resource efficiency and short process times. (The two Rainforest washers are fondly named after key industry contacts of Salli – Miguel and Habib).
• Chemical partners have supported trials with eco-formulations and bio-based solutions
• The site features a low emission Fulton boiler

These capabilities mean brands can re-finish unsold or returned stock, alter shade and appearance, and reintroduce products to retail at full price to ultimately extend garment life and divert denim from recycling streams or landfill.

One hub, multiple use cases

LaundRe is designed for flexibility. The facility can accommodate requests ranging from weekly low-volume production (for example, 200 jeans a week) to testing programmes for rewashing existing garments and launching limited-edition collections (from as little as one piece).

The site sits adjacent to Reskinned, a circular solutions provider which offers take-back schemes, recommerce and end-of-life recycling for fashion and footwear brands. Reskinned has been providing fabric for trials and access to equipment, while LaundRe’s nebulizing systems have proved useful for textile sterilisation. Together they illustrate how sorting, mending, re-washing and finishing can form a local circular hub here in the UK.

People and expertise

The team at LaundRe boast decades of experience in denim and laundry. Founder Salli (who held senior roles at M&S, Wrangler, FatFace, Debenhams and Asos) is joined by Rowan Hunt, founder of Denim Research and LaundRe’s CTO, who leads R&D. Ivan Manzaneda, formerly of Jeanologia’s Brainbox and Isko’s Creative Room, is leading on education, while Idrish Munshi, a laundry operations specialist is managing day-to-day production. Yeliz Haciosmanoglu is due to join shortly from Turkey as Production Director  and Joanna Senez (formerly of Boden, Debenhams and American Eagle) is sustainable operations manager. The team is completed by Callum Potts, finance manager, and Kelly Farewell, chief financial officer.

This experience is integral to the mission as training and education is a key part of the business model. The second floor of the site has been designed specifically for learning and knowledge-sharing, with space for classrooms, workshops and brand-facing showrooms. The training focuses on laser design and finishing, sustainable wash processes for buyers and brands, as well as suppliers and partners who want to trial fabrics, fibres or chemicals with advanced finishing machinery. Read more about the training here.

Founding story and future plans

LaundRe’s origins go back several years and to conversations held well before the pandemic. The idea matured into a business plan and gained momentum with key hires and fundraising. Salli acknowledges fundraising challenges, particularly the low share of investment women-led ventures receive in the UK, but says the team has retained control while securing partners and in-kind support from chemistry suppliers and mills.

Salli says: “Right now, brands’ warehouses are packed with unsold denim, and around the world huge amounts of clothing are being thrown away. We created LaundRe to start tackling those challenges head on. By offering local finishing in the UK, brands no longer need to add the wash finish to whole batches overseas, making production faster and more flexible. The option to wash the jeans in  small batches and create bespoke finishes also reduces the need to buy large, risky volumes of stock. Unsold items can be reprocessed and finished for resale, extending their lifespan instead of being sent to landfill. At the same time, LaundRe provides training and showroom space to help buyers, designers and suppliers see what sustainable finishing can achieve.”

The “Reborn” sample range demonstrates what local finishing can achieve on post consumer jeans and Salli is actively seeking retail partners to debut those pieces. The business continues to raise capital and pursue grant funding to scale operations.

A practical and flexible solution for circular denim

LaundRe is a practical response to systemic problems in denim sourcing and finishing. By combining specialised machinery, green chemistry, skilled technicians and an on-site education offering, the hub aims to deliver shorter supply chains, less waste and new local jobs in an industry that has become dependent on processing overseas.

For UK brands exploring reshoring, limited-edition collections or ways to reintroduce unsold stock with minimal environmental impact, LaundRe offers a local option and a model for what a circular future for denim could look like.

If you would like a visit, trials or to discuss collaboration, LaundRe is welcoming brand enquiries for production, testing or training.

VISIT THE LAUNDRE WEBSITE

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