Get the latest delivered to your inbox
Privacy Policy

Now Reading

Green Apple Cleaners is turning the Big Apple green

Green Apple Cleaners is turning the Big Apple green

Published 01-31-08

Submitted by Green Apple Cleaners

Ad appearing in Green Guide, National Geographic's new magazine

New York, NY "“ January 31, 2008 - New York State has filed lawsuits against at least three companies for groundwater and soil contamination that they attribute to perc, the dry cleaning chemical perchloroethylene (PCE) used by over 90% of all drycleaners. In California and recently proposed in New Jersey, the use of perc in dry cleaning will be outlawed within the decade. Not only bad for your health, it turns out that harsh dry cleaning chemicals and traditional finishing methods can also be harmful to clothing by dulling the finish, breaking fibers and leaving residues on the garments.

The timing couldn't be better for health conscious Green Apple Cleaners, the only environmentally friendly dry cleaner in Manhattan. At the Green Apple Cleaners plant in New Jersey, trained specialists using state-of-the-art CO2, Wet Cleaning and European Finishing equipment, treat garments with gentle handling. The special care they give to the clothes, and to the customers, has been recognized by Green Apple Cleaners' acceptance into the elite group of prestigious cleaners - "America's Best Cleaners(TM)". Their care for the planet has placed them among New York's top green businesses and they are one of the founding members of the Sustainable Business Network of New York.

Taking care of the environment was the brainstorm of entrepreneur David Kistner and his partner Christopher Skelley who founded the business in 2006. When Mr. Kistner's wife announced they were having twins four years ago, he vowed to keep hazardous chemicals not only out of reach, but also out of their home. In searching for safer dry cleaning in New York, he found no alternative solutions. Two years later, Green Apple Cleaners is now servicing over 450 buildings in Manhattan and over 9,000 clients, including the big apple's most celebrated personalities. Though the bulk of their business is pickup and delivery, they have already added two storefront locations last year with four more planned for 2008.

The popularity of Green Apple Cleaners is a sign that New York City is serious about going green. Another boost for the brand is that more people are catching on to the misleading "organic" signs cropping up on dry cleaning windows all over town. As the CEO and founder David Kistner says, "If clothes could talk they'd tell you that "organic" means volatile organic compounds "“ pretty tricky!"

On another environmental front, Mayor Bloomberg's new plastic bag recycling law will require over 2,000 stores in Manhattan, including many large dry cleaning operations, to take responsibility for their plastic bags. "It is important to take as many steps as we can to recycle plastic bags," Bloomberg says. "They are not biodegradable, but instead break down into small pieces that pollute the water and soil. Due to their light weight, plastic bags can easily escape from our sanitation system..." Green Apple Cleaners supports waste reduction with its signature black garment bags used to transport dry cleaning to and from their customers in eco-friendly vehicles. Any disposable bags they use are 100% biodegradable.

Early on, Green Apple Cleaners founders secured the telephone identity 1-888 I LUV CO2 to tout CO2 as the key to cleaner cleaning, and wrote the company motto themselves: The Cleaner Dry Cleaner. Get the real dirt on dry cleaning by visiting www.greenapplecleaners.com

Green Apple Cleaners logo

Green Apple Cleaners

Green Apple Cleaners

What we stand for We at Green Apple Cleaners care about you. We care about your clothes. We care about our employees and the communities in which we liveand work. We care deeply about the environment. We promise to treat each customer as a friend and treat every one of your garments as if it were one of our own. And we promise to take the hassle out of dry cleaning, focusing on your convenience in every way possible. What is CO2 Dry Cleaning? CO2 dry cleaning uses liquid CO2, the same ingredient that makes sparkling water "fizzy". It has been lauded by Consumer Reports, NYC.gov and Greenpeace as a more effective and environmentally safer cleaning method than current dry cleaning processes. How does CO2 dry cleaning work? CO2 dry cleaning uses natural liquid carbon dioxide. The entire cleaning process is done at a cool, room temperature. Other dry cleaning methods like perchloroethylene (or "perc", the most common dry cleaning method) hydrocarbon and Green Earth (silicone) are toxic chemicals that are known carcinogens and ground water contaminants. Additionally, most other dry cleaners require heat to dry your clothing. Heat degrades fabrics, causing them to wear out, fade and pill, and can actually cause stains to set permanently. CO2 clean: better for your clothes Our CO2 dry cleaning technology gets clothes cleaner than any other dry cleaning method. With CO2, there's no fading, shrinking, pilling or stain setting. And there's never a "dry cleaning" smell or residue left on your clothes. Garments cleaned with CO2 feel softer Your clothes feel better than when they're cleaned with other methods. Garments cleaned with CO2 actually last longer Fabrics keep their color, shape and finish, looking newer longer. CO2 cleaned garments have been shown to last 20% to 40% longer than those using traditional dry cleaning. Green Apple Cleaners full range of eco-friendly services: • Hassle free pick up and delivery • Stain removal expertise • Non-toxic dry cleaning • Specialized shirt laundry • Hypo-allergenic wash and fold • Fine linen cleaning • Premium hand finishing • Wedding and formal wear cleaning • Leather and suede cleaning • Shoe and accessory care • Fur care and storage • Off-season storage • Fire damage restoration • On-site drape and carpet cleaning • On-site upholstery cleaning • In-home tailoring

More from Green Apple Cleaners

Join today and get the latest delivered to your inbox