Washio (company)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Laundry services |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Jordan Metzner, Bob Wall, Juan Dulanto |
| Defunct | August 30, 2016 |
| Fate | Assets purchased by rival Rinse |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | Six major metropolitan areas in the United States |
| Products | On-demand laundry and delivery services |
Washio was an American on-demand laundry and delivery enterprise launched in 2013 by Jordan Metzner, Bob Wall, and Juan Dulanto. The firm secured $17 million in investment to fuel its growth within the laundry services sector.
Operations at Washio ended on August 30, 2016. Shortly thereafter, its assets were purchased by rival Rinse, leading to a consolidation within the on-demand laundry market.
History
Established in 2013 by Jordan Metzner, Bob Wall, and Juan Dulanto, Washio aimed to modernize the laundry industry by addressing inefficiencies and the absence of a digital platform. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company attracted significant funding through several financing rounds.
Functioning as an intermediary, Washio subcontracted washing, folding, and dry cleaning tasks to external providers while employing so-called "ninjas" responsible for pickup and delivery services. To set itself apart from competitors such as Rinse, FlyCleaners, and Laundry Locker, Washio initially included a cookie from a local bakery with each order but later transitioned to offering a more scalable and healthier flax crostini.
By the time it ceased operations in 2016, Washio had processed over one million dry-cleaned garments, operated in six major metropolitan areas across the United States, and handled delivery of more than 21,000 tons of laundry.
The company's downfall has been linked to thin profit margins, reliance on continuous expansion, inflexible scheduling for pickups and deliveries, legal disputes concerning the classification of delivery personnel as contractors, outsourcing of essential service components, and a deficient corporate culture that marginalized employees not involved in customer-facing roles.