Washing clothes in cold and quick cycles offers significant benefits for the environment and your garments. It reduces a laundry load's carbon footprint by up to 16% when switching from 40°C to 30°C, cuts down on microfibre release, and helps clothes last longer by reducing colour fade, dye transfer, fuzzing, print abrasion and shape loss. High-performing detergents, like Ariel, are specifically formulated to deliver excellent cleaning results in these sustainable cycles, removing stains and malodour without the need for hot water.
What are the benefits of cold and quick cycles?
Carbon footprint: a recent peer-reviewed life cycle assessment (LCA) shows that the in-use phase of laundry detergents is responsible for 61 % of laundry’s carbon footprint on average in Europe and that switching from washing at 40ºC to 30ºC can reduce the carbon footprint by 16% (Mankad et al., 2025, Tenside Surfactants Detergents).
Other environmental indicators: global warming potential is not the only environmental factor that improves when making the switch: the formation of fine particulate matter is reduced by 12%, fossil scarcity by 17%, water scarcity by 2% and cumulative energy demand by 21% on average, across Europe (Mankad et al., 2025, Tenside Surfactants Detergents), making this a highly impactful behavioural switch.
Reduced microfibre release: research shows that microfiber release is significantly reduced by moving to colder and quicker washing cycles (Lant et al., 2020, PLOS One; Cotton et al., 2020, Dyes and Pigments). Lower water-volume washes and increasing wash sizes are also beneficial, providing washing loads are not over-filled (Kelly et al., 2019, Environmental Science & Technology).
Enhanced fabric protection extends the lifespan of garments: hot water and agitation can be harsh on fabrics, accelerating most aspects of decay such as fuzzing, fading and shape loss. Colder and quicker washing cycles have been shown to reduce whiteness loss (Lant et al., 2020, PLOS One). Using lower temperatures and reduced times reduces colour loss (and thus, dyes entering the waterways through waste disposal) and dye transfer (Cotton et al., 2020, Dyes and Pigments). Reducing fabric damage helps clothes last longer, reducing landfill waste and the need for new resources. Indeed, independent research from WRAP found that extending the active life of clothing by just nine months could reduce its carbon, water, and waste footprints by around 20–30% (WRAP, 2012).
How does Ariel help you wash at 30°C?
The main barrier to consumers adopting colder and quicker washing cycles is concern that they will not achieve the desired level of cleaning and malodor removal. Our detergents are specially formulated to deliver outstanding performance in these conditions, enabling you to save energy while protecting your clothes. The performance aspect is critical because if cleaning results fall short, consumers can engage in compensatory behaviors like re-washing, higher dosing, or switching to higher temperatures (Cortez et al., 2024, Tenside Surfactants Detergents). Such actions can significantly increase the environmental footprint.
