SHANGHAI, March 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — In quality-demanding Germany, the VDE certification is an honor coveted by home appliance makers. Obtaining this designation feels much like winning the Nobel prize for any electronics maker. On March 7, Germany-based VDE (Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker) officially announced on several platforms its accreditation of a core technology developed by a Chinese home appliance: the cold-water laundry technology from LittleSwan.
At the Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE), an annual event in the home appliance world, on March 8, LittleSwan displayed a fully transparent washing machine featuring this technology, revealing to visitors the technology’s inner workings. The new epoch-making cloth washing and fabric care technology originally created by the China-based washing machine manufacturer proved to be one of the highlights of the event that day.
In 1858, Hamilton Smith made the world’s first washing machine. Since then, washing machines have gradually evolved as new functions were added. Initially, the machines were hand-cranked. In 1947, the world’s first fully-automatic washing machine was launched. In the late 1970s, the first fully-automatic washing machine controlled by a micro-computer was produced. The motor used in washing machines evolved from a direct drive (DD) motor to a brushless DC electric (BLDC) one, and finally to the SIA smart speed-control variable-frequency motor in use today. LittleSwan achieved major milestones in technology replacement, first with its leading-edge SIA technology and then with its sophisticated cold-water laundry technology.
The common belief across the home appliance community and among consumers has been that only hot water can be used for the laundering processes in front loading washing machines. However, the issue that arises when washing clothes in hot water is the loss of color fastness between the dyestuff and the fabric, resulting in discoloration and deformation of the garment. Clothes made of fine fabrics such as silk and cashmere are especially prone to damage when laundered in hot water. The technical bottleneck preventing the use of cold water during all the wash cycles has been broken by LittleSwan.
LittleSwan’s cold-water laundry technology enables washing without needing for the water to be heated while achieving a level of cleanliness of 1.05 usually achieved with front loading washing machines using 40°C (104°F) hot water. This eliminates the high level of energy consumption associated with traditional washing machines due to the need to heat the water for the laundering process. In addition, the risk of damage to the fabric from hot water is also done away with, assuring that the clothes do not become discolored and retain their original color brightness.
The cold-water solution has solved the “hot water damages the clothes” challenge that had been hobbling the industry for decades. The roll out of the solution has further improved LittleSwan’s product competitiveness, while opening the next chapter in the development path for the home appliance industry.
The passing of the strict cold-water laundry technology tests administered by VDE, Europe’s most authoritative certification body, is evidence of LittleSwan’s ability to compete in markets populated by the world’s most demanding consumers. LittleSwan is the first home appliance maker in China to receive two certifications, demonstrating the degree to which the firm has rightfully earned its reputation within the industry as a successful innovator from China.
LittleSwan’s cold-water laundry technology has also received authoritative certification from the China Household Electric Appliance Research Institute (CHEARI). The certification process that took place at the CHEARI testing and inspection center confirmed the finding that washing machines featuring the cold-water laundry technology result in 39.7 less discoloration of the clothing being washed and a 45.5 percent decrease in wool shrinkage, while effectively protecting the protein fiber in fine fabrics such as silk. Combined with LittleSwan’s Water Magic Cube system, cold-water laundry technology cuts the laundry cycle by approximately 30 minutes and reduces energy consumption by 70 percent when compared to the existing technology that requires the water be heated to 40°C.
Available sales data revealed that the cold-water laundry technology is already receiving attention from homemakers. From November 2017 to January 2018, sales of the LittleSwan Beverly and Water Magic Cube series featuring the cold-water laundry technology reached 67,185 units, an increase of 5.1 percent compared with the previous three months, with sales totaling nearly 400 million yuan, up 19.7 percent.
The innovative cold-water laundry technology is an epitome of LittleSwan’s 40 years of craftsmanship. Looking at the home appliance community, companies that are able to lead technology trends across the industry can be expected to dominate its future. From obtaining CHEARI’s certification to being the first in China to receive the highly coveted VDE certification, LittleSwan has become a trendsetter not only in the domestic market but also in markets worldwide. LittleSwan’s performance at AWE, the barometer for the home appliance industry, further demonstrates LittleSwan’s position as a technology benchmark, while the transformation of LittleSwan into a high-end producer combined with the growing number of homemakers who have opted to purchase its products affirms the Chinese washing machine maker’s leadership position.
