London-based startup celebrates 100,000 customer milestone

On demand laundry startup, ihateironing, is celebrating its milestone of reaching 100,000 customers, providing thousands of regular customers and millions of pounds to local businesses.

Founded in 2014 by Matthew Connelly, ihateironing was the first dry cleaning delivery service to operate in London and Greater London. The company has since expanded to operate in several cities across the UK such as Brighton, Surrey, Oxfordshire and Edinburgh, as well as New York in the US.

8 years later, ihateironing is now profitable and self-sustaining, and brings in thousands of new customers to small businesses each month. Rather than replacing high street dry cleaners, this London-based start-up supports and is powered by the local dry cleaning centres in its operating areas.

Alex Adamo, ihateironing’s development director, explains why this milestone is important to the company and to dry cleaners: “When we first started, we were working with an idea that never existed before. I would go door to door to recruit local dry cleaners and pitch a concept that was entirely brand new to them.”

Now, ihateironing has over 70 dry cleaning partners and supports them with a steady and dependable income on a monthly basis. In the years since it was founded, ihateironing has also launched several community-based projects, including their Brixton Library Scheme to lend formal clothes to unemployed residents so they can feel and look best for their job interviews.

CEO and founder, Matthew Connelly, reflects on the tangible impact such growth brings to local businesses: “Seeing the positive impact ihateironing has on people’s lives is the most gratifying part of running the business.

“The dry cleaning centers we work with have experienced substantial growth in their businesses with many of their lives changing for the better thanks to the revenue they’ve been able to sustain by being a part of our network.”

This year, Connelly was shortlisted in the British Business Awards for Entrepreneur of The Year category, as well as the Great British Entrepreneur Awards for Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year.

Reaching 100,000 unique customers affirms the company’s positive trajectory of continuing to provide new clients to the small businesses it works with, and expanding its reach to help more people with their laundry needs. The ihateironing team hope that this is only the first of many milestones which will reflect a positive impact on local communities.

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