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Whirlpool Home Appliances introduces the first washer certified for washable wool
Don’t let laundry myths pull the wool over your eyes; you
can now clean washable wool at home with ease. The Whirlpool Duet washer is
the first appliance in North America to be certified by The Woolmark Company,
the world’s leading wool textile organisation, to safely clean washable wool.
The Woolmark Company owns the Woolmark Certification
Trade Mark and operates a global certification program to ensure that any product
bearing the Woolmark logo meets strict wool quality and performance criteria
based on the exacting demands of today’s consumer. Before a washing machine
can carry the Woolmark logo, it is extensively tested by The Woolmark Company
to ensure that it is safe for laundering machine washable wool apparel. Only
those manufacturers who are able to meet The Woolmark Company’s strict
performance standards can be licensed to use the logo. The Woolmark-endorsed
wool cycle takes the guesswork out of caring for washable wool. The Duet washer
provides optimum care for the wool fabric by locking in the appropriate water
temperature, spin speed and gentle tumbling action, which helps maintain garment
shape and after-wash appearance. The wool cycle, specifically designed for washable
woolen garments, works in the following ways:
- The water temperature is controlled. The consumer
can select cold or warm but not the hot water.
- The prewash and soak cycles are locked out to prevent
overexposure to water and detergent.
The cycle features gentle tumbling action and low spin
speed to maintain the garment’s shape. “The Duet has set a new standard
in fabric care and again leads the charge by being the first washer certified
by The Woolmark Company for washable wool in North America,” said Ali Evans,
brand manager, Whirlpool Brand Fabric Care. “With Duet’s innovative
technology, consumers can care for many more fabrics at home - such as wool,
silk and bulkier items - instead of taking them to the dry cleaners. Clothes
come out beautifully and consumers save time and money.”
According to David Conners, CEO of The Woolmark Company,
“We are working closely with Whirlpool and detergent manufacturers to encourage
and endorse the incorporation of wool wash machine cycles and the proper use
of detergents for wool. This is hugely important for the consumer acceptance
of Easy Care wool products in North America. The Duet washer is a breakthrough
in innovation for improved machine washing of wool clothing and we are very
pleased to endorse its performance on behalf of wool consumers.” The Whirlpool
Duet pair is resetting the industry standards for front-loading washers for
versatility and fabric care as well as providing consumers with outstanding
cleaning and unprecedented gentleness.
The Whirlpool Duet washer uses 68 per cent less water
and 67 per cent less electricity than standard washing machines-this represents
a savings of nearly 17,000 gallons of water and more than 800 kilowatt hours
of electricity per household, per year, based on ten loads per week. Duet washers
meet the minimal energy standards through 2007. In addition to fabric care and
energy efficiency, the Duet washer’s 3.7 cubic ft. capacity represents
an increase of approximately 23 percent versus average traditional washing machines
and does not require anything beyond a standard washer hookup. In the real world
of the laundry room, this means the Duet washer can wash up to 22 bath towels
in a single load, compared to 18 in average conventional top-loading washers.
The Duet HT washer also offers consumers a sanitising cycle that eliminates
99.999 percent of certain common infectious bacteria, including e-coli. The
washer and dryer are also extremely easy to load and unload and an optional
pedestal drawer raises the units by 13 inches.
The Duet washer uses state-of-the-art technology to
provide outstanding fabric care. Its front-loading design eliminates the agitator
found in traditional washin machines. Featuring Whirlpool’s exclusive Catalyst
cleaning action, the Duet delivers outstanding stain removal and helps keep
clothes looking new, longer - an important feature considering the value of
one washer load of clothing is estimated to be between $350-$500. Four sensors
inside the machine measure the water quantity, load saturation, water temperature
and motor speed, and use this information to control all elements of the washing
process. This intelligent system allows the Duet washer to customise the performance
of each load, maximising the cleaning and energy efficiency of every cycle.
The Duet dryer is also a technological breakthrough.
The dryer features Senseon technology that delivers dry times that are equal
to wash times, even for large loads. By maintaining tightly controlled temperatures
for even heat throughout the dry cycle (most dryers vary up to 20 degrees during
a cycle), and continually sensing the amount of moisture remaining in fabrics,
the dryer provides fast and gentle drying performance without over-drying clothes.
The Duet washer is available with a suggested retail
price of $1299 nationwide (US).
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