This article is based on Wash Friends’ experiences and market analysis. It does not intend to single out or criticize any specific company, nor does it aim to engage in defamation or unfair competition. All content is meant to explain general market trends and may differ from actual situations. Wash Friends holds no responsibility for any misunderstandings arising from this article.
Market Changes After 2023: Late 2nd Generation and Transition to the 3rd Generation
Starting in 2023, Vietnam’s laundry market officially entered the 3rd generation, shifting towards self-service laundromats. However, even before this transition, several emerging companies had already entered the premium laundry market in the late 2nd generation, signaling industry changes.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Clean & Clear Dry Cleaners and Heramo emerged as notable competitors. Clean & Clear opened collection-based stores inside luxury apartment complexes, offering high-end garment cleaning services. However, most locations were subdivided rental spaces within commercial buildings, making it difficult for general investors to achieve stable profits and limiting the scalability of their franchise model.
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| Clean & Clear Dry Cleaner Ho Chi Minh Store |
Heramo rapidly expanded in 2023 as a collection-based laundry franchise in Ho Chi Minh City, providing pickup, drop-off, and delivery services via its proprietary app. However, as it lacked its own laundry facility and relied entirely on third-party processing, it faced challenges related to high investment costs and operational scalability. By the end of 2023, Heramo’s expansion slowed significantly due to these limitations.
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| Heramo Ho Chi Minh Store (Collection-Based Laundry) |
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Kang Nam Laundry, a Korean-owned business, opened in Ho Chi Minh City. It acquired Speed Queen equipment from Giặt Sấy Sell and received operational training, allowing it to establish a large-scale store in New City, Thủ Đức, as well as collection-based locations in District 2 and District 7, catering mainly to Korean customers. Before Wash Friends expanded into Ho Chi Minh City, Kang Nam Laundry had gained significant popularity among the Korean community. However, due to internal management issues in late 2023, the business was unable to continue operations and was eventually sold to a local company. As of now, only a small-scale store in District 2 remains operational.
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| KANG NAM LAUNDRY Ho Chi Minh Store (Currently Closed) |
Wash Friends’ Collaboration with LG: A New Market Expansion Strategy
After COVID-19, Wash Friends recognized the growing competition and the need for lower-cost equipment distribution. This led to its collaboration with LG. While LG dominates the global home appliance market, its entry into the commercial laundry sector was relatively late. However, LG achieved significant success in the Philippine market during the pandemic by adopting a low-cost strategy, becoming the top-selling commercial laundry brand in that region. This approach was deemed highly suitable for emerging markets like Vietnam.
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| Laundry Lounge in the Philippines Invested by LG (Pick-Up & Drop-Off Store) |
LG took notice of Wash Friends’ expansion efforts in Vietnam’s laundry franchise market and proposed a partnership to drive further market growth. Given Wash Friends’ need to develop a low-investment business model, the collaboration aligned with both companies’ strategic goals.
Prior to this partnership, LG had already been distributing its commercial laundry equipment in Vietnam through Clean Pro, a distributor that also handled Dexter equipment from the U.S. Clean Pro was one of the first companies to introduce the self-service laundromat concept in Vietnam, but due to market challenges, it shifted its focus solely to equipment distribution.
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| Clean Pro (K-LAUNDRO) Dormitory Self-Service Laundromat |
Wash Friends differentiated itself from traditional equipment distributors by leveraging both Alliance and LG equipment, focusing not just on sales but also on branding and franchise support. This approach set Wash Friends apart by integrating technical expertise, quality service, and franchisee trust into its business model. Unlike competitors who simply followed industry trends, Wash Friends emphasized sustainable market leadership by prioritizing innovation and expertise over short-term expansion.
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| Wash Friends Ho Chi Minh Mid Town Store Opened in March 2024 |
Wash Friends’ Growth and Franchise Competition
In 2023, Wash Friends established its own small-scale laundry plant in Hanoi, providing specialized cleaning services and dry-cleaning support for franchise stores. Wash Friends also trained its franchisees in advanced laundry techniques to maintain high service quality.
By the end of 2023, Wash Friends participated in the Ho Chi Minh International Franchise Expo, leading to the opening of over 10 additional premium laundry stores. This marked a major milestone, expanding Wash Friends’ presence nationwide as a leading franchise brand.
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| Wash Friends Booth at the 2023 Ho Chi Minh International Franchise Expo |
After the pandemic, Giặt Là Sạch Cộng was established as a new local laundry brand in Hanoi. It originated from Asia Tech, which initially focused on importing Chinese Blue Whale laundry machines and setting up small laundromats in rural Vietnam with just one washing machine and one dryer per location.
This model represented an evolution from traditional household laundries (1.5-generation laundry businesses).
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| Giặt Là Sạch Cộng Store Equipped with 1 Large-Capacity Washing Machine and 1 Dryer |
In 2023, Giặt Là Sạch Cộng entered the premium market, targeting luxury residential complexes while using low-cost Chinese equipment to lower investment costs. It later partnered with Oasis (China), distributing Oasis-brand laundry machines along with dry-cleaning and finishing equipment.
Compared to Wash Friends' premium store setup using Alliance Huebsch and Speed Queen equipment, Giặt Là Sạch Cộng offered lower initial investment costs, making it attractive to potential investors.
However, Giặt Là Sạch Cộng underestimated the expertise required to operate dry-cleaning machines. Typically, proper dry-cleaning operations require at least 1-2 months of professional training and long-term experience. Many of Giặt Là Sạch Cộng’s franchisees struggled to operate the equipment, leading some to switch to the Wash Friends franchise, where technical support and store assistance were better structured.
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| Signboard Replacement Photos of Stores That Switched to Wash Friends Franchise |
The Emergence of the 3rd Generation Laundry Market: The Rise of Self-Service Laundromats and Detergent Business
Starting in 2023, Vietnam’s laundry market officially transitioned into the 3rd generation, centered around self-service laundromats. In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest retail conglomerate, Masan Group, launched the self-service laundromat brand Joins Pro. The first store was opened in 2022, but due to operational challenges, the company restructured and newly established six stores in 2023.
Joins Pro used Alliance Speed Queen equipment, and Vuong Luc, a 1st-generation company, was responsible for equipment distribution and setup. The brand incorporated elements inspired by the Thai market, such as a rabbit mascot and customer assistance staff, aiming to create a customer-friendly image and improve service awareness. However, Masan Group’s primary goal was not the laundry service itself but the expansion of its detergent distribution business. Consequently, in 2025, all Joins Pro stores were rebranded under Masan Group’s detergent brand, Chanté.
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| Masan Rebranded Joins Pro to Chanté |
In 2025, Giặt Là Sạch Cộng also launched its first self-service laundromat under the Koalala brand in Hanoi. This location was a showroom-style store equipped with nine washing machines and dryers, using Oasis Spinz equipment (a new brand targeting the Southeast Asian market), and was intended for franchise expansion. Additionally, the company launched its own detergent brand, Sunmi, focusing on a business model that combined self-service laundromats and detergent sales.
However, as globally recognized detergent brands already dominate Vietnam’s market, the likelihood of consumers favoring a relatively unknown domestic brand is low. This raises the question of how detergent distribution strategies will evolve among laundry service providers in the future.
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| Giặt Là Sạch Cộng’s First Self-Service Laundromat in Hanoi – Koalala Store |
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| Wash Friends Self-Service Laundromat at Vinhomes Smart City S4 Opened in March 2024 |
At the 2025 Alliance Awards held in Thailand, Wash Friends had the opportunity to meet new players entering Vietnam’s self-service laundromat market. In Hanoi, Wash Friends (Huebsch), SanSan Wash (IPSO), and Blue Ocean (Speed Queen) are expected to open pilot stores between March and May, while Spinning (Speed Queen) plans to launch in Ho Chi Minh City.
SanSan Wash initially started as a luxury repair and alteration business and plans to leverage its in-house IT company to develop an app-based service.
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| Group Photo of Company Representatives from Vietnam Invited to the 2025 Alliance Awards 2024 |
Wash Friends’ Future Strategy and Lessons from CleanTopia
In 2024, Wash Friends launched its self-service laundromat brand, Banana Laundry, at the Ho Chi Minh International Franchise Expo. The brand adopted a banana and tropical rainforest concept to emphasize an eco-friendly image, with the goal of expanding its franchise network. However, due to the lack of consumer awareness regarding self-service laundromats in Vietnam, most franchise investors preferred premium laundry stores instead. In response, Wash Friends decided to shift its focus from standalone self-service laundromats to hybrid stores that combine premium services with self-service facilities. This strategic pivot was heavily influenced by CleanTopia, South Korea’s largest laundry franchise.
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| Wash Friends Premium Store and Banana Laundry Self-Service Store at the 2024 Ho Chi Minh International Franchise Expo |
CleanTopia, established in 1992, currently operates over 3,000 stores in South Korea, making it the country’s No.1 laundry franchise. The company’s success is attributed to its diverse store models, including premium laundry stores, collection stores, and self-service laundromats, which operate independently or in hybrid formats to cater to different customer needs.
Additionally, CleanTopia has established its own laundry processing facilities across South Korea, ensuring a standardized and efficient infrastructure. Rather than simply selling equipment or chasing trends, CleanTopia continuously improves its laundry technology and service quality, solidifying its market leadership.
Wash Friends aims to follow a similar path, leveraging its technological expertise and infrastructure to remain adaptable to market changes and build long-term competitiveness.
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| CleanTopia Hybrid Store (Self-Service Laundromat (Coin Wash) & Collection-Based Laundry Convenience Store) |
Establishing Wash Friends as Vietnam’s Leading Laundry Brand
As Vietnam’s economy grows and consumer lifestyles evolve, the 3rd generation laundry market, centered around self-service laundromats, is taking shape. Since entering the market in 2019, Wash Friends has accumulated the necessary expertise and operational experience to become a leader in this evolving industry.
While other companies focus on quick investment returns and following market trends, Wash Friends prioritizes technical expertise and service quality to ensure sustainable market leadership.
By 2025, Wash Friends plans to open 15–20 additional stores, with 70% being premium laundry stores and the remaining locations operating as self-service or hybrid models.
The company also plans to establish a branch office and laundry processing facility in Ho Chi Minh City to solidify its position as Vietnam’s leading laundry brand.
Moving forward, Wash Friends will focus on developing and distributing eco-friendly detergents, ensuring both customer safety and franchisee success as top priorities.
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| 2024 Ho Chi Minh International Franchise Expo (Group Photo of Wash Friends Staff) |
