Initial and Tersus Solutions have partnered to deliver a unique water-free laundry program, the first of its kind in the European industrial laundry market. The patented, closed-loop Tersus barrier system cleans high value corporate work wear and personal protective equipment using liquid carbon dioxide instead of water. The cleaning service will extend the life of rental work wear and increase worker health and safety, while taking an important step toward a more resource-responsible circular economy for textiles in Europe.

Regulators in Europe and the United States are increasingly concerned about worker safety resulting from contaminants encountered during hazardous work assignments, including fire fighting. Without appropriate and timely cleaning, workers are at risk of secondary exposure to contaminants via their work wear.

Water-based cleaning has dominated textile manufacturing and maintenance for centuries despite some of its limitations for maintaining work wear. The fibers of high-value work wear degrade via aggressive mechanical action, harsh chemistry, and high temperatures associated with traditional cleaning and drying.

Tersus introduces a specialty solution that produces unparalleled cleanliness and decontamination for high-value work wear. Distinct from water, Tersus uses no heat and gentler mechanical action to reduce garment degradation, and ensure worker health. The water-free cleaning solution can guarantee fiber integrity, color fastness, and technical functionality while reducing the environmental impact of laundry.