Our Recycling and Sustainability Commitment at Mikes Cleaners

Mikes Cleaners is committed to running a modern, low-waste operation that respects local borough recycling systems and reduces carbon emissions across our services. Our aim is to lead the way in textile and dry-cleaning waste diversion while supporting community partners and recycling infrastructure. This page explains our targets, the partnerships we maintain with local transfer stations and charities, and the practical steps we take — from collection to low-carbon delivery.

As Mike's Cleaners continues to grow, we are adapting to borough-level waste separation rules that vary across the city. Many local councils operate multi-stream collection (paper, glass, plastics, food waste) and run dedicated textile recovery schemes; we align our store-level sorting with those approaches. By separating textiles, hard plastics (hanger clips, packaging), and controlled solvent residues at source, we make it easier for transfer stations and Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to process and recycle responsibly.

Behind the scenes we work closely with municipal transfer stations and licensed waste handlers to ensure material flows are tracked and audited. Rather than sending mixed refuse to landfill, our sorted loads are routed to local transfer stations and MRFs that accept textiles and solvent-containing waste streams. This local transfer approach reduces haul distances and emissions, and improves the likelihood that reusable garments and recyclable materials re-enter the circular economy.

Recycling Percentage Target and Progress

Our public target is to achieve a 90% recycling and reuse rate for all operational waste (textiles, hangers, packaging, and recyclable solvents) by 2030. Why 90%? Because it balances ambition with the realities of the dry-cleaning sector, where some chemical residues and mixed materials currently present technical challenges. We publish internal progress reports and are continuously investing in technologies and partnerships to close that gap.

To reach this target, Mikes Dry Cleaners focuses on three pillars: prevention (minimising packaging), reuse (donation and refurbishment of garments), and recycling (processing of materials that cannot be reused). We measure diversion rates by weight at the point of collection and again at transfer stations, allowing us to report on tonnes diverted from general waste and landfill.

Partnerships with Charities and Community Groups

We work with local charities and social enterprises to redirect wearable clothing and household textiles. These partnerships ensure garments that are in good condition are redistributed to local shelters, community outreach programmes, and training schemes. Our charity partners also help with repair and upcycling initiatives that extend garment life and create local employment opportunities.

How we handle specific recycling streams: we separate hangers, garment covers, and packaging in-store. Hangers that are metal are recycled through metal recovery; reusable plastic hangers are sterilised and cycled back where possible; paper and card packaging goes to standard paper recycling streams run by borough councils. Solvent residues and waste solutions are collected by licensed hazardous-waste contractors and taken to specialist treatment facilities rather than municipal tips.

Our network of stores receives regular training so staff can follow the varied borough rules on waste separation — for example, some boroughs require removal of non-fabric attachments before textiles are recycled, while others accept textiles with minor non-fabric components. We maintain a quick-reference process for each store aligned to its local authority guidelines, ensuring compliance and maximising recycling rates.

Low-Carbon Deliveries and Fleet Improvements: Mike's Cleaners is rolling out a fleet of low-emission vans to reduce route emissions. We combine electric vehicles (EVs) where charging infrastructure allows with hybrid models for longer or mixed urban routes. Route optimisation software reduces vehicle miles and idling time, lowering fleet emissions and traffic impact in borough centres. These measures contribute directly to our Scope 1 and Scope 3 reduction goals and help us meet our wider sustainability commitments.

Our recycling programme also addresses small but important items often overlooked: plastic garment covers, labels, and detergent containers. We prioritise recyclable or compostable alternatives for packaging and work with suppliers to decrease single-use plastics. In practice, this has meant switching to paper-based garment bags in several pilot stores and introducing consolidated pick-ups that cut delivery frequency without affecting service standards.

Key activities we implement across the business include:

• Textile reuse: reselling, donating, and upcycling garments that are in good condition.
• Material recycling: routing hangers, cardboard, and certain plastics to appropriate MRFs.
• Hazardous waste management: capturing and responsibly treating solvent and chemical wastes through licensed contractors.
• Water efficiency: installing water-recovery systems and process improvements to cut freshwater use.

By combining local transfer station collaboration, charity partnerships, and a green vehicle fleet, Mikes Cleaners is building a resilient, circular approach to dry-cleaning waste. We remain flexible to borough policy changes, and we continue to pilot improvements to meet our 90% diversion target and drive down operational emissions.

Looking Ahead

We are committed to continuous improvement: exploring new recycling technologies, expanding charity partnerships, and investing further in electrifying our fleet. Whether you refer to us as Mikes Cleaners, Mike's Cleaners, or Mikes Dry Cleaning, our goal is the same — a sustainable, low-carbon service that supports the communities and boroughs we serve.

We welcome collaboration with local authorities, transfer stations, and community groups to scale what works. Together, we can reduce waste, increase reuse, and ensure the dry-cleaning sector contributes positively to a circular economy.

Thank you for taking an interest in our sustainability work — it's a core part of how Mikes Cleaners operates now and into the future.