Electronic detergent. Drinkable washing liquid. What else?
South Korean company Gen21 asks a somewhat loaded question on its website: “What kind of environment do you want our children to live in?” At a time when there’s so much greenwashing going around, I’m always wary of any company that weaves the future of humanity into its marketing spiel.
But having met with Gen21 earlier this year, and examined its products in more detail, the sceptic in me is slowly making room for the optimist. Maybe, just maybe, this is more than a sleight of hand to persuade consumers. Maybe Gen21 can actually help push us towards a better environment.
The power of electrolysis
Let’s start with the “electronic detergent” mentioned in the title above. Named PurewashX, the cube-shaped device is small enough that you can hold it in your hand, yet 20 times more cost-effective than even eco-friendly detergents.
According to Gen21, the PurewashX activates once submerged in water and uses electrolysis technology to clean, sterilise and deodorise clothes without the need for additional detergents or chemicals. The company describes the process as “electro-activated water” which, conveniently, leaves no foam – in turn, less foam means less rinsing, resulting in less wasted water.
Being an electronic device, however, means it must be charged. Is that electrical charge more or less eco-friendly than producing traditional detergents? And what about the carbon footprint of producing each device?
Here’s what we know: each PurewashX lasts six uses per charge, takes three hours to fully charge and has a lifespan of more than four years. This suggests that if the energy grid it taps into is sustainable – solar, wind, etc – then the PurewashX passes the eco test. If you’re using coal-based energy, then things are greyer.
More black and white: the materials it uses and how it’s disposed of after those four years of use. To make the device 100% waterproof and shockproof, it can’t be opened for battery replacement or repairs. It’s also not recyclable, so its final destination is a landfill. Some of this is likely unavoidable in a first-of-its-kind device and might be improved in future designs, but for now, the fact that the PurewashX is eventually discarded means it’s not truly a circular economy product.
Drinkable washing liquid
We don’t usually write disclaimers in our articles, but we are going to put one in before you read on. Just in case. Because this next bit is weird. Here you go:
We do not encourage anyone to drink washing liquid of any kind.
There. With that out of the way…
If throwing electronic devices into your washing machine is not something you’re particularly inclined to do, fear not, Gen21 has you covered. The company has developed a product called Mineral Wash, which, once again, it claims is a much healthier option than traditional washing liquids and, also, harmless to the planet.
How does it work? Mineral Wash is, as the name suggests, made from minerals. While the company has patented the formula and hasn’t disclosed its composition, it has offered that it uses “100% food additive mineral raw material” in a combination of water, potassium ions and sodium ions. The result is, according to Gen21, a liquid so safe that it’s suitable for human consumption (hence the disclaimer above).
At CES, one of Gen21’s spokespeople told me its CEO drank a full 400ml bottle for a video – sadly, I haven’t been able to find it online. I was also given a couple of bottles that I was encouraged to drink myself. And while I haven’t drunk them yet, I’m inclined to believe it was safe. Gen21 was part of K-water Pavilion, an area that hosted several other water technology companies that are in one way or another endorsed by the South Korean government.
The benefits of using Mineral Wash are perhaps bigger than those of the PurewashX. After all, it’s just a liquid that dilutes safely into the water leaving no foam (again, less rinsing) and sending no nasty chemicals or contaminants back to waterways, but unlike the PurewashX, requiring no electrical charge nor safe disposal of after four years.
Not just for your clothes
Both innovations mentioned above are for doing the laundry but it seems Gen21 is determined to change how you wash everything, including your body.
Like the PurewashX and the Mineral Wash, it all starts with reducing the product to its simplest and most eco-friendly denominator (water), stripping it of any harmful chemicals, and, finally, adding a dose of patented technology to the mix.
In the cleaning products for humans department, Gen21 has developed a bath ball – somewhat uninspiringly called “Pure Bath Ball” – that it claims is suitable for treating and preventing atopic dermatitis and skin diseases. One again, it’s entirely made of eco-friendly ingredients. It has also developed a natural mouthwash maker called “Denti Pot” for all your gargling needs.
As promising as the Pure Bath Ball and Denti Pot sound, it’s Gen21’s showerhead that grabs headlines.
The “Nano Shower” operates as a normal shower, except it releases bubbles so small they are called nanobubbles. For comparison, these are one-500th the size of pores, which is what allows them to penetrate deeply – but safely – into the skin.
When nanobubbles are generated, they also make for slightly alkaline water which, combined with their small size, helps remove ultrafine pollutants. Moreover, the filter that generates the nanobubbles can last a lifetime without being replaced, which reduces the ecological footprint the equipment leaves on the planet.
Next up? Your house
It feels only natural that Gen21 has its eyes set on improving how you clean your house. The company has rolled out what it calls RRS (Restoring Residential System), which aims to improve how you purify and filter air, sterilise different parts of the house and generally do all of that without pumping chemicals into the planet.
Seems promising and a natural next step for a startup that is committed to leaving the planet better than how it found it. I’ll be keeping an eye on what products it rolls out next and, if I get real thirsty, might even drink some of its washing liquid.
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Ricardo Oliveira
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