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Published 10 Jul 2016

Durability incorporated by design

In 1924 the Phoebus cartel of four major light bulb manufacturers got together and agreed that rather than compete with each other for their light bulbs to be better / stronger / last longer, they would all limit their bulbs’ life to 1000 hours. That way they would all sell more bulbs. This is a business model that quickly caught on, and obsolescence started being incorporated into all kinds of products, evolving into the throwaway culture we find ourselves in now.

So why on earth are we working so hard on the durability of the Chimney Sheep® to make sure our products last as long as possible? We’ve estimated that average use of the ‘Sheep is to put it in and out of the chimney about once a week for around 30 weeks of the year. Some people never take it out and others use it almost daily. So around 30 uses a year is probably above average usage. A boffin was employed to test it so he put it in and out of a chimney to simulate 10 years’ worth of use. It was tested every 20 cycles to see how it performed. For the first two years’ worth of use it actually performed slightly better, as it softened up a bit and moulded to fit the chimney. Even at the end of the 10 years of use it was only 3% less effective than when it was at its best. It’s been tested with heat, getting wet and dried, tested to see if moths eat it (they don’t!), tested to see if it goes mouldy (it doesn’t). It still carried on plugging the chimney and cutting out draughts. Of course it would, it’s made of Herdwick wool, a robust natural material. The handles and clamps have been re-designed to make them much stronger. So it will last for at least ten years, but should go longer than that.

I’ve been looking at business models recently. The easiest and least risky thing is to keep selling the same thing to the same customers. That’s why the light bulb companies agreed to limit the life of the light bulbs. If you’ve got a product that lasts a decade then you need to keep finding new customers. The way we see it, if we’ve got a great product that makes our customers happy, they will tell their friends and families about it. That’s why we’ve gone to all this trouble to create a quality product that works well and lasts. So if you’re happy with your Chimney Sheep®, do us a favour and tell a friend about it!

Sally Phillips

Inventor of Chimney Sheep

chimney draught excluder
chimney sheep
research
PlanetCare Microfibre Filter Starter Kit

PlanetCare Microfibre Filter Starter Kit

55.00 GBP

How does it work?

This ingenious washing machine microfibre filter kit uses cartridges to physically catch and retain the fibres that come loose when you wash your laundry. Each cartridge will last around 15-20 loads of laundry and is easily replaceable in just a couple of minutes.

No chemicals are used in the construction or the functioning of the filter. Fibre retention is based solely on physical retention with the help of clever patent-pending technology.

You can also send the used cartridges back to us and we'll forward them on to PlanetCare. They will ensure that they are reused or recycled.  This ‘closed loop’ system ensures that there is minimum wastage throughout the whole process.

Something to think about:

Doing the laundry can have a huge environmental impact, whether that be using tonnes of energy running the washing machine and tumble drier - or the pollutants that are released from the products you use. Using a microfiber filter is just one way of reducing that impact. Why not make a few more changes - we've tonnes of handy tips in our blog.

 

What's in the box?

You'll get everything you need to fit your PlanetCare washing machine filter with these handy starter kits, meaning you can get it in place and start catching microfibers straight away.

The Mini Starter Kit includes:

  • 1 housing top with a cup, 1 holder, 4 screws, 1 tube (1.5m), 1 silicone lubricant, 1 counter, and 3 filter replacement cartridges.
  •  3 cartridges. These can last up to 60 washes.

The XL Starter Kit includes:

  • 1 housing top with a cup, 1 holder, 4 screws, 1 tube (1.5m), 1 silicone lubricant, 1 counter, and 3 filter replacement cartridges.
  • 13 cartridges. These can last up to 260 washes.
    Note: All the filter cartridges are 100% recycled and refurbished for use again and again via a closed-loop service.

       

      Is it easy to install?

      The microfiber filter is very easy to install. In fact, for most washing machines this process takes less than 10 minutes. The filters are compatible with all types of washing machines.

      There's actually a handy how-to video and a useful installation guide  you can take a peek at if you need a little bit more guidance.

      It’s a good idea to position it high enough above the floor/surface so the cover can be removed to change the filter and position the device so that it is easy to screw the cover back after each filter change.

      Please note: you will need 13 cm on the side of the washing machine and approx. 60 cm in height clearance so that you will be able to easily unscrew the housing and change the filter comfortably.

      The filter must be placed outside the washing machine on the drain hose. It should not be raised above the height of the drain hose exiting the washing machine. The hose length should be held to a minimum. Raising the filter and a long drain hose will both reduce the efficiency of pumping and filtering and should be avoided.

       

      What are the dimensions of the filter housing?

      The filter housing alone, without any attachments, measures the following:

      • height 325 mm, width (hose attachment direction) 122 mm, and depth 130 mm.

       

      Is the microfiber filter easy to use?

      For the first load, just make sure the filter cover is replaced correctly and screwed tight before using the washing machine. Try a short wash and make sure all connections and covers are fixed and watertight.

      It’s also a good idea to hold the top of the device when replacing the filter cover to avoid putting pressure on the bracket fixings when unscrewing the cover.

      After that, you do not need to do anything until the cartridge is full.

      >Easy!

       

      How does the closed-loop system work?

      When your cartridge is full you can send it back to us directly, simply go onto the delivery website Parcel2Go and produce a label to send the cartridges to us, don't forget to include your order details as we'll refund you the postage cost. We then send these off to PlanetCare who disassemble the cartridge and remove the fibres and filtering medium.  This is done in a controlled environment, ensuring that caught fibres do not pollute water or the environment.

       

      What does Planetcare do with the fibres?

      >At the moment PlanetCare is safely storing the used filtered materials. Once they have sufficient quantity, they will reuse/recycle it all. At the moment they are planning to reuse the materials by converting them into insulation mats. But, they're always on the lookout for viable solutions and will choose the best available option to reuse/ recycle the fibres.

      The waste will never be burned or sent to a landfill!

      The remainder of the cartridge is cleaned, and fitted with a new filtering medium ready to be used again.

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