Why We Do
What We Do
We founded Brio Laundry on the premise that something as basic and necessary as doing the laundry was long overdue for improvement
We Began with Four Main Principles
- Time Is Precious: New state-of-art technology allows us to do laundry faster (and better) than ever before. Instead of spending a whole day doing one load after another, it is now possible to do it all in less than 60 minutes.
- Be Environmentally Responsible: The old approach of wasting water, electricity, and gas is simply not sustainable–or justifiable when better options exist. We use high-efficiency machines and sustainable practices and materials in everything we do. We offer for purchase a variety of natural and specialty cleaners that treat your clothes gently and effectively.
- Make Laundry Pleasant: It’s got to be done, but it doesn’t have to be dull, noisy, or scary. Why not provide a clean, safe environment with easy access to shops and parking? Comfortable seating, free wi-fi, helpful attendants and a host of custom options all add up to a better overall experience from start to finish.
- Provide Real and Lasting Value: Properly laundered clothing looks better and lasts longer. For instance, all of our washers are front-loading so there is less damage to your clothes from agitation, and our dryers employ state-of-the-art techniques like reversing rotation and temperature adjustments to keep garments from becoming heat-damaged.
In addition to market-competitive pricing, we also offer a variety of discounts on services, weekly events, and bonus dollars for our customers. Purchase a Brio Wash Card to get bonus dollars every time you add money to it.
We are centrally located in Bellingham’s Sunnyland neighborhood at the corner of James & Alabama. We offer lots of free parking and are in the Sunnyland Square shopping center with Trader Joe’s, Cruisin’ Coffee, and Pita Pit.
Who Is Brio Laundry?
“I started Brio to bring sustainable environmental practices to a very old industry – and we knocked the socks off the whole laundromat thing!”
Colleen Unema is the brain and the heart behind Brio Laundry. Her background is in education, but several years ago she had a vision about starting a laundromat that was different from your regular dirty, dingy, not-very-pleasant laundry experience. With her typical energy, she threw herself into this idea, researching eco-friendly washing machines and dryers, energy use, customer satisfaction and market trends, and community needs. The result of her efforts is Brio Laundry, which is fast becoming the model for a new kind of laundry experience.
As people are embracing a more sustainable and responsible lifestyle, Colleen’s focus on saving money and resources through thoughtful use of technology and efficient design has really resonated with both her clients and her peers in the business community. Colleen takes her philosophy of sustainability seriously. When building out the current site she employed CDK Interiors, Marcus M. Johnson Architects, and The Franklin Corporation to help design and build Brio Laundry’s commercial space, which utilizes VOC-free paint, Energy Star lighting, flooring made from recycled materials, and efficient hot-water tanks and pumps. Colleen speaks frequently at industry conferences, sharing her expertise in sustainable business models, team building, entrepreneurship, brand development, and more.