Lunar New Year vs. Chuseok... Which Holiday Sees a Bigger Surge in Laundry Demand?

After Chuseok, Laundry Volume Surges
Nearly Double the Increase Seen After Seollal

After the Chuseok holidays, demand for laundry services increases more significantly than after the Lunar New Year, with the surge after Chuseok nearly double that of Seollal over the past five years. This trend is attributed not only to the accumulation of laundry during the holidays but also to an increased need for reorganizing wardrobes in response to seasonal changes.

According to industry sources on September 27, the amount of laundry handled in the week following the end of the Chuseok holiday jumped by an average of 26% compared to the same period before the holiday. This is based on an analysis of five years of pre- and post-Chuseok laundry usage data from Washswat, operator of the Laundry Special Forces mobile laundry service.

Under the same criteria, the volume of laundry following the Lunar New Year increased by an average of 13.7% compared to the week before the holiday. In other words, the post-Chuseok increase was nearly twice as large as that seen after Seollal.

Laundry Task Force Laundry Trends Before and After the Holiday Infographic. Laundry Task Force

By item, demand for laundry services for apparel increased noticeably in line with seasonal changes. According to a comparison of aggregated data from the past three years, laundry volumes after Chuseok rose by 135.3% for lightweight padded jackets, 128.9% for faux leather jackets, 114.8% for coats and trench coats, 107.8% for regular and down padded jackets, and 100.4% for scarves, in that order.

The total laundry volume also saw significant growth. Based on the sum over the last three years, the number of knits, sweaters, and cardigans cleaned increased from 18,760 items before the holiday to 30,888 items after the holiday, up 64.6%. The number of jackets and jumpers also rose from 13,584 to 23,255 items during the same period, representing a 71.2% increase.

Experts attribute this pattern to the fact that Chuseok coincides with the change of seasons from summer to autumn. Unlike Seollal, which falls in the middle of winter, there is increased demand around Chuseok for washing or organizing clothes to prepare for the upcoming season, which led to a relatively larger increase in laundry volume.

A Laundry Special Forces representative said, "To store seasonal clothing neatly until the next season, it is important to follow washing and care instructions suited to the material and type of garment," adding, "In particular, since items like padded jackets, wool, and cashmere require different washing methods depending on their materials, it is necessary to check the care label and fabric information before laundry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.