In developing countries that lack electricity or the funds to buy expensive machines, taking care of laundry the old-fashioned way requires an enormous amount of time and effort. That’s why Alex Cabunoc and Ji A You created the GiraDora – a combination washer and spin-dryer that is powered by a foot pedal. At only $40, this ingenious contraption is an inexpensive way to help break the cycle of poverty in many disadvantaged communities.
Designed specifically for those with the least income living in the poorest nations, the GiraDora hopes to ease the burden of washing clothes – a chore that can take nearly 6 hours a day, 3-5 days a week. The portable plastic tub can be filled with soap and water before a lid is placed on top, acting as a seat. Then, all the user needs to do is rest on the washer, and pump the spring-loaded foot pedal.
This ergonomic design alleviates back pain and chronic wrist strain from scrubbing and wringing clothes and leaves the hands free for other tasks. Loads of clothing can also be washed at one time instead of having to scrub individual articles, which uses less water and overall effort. In addition to avoiding health problems associated with physical stress and mold growing on wet fabric, the GiraDora can also help generate income through providing laundry services, rentals, and direct sales.
The GiraDora is currently being field-tested in Peru, and there are plans to introduce it more widely into South America and India. The project has been recognized by both the Dell Social Innovation Challenge, and the International Design Excellence Awards.
+ Dell Social Innovation Challenge/International Design Excellence Awards
Via Springwise
I would be interested in buying one
How can I buy one?
I would love to know when this item comes open for sale. If you could please email me either directions to make one or a date when it will be released.
Fantastic Idea, for parents with little kids that say they are bored, 1 could sit on top while the other one uses the peddle, thats why we have 2 legs one gets tired the other one can be used,also will save so much money on laundry, I spend aminum of $100.oo a month with 2 teens in the house, thats not including cab fare in the winter time, please add me will buy 1.
Where may I buy the GiraDora foot pedal clothes washer?
Cannot wait for this to arrive in South Africa
Where can I buy one of these or get the instructions on how to make one for my self? please e-mail me @ dgainesville1028@yahoo.com
Where do I go to buy one?
For those in the USA that don’t want to wait there is the James Washer from Gaiam.http://reviews.gaiam.com/9381/63411/james-washer/reviews.htm
Have you guys started selling it thus far or at the very least figuring out which platforms of business strategies you will be ultimately leaning towards??
I want one!
pedal Powered washing machine. A boon for INDIAn villages and towns. i suggest the designer to make /develop a pedal powered Low cost electric generator also ,which can generate enough power to light a bulb/a fan / a tv set for 6-8 hours in remote Indian village where no grid power is available. Thanks for a wonderful development .
How could you explain about the pedal’s work? I appreciate so much.
please please please let me know when this product is available in the west. my email address is chicagourbanprepper@gmail.com
I would like to purchase one too. Please add me to the list: hannahjoy@ctc.net Thanks!
Hey, I’m interested to buy this. Can I get a contact?
When will these be for sale? I, like many americans, have no laundry room. I, like 99% of americans, am one of the working poor. I currently spend $10 or more a week to wash clothes (plus the cost of soap). If I owned this I could wash and dry most items at home. Please put it on the market sooner rather than later.
Hans Rosling talks about why the washing machine was the greatest invention of the industrial revolution.
Hans Rosling is a professor of global health at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute,
TED Talks: Hans Rosling: The magic washing machine
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/hans_rosling_and_the_magic_washing_machine.html
What an incredibly cool non electric “off the grid” clothes washer. I want one, but it looks like they’re not available in the U.S. yet. Please let me know when I can purchase one!
Please provide information so we may order several units. Thank you.
Excellent and thoughtful invention!
Great for here in Mauritius as well. Where can I order this from???
This would be great in Jamaica too
This would be the Washer of Choice for many “Green Conscious” Single Americans-you need to sell them here. It would help bring down the price for developing nations.
How long do you have to pedal per wash? I know you could go on the internet or read a book while pedaling.
Alex@CabunocDesign
please have a Facebook page where we can ‘like’ or ‘subscribe’ to keep current with when you have these available. and Kickstarter — as another replied.
I would love to get one, please e-mail me further to bradleyshirto@gmail.com
There are also small electric washers. Try http://www.miniwasher.com
I’ll be keeping an eye out for this!
Where can I get one of these? This would be perfect for my home and when i go on long camping trips!!
I have a hand powered pressure washer for clothes that I use when we go camping or just when the electricity goes off. Would love to have one of these also. They look really cool!!! Thanks for the article!
i need this!!!!
i want one too
buy one share one
Love the idea!
love to have one of these! like the others, i would like to buy one and share one!
I am interested in buying this item!!! How can I purchase this??
I think it would easier to use if you could power it with bicycle pedals and gears make it less work and more efficient, i know the design might be more complicated how about designing it into the product that they can upgrade themselves if they have a bike. I hope you read this. Great idea washing always sucks
i really like this idea, and my family and i would get a lot of use out of this! Is it for sale in the USA and where could i purchase one for personal use? it would also be great for camping or helping the homeless, wow the uses for this are limitless, thank you for your wonderful idea and for having a head, heart and hands to help those less fortunate than yourself
Have you thought about the site Kickstart
to generate some quick cash flow. and establish a user / priduction base.
Me alegro que las tecnologías cambien a favor de lo simple y practico, y que haya gente pensando en esto para el bien comun, soy de Colombia y quisiera saber donde puedo adquirir una de estas lavadoras. por su información gracias.
This is a breakthrough product!! I’m also amazed by the developed world interest. I would also love to buy one for me and another for a less fortunate family.
I’m in the developed world (Aotearoa NZ) and I certainly want one!
I think it would be a great if the designers and manufacturers set up a program where I could buy one at a price that covered the cost of giving one away to a person in a slum where it would be much needed.
I am amazed the level of interest from people in the developed world……you can therefore imagine the response in third world Africa in Kenya where I come from. This is amazing.
This product would be a God-send for all the poor people in the USA. Like never before seen in my lifetime, so many people are struggling desperately to make end s meet and a product like this would allow so many people to cut their living costs in a meaningful way.
In addition, for people who have small cabins on a lake, or people who have Pop-up campers, or even people who can only afford to pitch a tent at a state park for several weeks each summer, this items would be of tremendous help.
I could also see where many seniors on very limited budgets might love to have one. They could do a load every day while they read their mail, etc, and save a bundle of money too. I sometimes think that those seniors who have very little money actually wear their clothing time and again as they have to limit their laundry costs. With this product they could readily launder clothes. What a wonderful gift this would be ………ai am certain that each and every one of knows someone who is struggling desperately to keep their economic head above water…..people who are truly very poor. Can you imagine how their eyes might light up if they were given one of these as a gift, say for the Christmas holiday, or a birthday?
I want some for just that reason.
My deep respect goes to the people who developed this……..you are truly humanities salvation.
These may prove popular in the boating community. I hope they are made available in North America.
I want one! Seriously! Ask them to make it available for purchase, and all or part of the money can go to provide these little miracles to more families. I promise, they’ll make money. Let me know when the become available for purchase, cause I’m broke, and living in the U.S.A. and this would be such a wonderful break! I sometimes have to wash my clothes in a bathtub, so I understand where you are coming from! This is GREAT!
Greetings everyone! My name is Alex Cabunoc and I am the designer of GiraDora. Thank you all so much for your appreciation of our project. If you want to learn more about this project and the design process, you can visit http://www.behance.net/gallery/GiraDora-human-powered-washer-spin-dryer/4519945
Currently, I have only built working prototypes for testing and demonstration. So GiraDora is not yet available for purchase. We hope to be in a place where we can begin retailing GiraDora units in about a year or so. I will be making a database for those interested in receiving updates about the project. If you would like to be on that database, please email me at cabunocdesign@gmail.com. thank you again for your interest!
-Alex
Just saw this on Gizmag. When I lived in the States I used a Wonder Washer which worked great but I then had to feed the wet clothes into an electric spinner.
Now that I’m in the UK I use the electric washer my new husband brought to the marriage:) However, my husband and I are always looking for ways to cut down our grid dependency and might be willing to purchase two, one to donate and one to have here in our Scottish home.
Hopefully something will be arranged with the makers along these lines due to the interest, I’ll keep an eye out for a programme.
Love the pedal design on the GiraDora. If you need something like this stateside, check out the Laundry Pod. It’s $100 and has a hand crank. http://www.thelaundrypod.com/index.html
We would like one as well. How can we purchase one?
stephanie@tomatocollection.com
I want one too! where to buy?
lenkartdecor@gmail.com
Where can I buy one??
Like many others, I want one. Where do we purchase?
This is fantastic! I live in remote north western Australia and often we lose power this would be great to have, how do I buy one and what would postage be like?
Jade
Where can I buy one of these?
Where can you buy this ?
how can i make an order? i ral wanna buy some.
Great idea!
Where can we acquire these for the western world (in this case Oregon)?
Eager off-the-grid folks would love to know ;.)
Anniken
Where can I get one? I do a lot of hand washing of my laundry and this would be perfect for me. I live in a studio and the nearest laundramat is 10 blocks away & I don’t have a functional car. Please let me know how or where I can purchase one of these GiraDora Washers!!! Thank you!!!
I love this, this will save us so much on our electric bill. Where can I buy one?
I really, REALLY want one in the US – does anyone know of a company that sells them or ships them here?
This would be perfect for camping!