Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 4.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $8.3bn in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Late period losses
- Dry cleaners struggled over the past five years in large part due to a sharp decline in 2020 caused by the pandemic. Most of the industry is composed of independently operated dry cleaning establishments. Because of its classification as a nonessential business, many of these independent businesses were forced out of the industry in 2020 due to the pandemic.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Demand from the commercial market is expected to increase
- Dry cleaners will continue targeting commercial markets to hedge against reduced demand from residential customers. The largest commercial clients for full-service laundry are hospitals, restaurants and hotels. The industry provides these commercial clients with pick-up and delivery services for laundering uniforms, towels, sheets, comforters, napkins, tablecloths and other linens.
Biggest companies in the Dry Cleaners in the US
| Company | Market Share (%)
2024 | Revenue ($short_0)
2024 | Profit ($short_0)
2024 | Profit Margin (%)
2024 |
|---|
There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Dry Cleaners in the US industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Retail dry cleaning services, Commercial full-service laundry and Commercial dry cleaning services. Retail dry cleaning services is the largest segment of the Dry Cleaners in the US.
Trends and Insights
Retail dry cleaning and laundry services continue to account for the largest share of revenue
- Dry cleaning is a clothing and textile cleaning process that traditionally uses a chemical solvent instead of water. Since the 1930s, the most common solvent used has been perchloroethylene (PCE). However, for more than a decade, PCE has been under fire due to its hazardous effects on the environment and human health.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Operators in this industry provide dry cleaning and laundering services. Companies may also provide drop-off and pick-up sites for customers. In addition, establishments may also offer specialty cleaning services for garments and textiles such as fur, leather, suede, wedding gowns, draperies and pillows.
What's included in this industry?
Full-service dry cleaningFull-service laundryCompanies
Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
DRY CLEANINGWET CLEANINGPERCHLOROETHYLENE (PCE)Industry Code
NAICS 81232 - Dry Cleaners in the US
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
The COVID-19 pandemic decimated the dry cleaning industry. Despite being named an essential service, consumers abandoned dry cleaners in an effort to save money.
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
A push by the EPA to diminish the use of PCE, a toxic chemical, has led dry cleaners to use more eco-friendly alternatives. SOLVON K4 and GreenEarth’s silicone-based solution...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
There’s a notable correlation between business locations and the dispersion of the US population. Dry cleaners congregate in areas with dense, white-collar populations like u...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each state in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Dry cleaners operate on a regional basis. Their largest contenders are other dry cleaners serving the same area.
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
There are no major companies in the dry cleaning industry. No one dry cleaning operation holds more than a 1.0% market share.
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
Detailed analysis
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
The EPA has implemented strict regulations on the industry. The chemical perchloroethylene has been found to be hazardous to both humans and the environment and the agency ha...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
The pandemic made industry profit more volatile. It also diminished the industry’s workforce as employers and nonemployers alike struggled to maintain revenue.
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
- Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
- Income Statement (2017-2022)
- Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
- Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
- Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Leverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in United States in 2024?
The market size of the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in United States is $8.3bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in 2024?
There are 25,105 businesses in the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in United States, which has declined at a CAGR of 4.0 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in United States has been declining at a CAGR of 4.9 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.
What does the Dry Cleaners in the US in United States include?
Full-service dry cleaning and Full-service laundry are part of the Dry Cleaners in the US industry.
How competitive is the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in United States?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Dry Cleaners in the US industry in United States.
Related Industries
Widen your competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- There are no industries to display.
Complementors
- There are no industries to display.
International industries
- Dry Cleaners in Canada
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Services in Australia
- Dry-Cleaning & Other Cleaning Services in the UK
View all industries in United States
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the US include:
- US Census Bureau
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- US International Trade Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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