US pegs its hopes to Aussie Hills Hoist (wind & solar powered clothes dryer)

[depakid]

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/05/31/melissasheather_narrowweb__300x460,0.jpg
Eco dryer ... Melissa Sheather and Alara at their Hills Hoist
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IT'S been a feature of Australian backyards for more than 60 years but now the humble Hills Hoist is about to go global.

And it's global warming that is driving the overseas demand for the great Australian dryer.

Prominent Australian expats - including Olivia Newton-John, Dannii Minogue and Kimberley Joseph - have thrown star power behind the Hills Hoist to promote it in the United States, where distribution started last month.

The response from US consumers has already been strong, said Hills Industries' home hardware and eco-products division, general manager of business development, Barry Sharpe.

"It's at the toe-in-the-water stage but we're paddling hard," he said.

Hills Industries first tried to crack the US market eight years ago, but line drying has traditionally been discouraged there. Many homeowners are banned from hanging washing outside because it's viewed as being aesthetically unappealing and detrimental to property values.

"All the major retailers had very low interest," Mr Sharpe said. "They considered it a summer-only product and they thought that nobody in their right minds would dry clothes outdoors if they could afford to run a tumble dryer."

However, concerns for the environment and rising energy costs have resulted in a "right to dry" movement with homeowners campaigning for permission to hang their washing out.

"The right to dry movement has been very active in the past few years but more so now that global warming issues have started to become part of the mainstream consciousness," Mr Sharpe said. "Most people realise that clothes dryers are not particularly energy efficient."

After the refrigerator, the electric dryer is the biggest user of household electricity in the US.

Figures from the US Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers show there were 88 million dryers in the US in 2005. Each consumes about 1079 kilowatt hours of energy, emitting 1008 kilograms of carbon dioxide.

More: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/stars-promote-the-humble-hills-hoist-in-us/2008/05/31/1211654373007.html

[CC]

1. I grew up with one of these or

one very similar to it. My mom still has one and I remember lots of neighbors having them. Mom still likes here specially since it turns so she doesn't have to walk from one end to another on a bad knee.

Me I had regular clotheslines until I ended up with a dog that loves to empty them. Now I need something he can't reach.

[kestrel91316]

2. The US can't even manufacture ITS OWN clotheslines anymore?

We have to import them, too???

[niyad]

3. I thought one could still purchase umbrella lines (the one that folds up)

and similar products. have they been discontinued?

[pscot]

4. We've got one

n/t