Rinse - Technology-forward Laundry and Dry Cleaning

This case explores the growth and operational strategy of Rinse, an on-demand laundry and dry-cleaning service co-founded by Ajay Prakash and James Joun. Starting from a small experiment in San Francisco, Rinse scaled to serve over 10 major U.S. cities and cleaned more than 100 million garments. The case examines how Rinse brought technology to a traditionally low-tech industry, optimizing operations through a proprietary app, streamlined valet network, and an algorithm that dynamically allocated volume to cleaning partners. As Rinse expanded, it faced a variety of operational challenges, including capacity management, partner performance, and quality control. The case also considers how the company navigated external shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions, while maintaining its customer-centric model. Students are invited to analyze the trade-offs between standardization and customization, deepening versus broadening partnerships, and whether to maintain proprietary technology or consider licensing it to others.