Sharp unveils drainage-free laundry system at CEATEC 2026

Sharp is exhibiting a drainage-free circulating laundry system called Triple Free Laundry at CEATEC 2026, held at Makuhari Messe from October 13, 2026, according to japan.cnet.com. The system received the Excellence Award at CEATEC AWARD 2026.

The setup combines a commercially available commercial drum washing machine with a newly developed filtration unit. Normally, it works as a regular washing machine connected to a water supply; attaching the unit in disasters switches it to circulation mode, filtering water outside the wash tub and reusing it for the next rinse with only a 35-liter tank.

The three-stage filtration first removes dirt and dust, then an activated carbon filter removes sebum and oil, and ultraviolet light suppresses bacterial growth. A demonstration showed reddish mud-clouded water being made transparent. One filter set lasts 100 washes, though Sharp aims to extend that number toward commercialization.

About 2 liters of water per wash is consumed as water remaining in clothing, replenished automatically from a supply tank. The system targets public facilities, care facilities and schools, and four units fit in one 20-foot container. The price is undecided.

Field trials and defense call

The name Triple Free comes from three 'frees': phase-free, location-free and border-free. Sharp sells the dryer-less commercial drum washing machine used in the system for hotels and similar customers at around 190,000 yen.

Development is underway in Yao City, Osaka Prefecture, with a trial use being conducted at Nara National College of Technology. The project was accepted in a Ministry of Defense public call, with a demonstration planned at a Self-Defense Forces base.