Less water use with Divya flatpack manual washing machine
The Divya flatpack manual washing machine for remote areas helps impoverished communities save up to 50 percent of water use and 70 percent of their time compared to when they wash clothes by hand. Designed for families who may not have access to electricity or to electric appliances, the equipment has a capacity large enough for the laundry needs of a big household. It is modular, meaning it can be taken apart, so families can easily move it somewhere else or wherever they need it. Its exterior is made of stainless steel, which can handle long-term use without rusting, extreme water exposure, and heavy loads when it comes to the clothes.
The team says that the Divya flatpack manual washing machine’s commercial-grade parts are also robust enough for repeated manual use and for them to last without repairs. Even if users need to repair the tool, many of the parts are standard, so they can be found in typical hardware stores and local workshops. The team says that the design is also maintainable in many regions without needing a specialist to repair it or to bring it to a repair shop. The Divya flatpack manual washing machine is mechanical, so there’s no use for electricity.
all images courtesy of The Washing Machine Project
Portable and movable manual equipment to clean dirty clothes
There’s a handle on the exterior of the Divya flatpack manual washing machine that the user needs to keep turning to wash their clothes. A person turns a handle for a few minutes, and the drum inside spins enough times to complete a wash cycle, with the full cycle taking about 30 minutes. Only a small section of that time requires physical turning to reduce the total effort needed for washing and water use by about half when compared with hand-washing. First introduced in April 2025, the team has long since introduced updates to the Divya flatpack manual washing machine. They’ve built the scrubber into the lid, with the top surface having a textured pattern that can remove stains. In this way, the user can just open the lid and scrub clothing on the spot.
Users have asked for a wider opening for large household fabrics, and the team listened, so the new lid size allows these larger items to be placed into the drum without force. It also makes it easier to remove wet fabrics after the wash cycle. The new version includes a redesigned tap, letting water drain out twice as fast as the older version to lessen the waiting time during washing. The tap type is also common in many countries, so if it breaks, people can buy a replacement locally. Another upgrade for the Divya flatpack manual washing machine is the new wheels, which can now allow the users to roll it more easily across different homes and surfaces. Viewers are open to supporting the Washing Machine Project and helping impoverished communities save water and time in cleaning their clothes.
Divya flatpack manual washing machine helps impoverished communities save up to 50 percent of water use
the equipment has a handle that users can manually turn to wash their clothes
there’s a tap at the bottom to drain the water
the equipment is movable and portable so users can bring it to different homes and places
the scrubber on the lid has a textured pattern that can remove stains
there’s a wider opening in the upgraded design for larger household fabrics
project info:
name: Divya
team: The Washing Machine Project | @thewashingmachineproject
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