Poplin

Poplin, originally launched as SudShare, is an American on-demand laundry service that connects consumers with independent contractors through a mobile application. Customers use the platform to arrange pickup, washing, drying, folding, and delivery of household laundry. Rather than operating primarily as a conventional chain of laundromats or dry-cleaning stores, the company uses a distributed marketplace model in which participating contractors commonly process orders with their own household washers and dryers. The concept emerged from the Fertel family. Nachshon Fertel developed the initial mobile application in 2017 while he was a high-school student at a yeshiva in Norfolk, Virginia. The idea was prompted by his mother, Ari Fertel, who wanted a practical way to outsource the large amount of laundry generated by the family. The family initially handled customers' orders themselves, but later recruited additional service providers as demand grew. The business was formally launched in Baltimore in 2018 by Mort Fertel and Nachshon Fertel, with the company subsequently expanding into Norfolk and Washington, D.C. The platform's operating model resembles other gig-economy marketplaces. Contractors can receive training through the application, choose whether to accept available orders, collect laundry from customers, clean and fold it, and return it. Customers can select available cleaning options and, when using the service repeatedly, may be able to request the same provider. A ratings system helps determine provider visibility and access to orders. Contractors receive a stated 75 percent commission on each transaction, in addition to tips, according to the referenced company description. During 2021, the business reported expansion to more than 400 American cities and more than 50,000 independent contractors using its application. Coverage is more practical in urban and suburban markets than in rural or remote areas because transportation distances increase operating costs. The company later adopted the Poplin name, while SudShare remains an important former name and identifier for the business. Poplin occupies the on-demand laundry segment alongside services such as Tide Cleaners, Rinse, Royal Clean, and Hampr. Its positioning is based on convenience, distributed local fulfillment, and the ability to outsource a routine household task without requiring customers to visit a laundry facility. The model also raises questions common to platform businesses, including service consistency, trust in handling personal clothing, geographic availability, and the employment status and economics of independent contractors.

Poplin began with a household problem rather than a conventional laundry-industry expansion plan. Ari Fertel, the mother of a large family, wanted to find a way to outsource the family's recurring laundry workload. Her son Nachshon Fertel responded by developing a mobile application. He created the initial software in 2017 while attending a yeshiva in Norfolk, Virginia, reportedly using the project to earn science credits during high school. The Fertel family initially fulfilled customer orders themselves. This early stage allowed the founders to test the practical workflow: receiving an order, collecting the clothing, washing and drying it, folding it, and returning it to the customer. As demand increased, the business moved toward a marketplace structure and began enrolling independent contractors. Mort Fertel became chief executive, Nachshon Fertel took responsibility for technology, and Nachshon's triplet brother Moshe Fertel became chief operating officer. The company was formally launched in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2018 under the SudShare name. It later expanded to Norfolk and Washington, D.C., before pursuing broader national coverage. Its model differs from a traditional laundry chain because many contractors use their own residential laundry equipment instead of processing orders through company-owned facilities. The application gives providers access to available work, offers training, and uses customer ratings as part of the system for distributing future orders. Providers can decide which orders to accept and receive a stated 75 percent commission on transactions, plus tips. The service expanded rapidly during 2021. The company was described as operating in more than 400 American cities and as having more than 50,000 independent contractors on the platform. The network is better suited to densely populated areas, where pickup and delivery routes are more economical, than to remote or rural locations. Customers can place orders through the application, select among available cleaning arrangements, and in some cases continue using a preferred provider. The business has been discussed as part of the broader platform-economy and on-demand-services movement. Comparisons with Uber focus on the use of independent workers coordinated through software, while comparisons with conventional laundry services highlight Poplin's asset-light and geographically distributed approach. The concept also faces a trust barrier: some customers may be uncomfortable having strangers handle their clothing, making ratings, repeat-provider relationships, and service reliability important to adoption. The company later changed its public-facing name from SudShare to Poplin. Under the Poplin identity, it remains an app-mediated laundry pickup and delivery marketplace rather than a manufacturer of laundry equipment or a conventional retail detergent brand. Its competitive set includes Tide Cleaners, Rinse, Royal Clean, and Hampr, all of which participate in overlapping portions of the on-demand laundry and garment-care market.

1. 2021National expansion

   The company was reported to be available in more than 400 American cities and to have more than 50,000 independent contractors using its application.

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2. 2018SudShare formally launched

   Mort and Nachshon Fertel formally launched the business in Baltimore, Maryland, and began developing its contractor-based fulfillment model.

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3. 2017Initial mobile application developed

   Nachshon Fertel developed the initial laundry-service application while he was a high-school student in Norfolk, Virginia.

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4. Rebranding as Poplin

   SudShare subsequently adopted the Poplin name.

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A technology-enabled, on-demand laundry marketplace emphasizing household convenience, local independent providers, and app-based ordering.

• Poplin laundry pickup and deliveryOn-demand laundry service2018

  The core service allows customers to arrange laundry pickup, washing, drying, folding, and return delivery through a mobile application. Orders are fulfilled by independent contractors, many of whom use their own household laundry equipment. The platform supports consumer-provider matching, order acceptance, service ratings, and repeat-customer relationships.

• Poplin provider marketplaceGig-work platform2018

  The provider side of the platform supplies independent contractors with access to available laundry orders. Providers can receive in-app training, decide which assignments to accept, process laundry, and receive commissions and tips. Ratings are used as part of the platform's mechanism for allocating access to additional work.

• Rebrand from SudShare to PoplinStrategy

  The company operated initially under the SudShare name and later presented itself as Poplin.

  What changed. The business adopted Poplin as its operating brand while retaining SudShare as a former name and historical identifier.

  Aftermath. The company continued to operate as an app-based laundry pickup, processing, and delivery marketplace.

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• 2021SudShare expands its on-demand laundry marketplace across the United States

  The company was reported to have expanded its service to more than 400 American cities and to have more than 50,000 independent contractors using its application.

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• SudShare adopts the Poplin name

  The company formerly known as SudShare operates under the Poplin name, reflecting a later rebranding of the laundry marketplace.

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1. Poplin (company)
2. SudShare