The Scrubba Wash Pack is not Newland’s first attempt at allowing us to bring some of our conveniences along with us as we travel the world. In 2012, he gave the world the Scrubba Wash Bag, the world’s smallest washing machine.
The Scrubba Wash Bag weighs around six ounces and folds up to pocket-size. Product reviews give it good ratings for convenience, effectiveness in actually cleaning clothes, and ease of use. In 2013, it was selling on Amazon.com for around $55.
The Scrubba Pack, expected to be ready for purchase by September 2015, has taken functionality one step further. Not only will it wash your clothes in up to three minutes, but it also functions as a waterproof backpack. Your dirty laundry gets what creators call a “machine-quality clothes wash.”
The secret behind the Scrubba’s technology is the hundreds of little nodules in the bag that scrub your clothes clean, just like a washboard, only it’s not rigid like a traditional washboard. The polyether urethane coating inside the bag also aids in resisting water damage.
When it comes to multifunctionality, the Scrubba Wash Pack is right up there with the best. With adjustable straps, the 10 ounce (300 grams) pack can be worn as a traditional backpack, a messenger bag, or a sling bag worn over one shoulder.
The Scrubba team is asking for some fairly modest funding through Indiegogo. They need $15,000 to bring the Scrubba Wash Pack to market in September, According to Gizmag.com, anyone preordering the Scrubba Wash Pack will get one for $79, with shipping in October, if funding goes well. After that, the packs will cost $99.