Local launderette operator dobiQueen is intensifying its social empowerment initiatives as Malaysia works towards raising the female labour force participation rate (LFPR) to 60 per cent by 2033.
Current national statistics show that women continue to lag significantly behind men, with an LFPR of 56.4 per cent compared with 83.3 per cent among men.
To help ease pressures commonly faced by single mothers who often shoulder the dual responsibilities of earning an income and managing unpaid household care, dobiQueen has introduced its new ‘Single Parent Welfare Support’ scheme.
Under this initiative, high-performing single-parent employees receive monthly incentives of up to RM500 to strengthen financial stability and encourage long-term resilience.
Co-founder and Executive Director, Nini Tan said the programme reflects the company’s commitment to creating supportive work environments for vulnerable groups.
“When single parents are empowered, families become stronger, and this contributes to more resilient communities,” she said.
Beyond internal support, dobiQueen also collaborates with several non-governmental organisations, including the Dignity for Children Foundation, Komuniti Tukang Jahit (KTJ), PichaEats and The Asli Co to create income-generating opportunities for underserved women such as refugee mothers and those from B40 households.
On the consumer front, a recent dobiQueen survey indicates that more Malaysians are turning to professional laundry services to free up time from household chores.
Based on user feedback, families, students and working adults are saving between 150 and 300 hours annually, allowing them to allocate more time to childcare, social activities, business tasks or personal well-being.
With more than 15 million washes logged to date, dobiQueen’s mobile application provides real-time access to nearby outlets and enables customers to activate washing and drying machines using QR codes, removing the need for physical kiosks or token systems.
The company currently operates over 90 outlets across the Klang Valley and plans to widen its footprint by opening 20 outlets annually in Sabah and Sarawak.
Tan added that dobiQueen benchmarks its service standards against leading markets such as Japan and South Korea, adapting technologies to suit Malaysian consumer behaviour while maintaining secure and inclusive payment systems.
Globally, the laundry services market is valued at US$45.85 billion (approximately RM188.4 billion) in 2025 and is projected to reach US$273.0 billion (about RM1.12 trillion) by 2032, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 29.3 per cent.
-HR HUB
