Join Us

New members to The Worshipful Company of Launderers are very welcome.  Why not consider joining us?

Membership of The Worshipful Company of Launderers can be a very rewarding, enjoyable and career enhancing experience.  It’s a rare opportunity to step outside the daily routine of corporate life and meet professionally and socially with your industry peers in a unique environment.

We exist to represent excellence within the textile-care industry but also place great emphasis on the philanthropic contribution we make to the wider community in the finest traditions of London’s Livery Companies.  And, where else would you have the opportunity to take an active part in the colourful pageantry and ancient customs of the City of London that only a Livery Company can offer?

New applicants are expected to be engaged in the textile care and supporting industries and/or have the necessary experience from having held management or professional positions where textiles have played a prominent part, e.g. a lawyer or accountant.  In addition to an annual membership fee plus a one off joining fee, there is also a commitment to make a modest annual contribution to support the work of the Company’s two Benevolent Trust Fund.

Every Livery Company has at least two categories of membership.  The Launderers has three categories, Journeyman, Freeman and Liveryman.

The first step to full membership is to apply to become a Freeman of the Company, which means you must be proposed and seconded by two Liverymen. A Freeman may attend most of the Company’s events and bring guests.

It is expected that a Freeman also apply to become a Freeman of the City of London.  Membership of this exclusive group is conducted at a private ceremony in the Guildhall to which family and friends can be invited. Gaining the freedom of the City is a necessary step if you wish to progress to become a Liveryman.

A Liveryman is a full member of the Company.  We are limited, like every Livery Company, to 400 Liverymen.

You become eligible to become a Liveryman once you have received the Freedom of the City of London and approval of the Court by demonstrating that you have been playing an active part in the Company.  Once ’clothed in the Livery’ you are entitled, after a period, to additional honours such as eligibility to vote for the Lord Mayor of London.

Only Liverymen may become Court Assistants, and this again is by invitation.  Once on the Court – our governing body – you then have the opportunity to be elected as a Warden and ultimately, Master of the Company.

Some Masters of the Livery Companies have gone on to become Sheriffs or Lord Mayor of the City of London.

The Journeyman Scheme is an additional grade of membership with the intention of recognising a person’s early achievements and determination to succeed in the textile care industry.

A Journeyman will be allowed to stay at this level for up to three years but then would be required to progress to Freeman status, however, a Journeyman could move on to Freeman status at any time on recommendation or proposal according to the usual practices of the Company.  It would be expected that a Freeman would remain in this grade for two years with Freeman entitlements before applying or being invited to become a Liveryman with full Livery participation entitlements.  Each Journeyman would be allocated a mentor upon joining.