Xeros has entered the European consumer market with its patented microfibre-filtration technology integrated into the KOENIC KMPF-1000, now sold through MediaMarktSaturn channels in Germany. The external washing-machine filter captures up to 98% of microplastics and more than 80% of natural fibres released during washing. Available through MediaMarkt and Saturn online and in stores for €129.99, the product can be fitted to commonly used domestic washing machines without replacing the appliance. For the Rotherham-based company, the launch puts its licensing model into a major European retail setting.

A Retrofit Route To Filtration

The KOENIC KMPF-1000 is designed as an add-on rather than a replacement appliance. It connects to existing washing machines, allowing households to introduce filtration without changing their preferred washing programme or detergent.

Synthetic fabrics made with polyester, acrylic, polyamide, polyethylene and elastane can release microscopic plastic fibres during washing. Without filtration at the appliance, those fibres can pass into wastewater and potentially reach rivers, waterways and oceans.

The unit uses a reusable 50-micron filter incorporating Xeros technology. Its built-in spinning function removes water from collected fibres, helping users empty the filter and supporting repeated use.

Reducing Disposable Filter Waste

Unlike systems that use disposable cartridges, the KMPF-1000 does not require replacement filter components. This removes an ongoing purchase for consumers while avoiding a further stream of disposable filter waste.

The product is available in Germany only through MediaMarkt and Saturn, both online and in store. Its retail availability gives consumers a standalone filtration option alongside washing machines and laundry-care products.

For Xeros, the launch also demonstrates how patented technology can be incorporated into products sold under partner brands. The company develops and licenses technology across laundry care, filtration and denim finishing, working with appliance manufacturers, textile businesses, retailers and commercial laundry partners.

Consumer Concerns Around Laundry Care

The German retail launch follows Xeros research into consumer views on washing technology. A nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults found that 72% did not know whether washing machines had kept pace with developments in other household technologies.

The survey found that 65% would be interested in an appliance or solution that made delicate clothing safer and easier to clean at home while reducing the risk of damage. Among respondents aged 25 to 34, interest rose to 74%.

Damage to clothing was also a clear concern. Some 63% of respondents had thrown away, donated or stopped wearing at least one garment in the previous year because it had been damaged in the wash or dryer. Among those able to remember the value of affected clothing, the original cost averaged £105.

Licensing Technology At Scale

The KMPF-1000 places Xeros technology in a product sold through an established retail network, while retaining the company’s focus on licensing. The model enables appliance and consumer-technology partners to incorporate its filtration technology into their own branded products.

Neil Austin, CEO at Xeros, said:

“This launch is a big step forward in bringing our filtration technology straight into people’s homes through a major European retail chain. Microplastic pollution from washing mostly happens out of sight.”

Neil Austin, CEO at Xeros, said:

“People rarely see the fibres coming from their clothes or know where they end up in the wastewater system. That makes it easy to overlook the problem, even though each wash is an opportunity to capture those fibres at the source.”

British Technology In European Homes

The launch gives Xeros a consumer-facing route into Germany while showing how retrofit products can broaden access to environmental technology across the installed base of household appliances. Rather than waiting for a replacement washing machine, consumers can add filtration to equipment already in use.

Neil Austin, CEO at Xeros, said:

“Partnering with KOENIC and MediaMarktSaturn shows how licensing can speed up the adoption of filtration tech. Working with trusted brands, manufacturers, and retailers allows us to combine our ideas with their production and distribution powers to reach households on a large scale. For Xeros, this proves how British technology can be turned into a practical product with global commercial potential.”