Sanyo is quite environmentally-friendly these days, committed to businesses that use water circulation and recycling technology applications. During Sanyo's product studies, they estimated that the overall demand for washing machines in Japan to be 4.57 million units. So, they put their heads together and designed the AQUA: the world's first Drum-Type Washing Machine with an Air Wash function. Not only does it recycle water, but it lets you deodorize and disinfect clothes without the need for water. Why is this a good idea?

Well, say you wore PJs to bed, or put on a sweatshirt to walk the dog. Your clothes aren't really dirty, since you didn't use them much. Well, with the Air Wash feature, this is possible. It works by injecting air into the machine's drum, and is able to disinfect and deodorize your clothes for 30 minutes without the use of water. This process also seems useful for clothes that are dry clean only. 

And what if you own a washer in your home or apartment? You probably don't realize how much water, let alone electricity, you are using. The AQUA can reuse water so you don't waste it. This works by storing water used in final rinsing in a storage tank and very fine air bubbles disinfect and clean the water.

The AQUA also features a 'Lift up baffle' (which prevents the clothes from leaning to one side inside the drum), a 'Non-detergent course' (to remove light dirt from clothes without detergent), and a 'Mold guard course' (to guard against black mold). The washing machine comes in two colors: Pearl White and Metallic Brown. It will be available in Japan (for now) starting March 11th for 262,500 Yen ($2,200 USD).

[Thanks to FarEastGizmos.com for the scoop.]