Liquid laundry detergents are commonly sold in plastic bottles with non-recyclable caps and the powdered laundry detergents are sold in reusable containers (although most get thrown out) and often either non-recyclable or containing non-recyclable elements such as the lid.

There are however eco-friendly laundry detergents options available, providing us some great alternatives in moving away from single-use or non-recyclable plastic containers, which contribute greatly to the ever-increasing plastic waste problem our world is facing.

One of the best alternatives is power tablets that are not packaged in plastic and come in compostable cardboard packaging, however most of these are harder to use in harder water areas, as they must make them denser due to not having protective plastic coverings for transport.

Another alternative is the concentrated liquid laundry detergent contained inside a water-soluble film-forming material made from polyvinyl alcohol which dissolves completely when placed in warm water. Polyvinyl alcohol is ethanol, a water-soluble alcohol, which is safe for the skin if in small concentration, and has no bad effect on the environment, providing a great solution for packing the eco-laundry detergent liquid.

Both the power tablets and the water-soluble eco laundry detergent capsules are also great options as:

• Most eco friendly laundry detergent used in these capsules are also made with natural plant-based ingredients from renewable sources.
• Each capsule provides the exact amount of detergent required for a wash, so no additional hassle needed measuring exact amounts of detergent.
• You often find three kinds of eco-friendly laundry detergent capsules; the biological for tough stains, the non- biological for sensitive skin, and the colour-friendly options to keep the colours of your clothes vibrant through many washes.
• You can often find these eco-laundry detergent capsules in compostable, recyclable, or reusable containers to provide an even greater eco option, often with child-impeding catches for additional safety.
• For the water-soluble version – the content of each packet has less than 24% water by weight of its composition, the reason why the water-soluble film can maintain its integrity prior to use.

Some other choices are the laundry detergent paper and laundry detergent paper strips, an all-concentrated eco-laundry detergent which are also totally plastic-free and environmentally friendly. 

Another eco-friendly option that we recommend are the laundry balls which are refillable plastic rounded detergent containers. Although there is a bit of a controversy on these products because of the plastic component, it is a much better choice over those laundry detergents in single-use plastic packaging, or those with non-recyclable plastic caps.

To see some eco laundry detergent options, click here.