10 Zero Waste Laundry Strips To Try

Choosing to use zero waste laundry strips is a great step to reducing your plastic use and producing less waste. Only about 30% of plastic laundry jugs are recycled, meaning the rest end up in landfills, trashing the planet. What’s more, these plastic bottles of liquid detergent can take up 500 years to decompose nevermind the microplastics they release into our environment in the meantime. 

Picking zero waste laundry strips is an easy swap that can reduce your plastic use and plastic contribution. We want that eco-friendly cleaning power with reduced plastic waste!

And really quick: if you’re wondering what zero waste even means, we’ve got you! The idea of going zero waste is to encourage the consumer to not just reduce/reuse/recycle but to prevent unnecessary creation of resources. The goal is to send no trash to landfills, the oceans, or incinerators and reduce the consequential pollution of these three things.

What makes a laundry strip zero waste?

Laundry strips are zero waste because they dissolve completely into the water, and the packaging they come in contains no plastic. The cardboard packaging is either recyclable or compostable, so the product never enters the landfill. These simple swaps are some of the best ways to lessen our impact on the environment.

Why is this better for the environment?

Traditional laundry detergent is 60-90% water, which is both inefficient and wasteful. Not to mention traditional detergents often contain harsh or harmful chemicals that irritate skin and pollute the waterway as they runoff. 

We already mentioned that only 30% of traditional plastic laundry jugs get recycled, which means they’re ending up in landfills or floating in our oceans. 

Scientists have found microplastics in our blood and even in unborn babies, so any plastic we can prevent is best and much kinder for our people and our planet. 

Many of these zero waste companies also make an effort to reduce carbon emissions, further helping our planet. 

Also, these laundry detergent strips and pods are lighter in weight, which means less transportation pollution. 

Are all zero waste laundry strips created equally?

There will always be outliers of lesser quality products but for the most part, zero waste laundry strips are pretty great. However, when searching for the best zero waste laundry strips you’ll want to consider price, packaging, and product (the ingredients).

When it comes to packaging, in order to be zero-waste it should be both plastic-free and compostable (or at least recyclable). This also means that the companies should ship plastic-free as well. 

Ingredient-wise, you’ll want to look for certain “free” items. As in, paraben-free, phthalate-free, and sulfate-free. Those are harsh chemicals that are harmful to your body and the earth. It’s best to find products that have organic ingredients, but at a minimum you’ll want to avoid synthetic fragrance and those parabens, phthalates, and sulfates.

And finally, price. This is more for our wallets but depending on if you have different types of washing machines, or if you have heavier, more soiled loads, certain laundry sheets may work better than others to get the job done.

Why should we use them?

Simply put, they’re simple! Not only are laundry detergent sheets more efficient for the cost, they are free of harmful chemicals, plastic-free, and take up less physical space than the traditional plastic jugs.

These companies that care about the environmental impact enough to create such products are also giving back however they can, from reducing their waste or carbon footprint to donating to programs that further help the environment and our communities.

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10 Zero Waste Laundry Strips To Try

1. Tru Earth

Tru Earth was founded with the mission to create less waste in a plastic-filled world.

Their products are family and planet-friendly because their laundry detergent strips are hypo-allergenic for those with sensitive skin as well as paraben-free, phosphate-free, free of added dyes or chlorine bleach. They’re free of 1.4-dioxane (independent-lab tested and certified!), vegan, and readily biodegradable.

Tru Earth eco-strips are quick-dissolving, can be used in any washing machine as well as used for hand-washing. The cardboard sleeve the strips come in is compostable and plastic-free. Bonus? The slim packaging doesn’t take up all that space in your laundry room anymore!

These eco-friendly laundry strips are available in a fresh linen scent or fragrance free, and they come in packs suited for 32-loads and are $19.95 with free shipping. There is also a subscription option that saves 35% when you sign up for repeat orders of Tru Earth laundry strips.

2.  Earth Breeze

Earth Breeze is committed to making a big impact with small actions. That’s why their products are zero waste and every sale helps fund ocean clean ups and tree plantings. They want to make the world a better place!

Their laundry detergent sheets are free of parabens, vegan and cruelty free, and also free of phthalates, phosphates, bleach, and dye. They’re also hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested.

The sheets work in HE machines, help lower your carbon footprint, have plastic-free packaging, and 10 loads are donated with each sale. 

These plastic-free laundry sheets are available in either fresh linen scent or fragrance free, and can wash up to 60 loads for $20. There is also a subscription option to save 40%.

3. Net Zero

Net Zero has a mission to stop literal plastic consumption–did you know we consume up to a credit card worth of micro plastics per week? The plastic that harms our planet also harms our bodies and Net Zero aims to offer plastic-free, reusable products designed to last.

The Net Zero laundry strips are available in fresh breeze or fragrance-free packs, and each package can wash 32 loads.

Originally 17.99 a pack, they are now available for 14.99 and orders from Net Zero of over $80 receive shipping. There is also a 64-sheet pack available for $27.99 A single strip of detergent can wash an entire load! Talk about efficient and powerful.

4. The Unscented Co

The Unscented Co. is a company making zero waste laundry tabs that dissolve in water and are good for the planet. Every time you buy these laundry tabs, you take out a plastic bottle from circulation—it’s another step towards eliminating single-use plastics with each tab preventing waste.

These tabs are unscented (see the company name!) and are offered in bulk. The tabs are biodegradable and wrapped in a biodegradable wrapper, contained inside a cardboard box. A 300-count box costs $105 and each tab can wash a load of laundry. That’s $0.35 per load! The Unscented Co never tests on animals and their products are dye and fragrance free.

5. Eco Living Club

Eco Living Club is a Canadian company that is serious about reducing our human impact on the Earth, starting by drastically reducing the carbon footprint of laundry.

Their eco-friendly laundry strips are 100% biodegradable and plastic-free. They can be used in hot or cold water, they’re free of phosphates, dyes, bleach and brighteners, and not only are they certified vegan and cruelty-free, but they are also certified hypoallergenic!

They recommend their sheets be stored in an airtight container, and even offer to recycle your plastic bags and offer a discount off of a future purchase  if you mail your plastic bags to them. Each pack washes 40 loads and there is a package-free bulk option that covers 500 loads! A single pack of 40 sheets is $14 and are available as unscented or “spring scent” sheets. There is also a subscription option to save 20%.

6. Dropps 

Dropps are pods that you drop in your laundry machine (hence the name!) but they are also zero waste. The drops are plant-based, completely dissolve in water, and come in compostable packaging.

They have three styles of laundry detergent drops: Stain & Odor, Sensitive Skin, and Active Wash detergent. 

Their Stain & Odor detergent is best for deep-cleaning and long-lasting freshness. Sensitive Skin is best for those with sensitive skin or use on delicate fabric and natural fibers. Active Wash is best used for activewear and synthetic fabrics. Each style comes in a variety of scents as well as unscented.

A 64-count box of drops is $28 or you can subscribe and save 25%. 

7. Bestowed Essentials

Bestowed Essentials is a company with a mission on a mission. It is a neurodivergent-female-veteran owned company striving to make sustainable, ethical products and give back to the community by helping the jobless find jobs and resources.

The laundry powder with a compostable packaging is handmade with sustainable manufacturing while also being vegan and cruelty-free, paraben-free, and phthalate-free. 

This washing powder is HE-machine friendly, hypoallergenic, and won’t fade fabrics. A 3lb bag can wash up to 64 loads of laundry for just $15.99.

8. Meliora 

Meliora powder laundry detergent is people and planet-friendly because Meliora is a company built around those values. They use all natural ingredients that are compatible with all washing machines. The laundry powder is phthalate, paraben and sulfate free while also being vegan and cruelty free.

They don’t use any additives, synthetic fragrance or dyes, which means their lavender detergent is scented with real lavender essential oils! As a part of 1% for the Planet, Meliora also pledges to donate a minimum of 2% of all sales to nonprofits such as Women’s Voices for the Earth.

Their products are entirely USA made and they endeavor to create as little waste as possible. Their laundry powder detergent comes in plastic-free packaging and a single container can wash 64 standard loads of laundry and up to 128 high efficiency loads all for $17.99 in total! 

9. Nature First Soap Berries

This zero waste laundry detergent option is unlike any others that we’ve covered so far in this article. Nature First Soap Berries are a laundry pod made with wild-harvested soap berries (sometimes called soap nuts). These pods are vegan and cruelty-free, fragrance-free, as well as paraben-free and sustainably manufactured in USA.

The soapberry laundry detergent pods are shipped plastic-free in compostable packaging. A 30-pack costs $11.99 and will wash 30 loads. That’s $0.39 per load!

10. ECOS

Ecos is a company that has been working for over 50 years to create products that are better for our homes and our environment. Their products are made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients. They use zero harsh chemicals, and instead are vegan and hypoallergenic. 

Their sheets are available in three scents: Lavender Vanilla, Magnolia & Lily, and Free & Clear and each box contains 57 sheets. That is 57 loads of laundry for a total of $24 (or $22 if you subscribe). You’re looking at about $0.21 per load!

In Summary: Zero Waste Laundry Strips

As you can see there are many zero waste laundry strips options available! So many companies now are producing better-for-us and better-for-the-plant laundry products. Which ones will you try first?

About the Author

Marina has a B.A. in French and an MFA in Creative Writing. In her free time she is reading, cooking, traveling, or binge-watching sitcoms on Netflix.

Website: www.marinacrousewrites.com