Picture this: grabbing your laundry basket, tossing your laundry into the washer, adding a laundry detergent sheet, and hitting “Start.” No measuring. No liquid. No plastic bottles—that’s the convenience of laundry detergent sheets.
But we didn’t pick any old sheets from the street.
We used our green cleaning criteria and a whole lot of dirty loads to personally test each and every one. The result is a list of the best laundry detergent sheets that deliver the cleaning power—for your clothes and the earth.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Our Favorite Laundry Detergent Sheets
ZeroWasteStore.com and its five-ingredient hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested laundry sheet are a stand-out for sensitive skin and pets. One sheet is all we need for a regular moderately-dirty load.
Third-party tested, plant-based ingredients, cruelty-free, and a thinner design (compared to all the other brands on this list) make them especially convenient for our travel needs are some of the reasons we love HeySunday.
Index: Laundry Detergent Sheets
- EcoRoots Jump to brand
- HeySunday Jump to brand
- ZeroWasteStore.com Jump to brand
- Kind Laundry Jump to brand
- Earth Breeze Jump to brand
- VOYA Jump to brand
- DIY Laundry Detergent Pods Jump to brand
EcoRoots
Price Range: $20
EcoRoots’ helps us get back to our (zero waste) roots. Their range of conscious products includes razors, shaving soap bars, and dozens more low waste essentials for the body and home.
Their detergent strips are formulated with plant-based ingredients that are safe for you and your family, as well as all types of washer and septic systems. It’s no surprise these are some of the best laundry sheets, as they’re vegan, cruelty-free, and free of palm oil, phosphates, phthalates, parabens, harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, optical brighteners, and dyes.
They come in a compostable and recyclable box, but as with all laundry detergent sheets, they do contain dissolvable PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), so the sheets themselves are technically not plastic-free.
Some products are made in the USA, but their laundry sheets are made in China, and they don’t specify any ethical considerations for their partners there.
My Personal Review of EcoRoots’ Laundry Sheets:
“They clean clothes just as well as conventional liquid detergent. Using one sheet is ideal for me when gently washing old garments or sensitive materials like wool and silk. Because one sheet is ample enough for two loads (or one very dirty one), they make helpful laundry detergent sheets for travel. For heavily soiled clothes, I found it’s best to double up on the sheets, which may make it a less practical option if you have children.
“If you love a crisp scent, the Fresh Breeze can be a bit underwhelming and cause a slightly damp aroma, but I actually like this subtlety. But if you prefer more scented clothes, try one of their other scents.”
Review by Joy McConnochie, SJ’s Co-founder
HeySunday
Price Range: $20
HeySunday has a simple tagline, “Tough on stains, gentle on skin.” And after our very own HeySunday laundry sheets review, we can attest to this claim.
HeySunday’s sheets are compatible with all washing machine types and receive third-party testing to avoid 1-4 dioxane, phthalates, bleaches, dyes, and other harsh chemicals. Choose between Ocean Breeze and Fragrance-Free, but it’s not clear if the fragrance is synthetic or natural, so we’d stick with the fragrance-free to be safe.
The Wilmington, Delaware-based brand provides a lightweight, compact option for washing machine sheets. Our order came in entirely paperboard-based, plastic-free materials, and the sheets are palm oil-free.
The sheets are produced in China, where they oversee production to ensure quality working conditions, but they plan to move manufacturing to the US as soon as possible.
My Personal Review of HeySunday’s Laundry Sheets:
“Each box comes with 60 PVA sheets, which is around 30 large laundry loads—or if you’re like me and have an HE machine and wash in small loads, a full 60 loads. I’ve never felt the need to use two for a load, and our household clothes and bedding have always come out smelling fresh and looking clean.
“The sheets are thinner in width compared to other products we’ve tried, so if you’re really trying to maximize laundry room space, these are about as compact as you’ll get, which also means they’re handy for travel, especially, which is what I’ve been testing them while doing this year.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
ZeroWasteStore.com
Price Range: $20
Part of their ZWS Essentials range, ZeroWasteStore.com’s five-ingredient detergent sheets are an essential part of a zero waste kit—since we unfortunately can’t give up the chore of laundry!
You can choose between a subtle Fresh Linen scent or a Fragrance-Free. Both are hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested, making them one of the best laundry detergent sheets for sensitive skin.
Free from parabens, phthalates, and phosphates, these plant-based sheets are also vegan, cruelty-free, palm oil free, and work in all machines, including high-efficiency washers. They do contain PVA, and while the “fragrance” is hypoallergenic, we’re not sure if it’s synthetic or not.
ZWS is a member of 1% for the Planet and one of our favorite online shops for all things zero waste. You’ll find low-waste hair brushes, reusable paper towels, and everything in between, both from their in-house ZWS Essentials range as well as products from carefully vetted partner brands.
Shipping is carbon offset and plastic-free, thanks to cornstarch packing peanuts, compostable labels, water-activated paper tape, recycled mailers, and more.
My Personal Review of ZeroWasteStore.com’s Laundry Sheets:
“I use one laundry detergent sheet per regular-sized load, which I have found cleans and freshens everything, with no real negatives to speak of. But due to the unknown nature of their fragrances (we’ve reached out to confirm), I recommend opting for the Fragrance-Free variety and, if you still want a little scent boost, adding your own essential oils to it before tossing it in the washer like I do.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Kind Laundry
Price Range: $15–$22
Kind Laundry’s sheets are kind to the planet and your skin with vegan, cruelty-free, plant-based ingredients. Leaping Bunny Certified and Think Dirty® Rated Clean, the sheets are free of allergens, dyes, optical brighteners, parabens, phosphates, and phthalates (though they do contain sulfates). Kind Laundry offers 32 and 60-sheet options, packaged in a sturdy compostable cardboard box.
Winner of the Better Homes & Gardens award for best detergent, Toronto-based Kind Laundry isn’t here to mess about—though they do help us avoid the mess of nearly one billion plastic jugs that pollute our planet every year.
Kind Laundry offers a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, and we’ll be checking in with them for some supply chain details.
My Personal Review of Kind Laundry’s Washing Machine Sheets:
“I found my clothes feeling softer and less stiff thanks to the starch-free formula, with the Ocean Breeze scent being lovely yet not too overpowering. They’re also thicker and more durable than other options I’ve tested, making them great for tossing in a suitcase when traveling.
However, while the sheets mostly work well in warm or cold water, I found they didn’t work perfectly in cold water for textured garments and knitwear. Clumps of sheet residue got stuck to a wool sweater of mine, which I had to hand wash out. This was the only type of garments I noticed this on.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Earth Breeze
Price: $20
Laundry day’s a breeze with Earth Breeze’s their USA-made Eco Sheets.
Ready to dissolve in hot or cold water, the sheets are free of parabens, phthalates, phosphates, dyes, and bleach, making them gentle enough to wash the most delicate of garments, including the likes of cloth diapers and other baby items.
PETA-certified vegan, Leaping Bunny-certified, cruelty-free, and safe for greywater and septic systems, Earth Breeze does include PVA and sulfates.
A “planet-before-profit” company, Earth Breeze avoids using plastic for its products, packaging, and shipping. The US-based brand (with a UK-based warehouse that will ship directly to local UK residents) is carbon neutral via a partnership with We Are Neutral.
For each pack of laundry sheets sold, ten packs are donated to charitable causes, including women’s shelters, homeless shelters, animal shelters, and disaster relief.
My Personal Review of Earth Breeze’s Laundry Sheets:
“Instructions say to add them to the detergent dispenser, but when washing on cold, I find this leaves a little sticky residue in the container, whereas they dissolve entirely when added directly to the drum.
“You can choose between Fragrance-Free and Fresh Scent, but in my experience, the scented variety can be a bit strong for sensitive noses, so I tend to reach for our unscented paper package, which contains 60 sheets. Overall pretty effective, no issues using 1 sheet for a regular HE load that’s moderately dirty.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
VOYA
Price Range: $16
Let’s go on a voyage to discover why we love VOYA. First, each package comes in an FSC-certified cardstock sleeve. The sheets and the packaging are both biodegradable—though since the sheets contain PVA, they’re more dissolvable than truly biodegradable.
They’re also phosphate and sulfate-free (including SLS and SLES), while most brands are only phosphate-free.
VOYA is based out of British Columbia, but we’re not certain where or how their products—which also include non-toxic dishwasher detergent sheets—are made, we have reached out and we’ll let you know as soon as we get clarity on that.
My Personal Review of VOYA’s Laundry Soap Sheets:
“The hypoallergenic sheets are unscented but still provide a fresh smell to our laundry. We actually like that these are unscented because we are very sensitive to strong scents and actually don’t like an overpowering smell lingering in our laundry.
“There are a few downsides. VOYA’s sheets aren’t as effective at cleaning heavily stained clothes. They work well for average loads, but soiled garments like pet bedding need double sheets and an extra wash cycle, in our experience. They’re also a bit more pricey compared to other laundry sheets. Each box contains 32 sheets, while most brands provide 60 for a similar price. Still compared to many other conventional brands, VOYA is more effective and eco-friendly.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
DIY Laundry Detergent Pods
You may have noticed that none of these brands offer PVA-free laundry sheets—and that’s because none yet exist on the market. So if you’d rather cut ALL plastic from your laundry routine, consider making your own laundry pods.
Okay, okay, we know pods aren’t exactly the same as sheets, but they offer the same drop-and-go, measure-free convenience—with the huge added bonus of being zero waste and filled with ingredients you know and recognize.
For our tried and test homemade laundry detergent tablets recipe, you’ll need the following supplies:
- 1/2 cup washing soda
- 1/2 cup Baking Soda
- 2 tbsp. Borax (optional)
- 1/4 cup Liquid Castile Soap
- 1/4 cup Water
- 5-10 drops Essential Oils (optional)
- Silicone mold or ice cube tray
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix washing soda, baking soda, and Borax (if using).
- Gradually add the castile soap and water, stirring until the mixture reaches a paste-like consistency. You can gradually add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if you find the mixture is still not paste-like. It should not be liquid-like; it should still be somewhat shaggy and powdery, as it will pack together once put in the mold.
- Press the mixture into a silicone mold or ice cube tray, ensuring there are no air pockets.
- Leave the molds out to dry for 24-48 hours, or until the pods are hard.
- Pop the pods out of the mold and store them in an airtight container, using one pod per load when you need.
What Exactly Are Laundry Sheets?
They’re liquidless detergents that come in the form of a dissolvable sheet. Because they’re made without water they’re much smaller than a bulky liquid laundry detergent, leaving a far lighter environmental footprint.
Sounds pretty good, right? Perhaps you’ve been wondering: are laundry detergent sheets as eco- friendly as they’re touted as being?
Let’s take a closer look.
There are two major advantages of laundry detergent strips.
First, they’re helping to eliminate huge amounts of plastic waste.
It’s estimated that only 30% of the 900 million plastic laundry jugs discarded every year are recycled. In other words, liquid laundry detergent is responsible for sending mountains of plastic waste to landfill.
Secondly, they save on carbon emissions. The largest ingredient in liquid laundry detergent is water. By removing the water, you eliminate the need to transport heavy plastic jugs full of liquid detergent.
According to Tru Earth, switching to strips saves a colossal 94% of transportation emissions so they’re a great way to lower your carbon footprint.
That’s the good news. There is, however, one catch: PVA. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, PVOH, PVAL) is the dissolvable resin or “binding agent” that holds a concentrated laundry sheet together.
Although it is generally deemed a biodegradable polymer, it is unfortunately a type of plastic. While dissolvable (read: not the same as biodegradable), it needs very specific conditions, enzymes, and microorganisms to fully break down.
One study estimated that up to 75% of PVA doesn’t degrade in US wastewater treatment plants and is released into the environment contaminating water and soil. Whilst the impact of this is not yet fully understood, possible environmental consequences include a contaminated food chain, decreased crop yields, groundwater pollution, and heavy metal sequestration.
It’s clear that further studies are needed.
In the meantime, PVA is still a better alternative to the giant plastic jugs that laundry detergent is usually found in. And while they’re not strictly speaking a zero waste laundry detergent, there are other benefits to using them.
In addition to their smaller size, plastic-free packaging and lower transport emissions, the non toxic, plant-based formulas are another good reason to make the switch. Not only do the options on this list use naturally derived, non-toxic ingredients that are better for our skin but they’re miles better for the environment too.
Conventional laundry detergents contain several harsh chemicals that impact natural ecosystems.
Phosphates, for example, have a fertilizing effect when they enter natural bodies of water. This leads to eutrophication, AKA the creation of huge algae blooms that use up all of the oxygen suffocating fish and other wildlife.
Switching to alternatives that safely (apart from the PVA, which is the lesser or two evils) biodegrades avoids these environmental issues. Plus, they’re safe for all kinds of septic systems.
PLEASE stop promoting laundry sheets like TruEarth that contain petroleum-based plastic (PVA). PVA dissolves into micro plastics. Fossil fuel plastic is NOT “eco”. These companies absolutely should be sued for false advertising.
Please include where the laundry products are manufactured. For example Earth Breeze and some of the other types of laundry sheets are made in China. It makes no sense to buy earth friendly products that come from countries that may not have the same environmental standards or worker protections as say, the USA or some other countries.
Thanks for the suggestion Dina, it is a good one and we will keep this in mind for future updates. We always aim to mention if something is made in the US or Europe. Unfortuantely, that’s somewhat rare at this point!
These sound great. And being a senior that has a very hard time carrying those heavy jugs of cleaning products,,would be very helpful. I personally would be grateful for receiving some free samples, so I can be sure I’m ordering exactly what I need each month and at a price that is affordable. Thanks 😊
Thank you for the comment Linda, we don’t actually sell the products ourselves so best to reach out to your preferred brand for some samples. Thanks again, Joy