Zero waste laundry detergents (and DIY detergent – scroll to the bottom to get our homemade recipe) have a much lower impact than traditional detergents. Without single-use plastic, they’re better for our planet and provide more conscious cleaning pow(d)er.
We’ve first-hand tested every one of these laundry detergents to compile a list of reviews based on performance and satisfaction with our green cleaning guidelines.
And these low waste laundry brands who make them not only prioritize responsible packaging but also safe and natural ingredients that really do work. In this article, we’ve only listed PVA-free detergents.
Beyond those considerations, our new Brand Rating System assesses brands against a range of 22 criteria including things like climate impact and chemical use. Learn more about our process here and look out for the rated laundry brands on the list below who have opted in for additional transparency in sharing their initiatives with us.
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. We explain this further in our Terms of Use.
Our Top Picks For Plastic-Free Laundry Detergent Brands
Blueland’s convenient PVA-free laundry detergent tablets come with the option to buy refills in compostable paper. We’ve tested these and found that they performed well and we loved the super cute “forever” tin. Blueland has been comprehensively rated by us on their sustainability credentials – find the full rating here.
Greatfill provides a truly closed-loop refill and reuse system for laundry detergent— the Greatfill “Fill-osophy”— that eliminates single-use plastic from the entire equation. We love using the stainless steel “forever bottle” designed with a narrow neck for mess-free pouring.
SuperBee is superb(l)ee sustainable thanks to their unique Hexawash, a reusable magnesium-based laundry detergent cartridge that’s good for 300 washes and fully compostable at end-of-life.
Index: Zero Waste Laundry Detergent Brands
- Blueland Jump to brand
- Meliora Jump to brand
- SuperBee Jump to brand
- Greatfill Jump to brand
- etee Jump to brand
- Common Good Jump to brand
- Dr. Bronner’s Jump to brand
- The Good Fill Jump to brand
- DIY Laundry Detergent Powder Jump to brand
Blueland
Carbon Neutral
Brand has been certified as Carbon Neutral.
Cruelty-free
Products are not test on animals at any stage in their production.
Ethical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.
Minority Owned
Brand is owned by Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color.
Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxic
PFAS Free
Products have been tested and verified to be free of PFAS
Plastic-free
All products are entirely plastic-free
Refillable
Product packaging can be refilled with more product, either at a physical store or via a return program.
Thoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.
Vegan
This brand does not use any animal products or by-products in their products
Woman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
B Corp
Climate Neutral Certified
Cradle to Cradle
EPA Safer Choice
EWG Verified
Leaping Bunny
MADE SAFE®
USDA BioPreferred
Blueland’s PVA-free laundry tablets contain no parabens, VOCs, ammonia, phthalates, chlorine, or bleach. Customers can opt to buy the starter kit which includes the reusable container (the “Forever Tin”) or just buy the refill and store the tablets in their own container.
The refills come in compostable paper and shipping materials are curbside recyclable. The laundry tablets come either fragrance free or in Spring Bloom (which smells like wildflowers and sun-ripened citrus)
Blueland is Climate Neutral and a Certified B Corp. Their products all have at least one safety certification including Cradle2Cradle, EWG Verified, USDA BioPreferred, EPA Safer Choice and/or MADE SAFE®. All their products are Leaping Bunny Certified.
Blueland has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
My Personal Review of Blueland’s PVA-Free Laundry Detergent Tablets:
“I usually wash on cold and found that Blueland’s tablets work just as well on a cold wash cycle as they do on a hot one as long as it’s a small to medium load. For an extra clean when clothes get really soiled, I toss in some Blueland Oxi Laundry Booster for a prewash to lift deep, set-in dirt.
The adorably stylish starter ‘Forever Tins’ comes with 60 tablets, and all refills are packaged in truly home compostable envelopes (for me, they broke down in a little over two months in a hot summer compost tumbler).”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Meliora
Meliora has not been rated.
Price Range: $20
There’s a plethora of reasons to use Meliora’s simple formula of washing soda, baking soda, and organic plant-based soap made with organic coconut oil—like it being plastic-free and vegan, as well as dye, palm oil, phthalate, and SLS-free.
Their scented varieties (including the uniquely fresh and spicy Lemon-Lavender-Clove) are made with certified organic essential oils. No mysterious “fragrance” blends containing undisclosed nasties. You can get 128 HE loads or 64 standard loads from one of their 35 oz. tubs.
The packaging for their detergent is completely plastic free: a reusable paper can with steel ends and stainless steel scoop. The label is made with uncoated paper. Refills are available and come in a paperboard box with a paper bag inside.
A Certified B Corp, MADE SAFE®, and Leaping Bunny certified company, Meliora provides living wages, uses low-impact products and packaging, and donates a percentage of profits through partnerships with 1% For the Planet and Women’s Voices for the Earth. They publish yearly online sustainability reports, and lobby in support of cleaning product Right-To-Know Acts, including a successful campaign that will require ingredient listings on cleaning products in California.
“Meliora means better”—for both people and the planet. They provide a slew of non-toxic cleaning products masterminded by Kate, who holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering.
My Personal Review of Meliora’s Laundry Detergent Powder:
“Super cost-effective, a tub is good for 128 loads in an HE washer, which means more than a year of laundry detergent for under $20 if you’re like me and only do a load (or occasionally two) a week. I also love that the reusable canister is mostly cardboard with some steel structural end components, so it’s mostly compostable when no longer needed. Refills come in a brown paper sack that I just toss in my compost bin after emptying into the container. For extra tough stains, they sell a stain-removing soap stick that I rub on an hour or so before washing, but even without the stain bar, this effervescent, baking soda-based formula is truly impressive at removing dirt and stains on its own.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
SuperBee
SuperBee has not been rated.
Price Range: $50
SuperBee’s superbly unique and 100% plastic-free laundry detergent truly stands out for its zero-waste and chemical-free attributes. They call it Hexawash, and it’s essentially a GOTS-certified organic cotton canvas pouch filled with a magnesium solution.
It’s considered a non-toxic option with no endocrine disruptors, benzene, parabens, dioxane, phthalates, phosphate, sulfates, or surfactants. It is also NPE-free and PFAS-free, and contains no carcinogens.
It’s also a more affordable option as it’s good for 300 loads before it can be used as fertilizer in your garden. It’s also super travel friendly so a great option if you’re looking for eco travel products.
The woman-led Northern Thailand-based social enterprise and Certified B Corp is committed to bettering the health and livelihoods of everyone, everywhere. They support their all-Thai female workers by paying 20% higher wages than that suggest by the Fair Trade Association. Everything comes packaged plastic-free, reusable, and recyclable, plus they support local volunteer fire crews in Thailand.
My Personal Review of SuperBee’s Hexawash:
“Surprisingly effective in both hot and cold washes, it’s also cost-effective, convenient, and gentle on the skin. To use, I simply toss the Hexawash pouch in the drum on top of clothes, then hang it to dry after each wash cycle. Pro-tip: toss in some added favorite essential oils with each wash, since this reusable detergent pouch is truly scent-free. I also suggest using it for lighter loads instead of stains or stubborn grime. After 300 washes (working out to only $0.16 per load!), you can simply compost it. I’m still using ours so I haven’t tested how quickly it decomposes, but will update once I have.”
Review by Joy McConnochie, SJ’s Co-founder
Greatfill
Greatfill has not been rated.
Price Range: $11–$52
Greatfill offers returnable refill pouches of powerful laundry liquid. Made without parabens, phosphates, phthalates, SLS, triclosan, alcohol, optical brighteners, or artificial scents or colors, this detergent features natural scents from essential oils and is 100% biodegradable.
When you have five empty refill pouches, simply send them back for sanitization and reuse via a prepaid envelope that comes with your first order.
Their vegan and Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty free cleaning and personal care products are made in small batches in California, while the stainless steel bottles and refill pouches are sourced in China.
My Personal Review of Greatfill’s Laundry Detergent Refill:
“With only 1 fl oz required per load, which is equal to the cap on the forever bottle, I find that it really does work to get clothes clean and smelling naturally fresh. Plus, the powder-coated stainless forever bottle is durable enough to feature a lifetime warranty, with a narrow pour spout that means mess-free. It also leaves laundry feeling soft and non-starchy without those pesky chemical fabric softeners.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
etee
etee has not been rated.
Price Range: $30
etee’s laundry detergent is biodegradable, septic safe, and free of fragrances, sulfates, or phosphates. The detergent is also PVA free.
You only need 1 teaspoon of their scentless Super Concentrated Laundry Detergent, which will get you 180 loads. It’s effective in cold water and can be used on heavily soiled clothes.
The detergent powder comes in a paper bag with a biodegradable lining made by Tekpak. This is technically a plastic lining but Tekpak say it is engineered to be broken down in any environment (“Omnidegradable”), given the use of an organic additive.
etee handcrafts all products using mostly organic ingredients (in a Toronto-based HQ fueled by renewables), and they never test on animals.
My Personal Review of etee’s Detergent Powder:
“I’ve found etee’s laundry detergent powder to be effective in both cold water and warm water. It works well on smelly sports clothes and it’s ideal for everyday use. The single pack we tested lasted for ages and I used it to wash diapers which worked just fine on. There’s no real scent but the laundry felt fresh and clean.”
Review by Joy McConnochie, SJ’s Co-founder
Common Good
Common Good has not been rated.
Price Range: $18–$65
Common Good’s laundry detergent soap is powerful and plant-based. Simply add 20 mL into the detergent dispenser for front loaders and 40 mL for top loaders.
Working mom and former stylist Sacha Dunn started Common Good after she noticed her family’s excessive plastic and harsh cleaning chemicals.
Instead, her line of cleaning solutions is vegan, 100% biodegradable, Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free, and free of sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, dyes, and phthalates.
All products are offered in various sizes of refill pouches—which you can use to top up their reusable glass bottles. The pouches themselves are unfortunately not returnable, but you can cut off the pour spout and recycle them with other soft plastics if you’re able.
My Personal Review of Common Good’s Bergamot Laundry Detergent:
“I love the subtlety of the bergamot scent, which is derived purely from natural plant extracts rather than lab-created chemicals. Clothes come out smelling fresh and clean but not overly scented. They also look and feel clean, with no starchiness or leftover residue. If I want to pretreat a stain, I dab some detergent onto the stain 5–10 minutes before washing and have had good success with it lifting out just about any non-oil stain.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Dr. Bronner’s
Dr. Bronner’s has not been rated.
Price Range: $10–$65
This multi-use all-purpose castille soap maintains legendary status, and although Dr Bronner’s still comes in a 100% post-consumer-recycled plastic bottle, they now sell refills in recyclable milk paper cartons, which we’ll be doing once we run out of our current stash.
Which may take a while since this super-concentrated formula only requires a maximum of one tablespoon for a full load.
As one of the safest and hypoallergenic detergents we’ve ever tried, it’s free from artificial fragrances, phosphates, or sulfates and instead made up of entirely plant-based, fair trade, and mostly organic ingredients.
A counterculture icon since the 1970s, Dr Bronner’s is a leader of the organic and fair trade movement—being a Certified B Corp, Fair Trade, EWG Verified, Leaping Bunny Cruelty Free, Non GMO Verified, and Certified Vegan.
They also feature progressive business practices like 100% free health care for all employees AND their families, plus a 5-to-1 cap on executive salaries, and generous full-time bonuses and profit-sharing. That’s on top of supporting ethical supply chains, regenerative farming, solar-powered operations, animal rights, and truly sustainable palm oil harvesting.
My Personal Review of Dr Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap:
“This is the ONLY detergent I use for some of our chemical-sensitive clothing upcycle projects—as I know it won’t react poorly with the dyes—and I’ve been using it for years. In fact, it was my go-to detergent long before I started trialing the other brands on this list.
Out of all the different scents, Hemp Lavender is my favorite, and I find that the bottles last for ages as you only need one tablespoon of the ultra-concentrated formula per full laundry load (and as I tend to run smaller loads, I use less than that).”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
The Good Fill
The Good Fill has not been rated.
Price Range:$13–$20
The Good Fill is one of our favorite zero waste online shops. They sell a zero waste version of Nellie’s Laundry Detergent Powder in a 32oz refillable mason jar or compostable paper refill bag. It’s also vegan, cruelty free, plus free from SLES, SLS, gluten, phosphates, chlorine, fragrance, and optical brighteners.
For shipping, they use 100% plastic-free up-cycled, recycled, recyclable, and compostable materials, including plant starch water-soluble packing peanuts. They also ship via USPS since they already come to your home on a daily basis, which reduces extra trips from other carriers.
My Personal Review of The Good Fill’s Laundry Detergent:
“With maximum cleaning power packed into the powder, Nellie’s is a highly concentrated formula. I only need 1 tbsp per full load, and I use even less for smaller loads since I have an HE machine. It swiftly dissolves in cold and hot water, is septic safe and rinses completely clear. This is also my most recommended detergent for hand-washing clothes, because you only need a pinch and it leaves no slimy residue on your clothes or skin.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
DIY Laundry Detergent Powder
If you really wanna up your no-waste laundry day game, try making your own laundry detergent powder. There are tons of recipes you can find online. But we think our own tried and tested homemade laundry detergent powder is the best and easiest to make! Here’s what you’ll need.
Ingredients:
- 1 bar Castile soap
- 1 cup Washing Soda
- 1 cup Baking Soda
- 1/4 cup Borax (optional)
- 10-15 drops Essential Oils (optional)
Instructions:
- Grate your entire bar of castile soap. Note that liquid castile soap is not a suitable substitution in this particular recipe, as the soap shavings will stay in a solid state until run through a wash cycle.
- In a large bowl, combine the grated or liquid soap with washing soda, baking soda, and borax (if using).
- Transfer the mixture to an airtight container. Keep it in a cool, dry place.
When you’re ready to use it, add 1 tablespoon of the detergent to your washing machine per large load, and ½ tablespoon for small loads.
Joy has been a passionate advocate for the environment since she was a small child. She grew up in South Africa and has been lucky enough to be exposed to the wonders of nature not just in Africa but all over the world. She founded Sustainable Jungle (together with her husband Lyall) back in 2017 after becoming enraged by the devastating impact of palm oil. She then founded the Sustainable Jungle Podcast and together with Lyall interviewed remarkable people from all over the world who were finding ways to create positive impact. Outside of Sustainable Jungle, Joy has always worked in the corporate world, starting out as an auditor and later moving into management consulting. More recently she specialized in Climate Investing for the Asia Pacific region. Given her experience, her current passion is Brand Ratings. She is very much enjoying going deeper on what it really means to drive sustainability performance and true impact through business operations.
Great article! I am so glad you included a list of of PVA/PVOH free products! I’ve stayed away from the various “eco-friendly” Pods because of it, and I never thought to check my go to brand for it- TruEarth. Super bummer, but now that I’m investigating, it seems to be in SOOO MANY products. Thanks for giving me alternatives to try!
You’re welcome Christina, PVA/PVOH is a tricky topic!
Great article!
When you are using the word “detergent” here is it interchangeable with “soap”? I’m looking for laundry soap, not detergent, so I’m curious if any of those listed above fall into that category. Thanks for such a helpful website!
Hi Stacy, apologies for the confusion, yes we generally use the terms zero waste soap and detergent interchangeably. If you’re looking for a soap bar – I use Ethique’s bar (which is on this list) and I really love it. Also the Dr Bronner’s castile soap is a liquid soap that you can use for laundry too. Hope that helps!
I recently reached out to Dropps and they confirmed PVOH which is used to form the pod is a direct derivative of PVA, i.e. PVOH is a fossil fuel-derived plastic. There are also studies (although this is up for debate) that these materials often don’t biodegrade in most wastewater treatment facilities. You may want to reconsider including this product in your post.
Hi Sarah, Thank you so much for raising this issue. We’ve had a few comments making the same point so we have made some adjustments to the article separating those detergents that use PVOH and those that don’t. We’ve also added a short explainer in the intro and a more detailed explanation at the bottom. Hope this helps to make the choices clearer for those out there on the hunt for the most low impact laundry detergent. Thanks again!
PVOH is less friendly than perhaps it seems at first glance. It’s worth looking into more deeply before deciding it is an environmentally friendly alternative to loose powder or tablets or even detergent sheets.
Thank you Molly, you’re absolutely right. We have updated the article to consider this important issue!
Hi there!
First things – I LOVE your site, every time I’ve made a zero-waste switch your website has been totally invaluable.
Second – smol is (from what I’ve gathered) the U.K. version of dropps. I’m not sure about whether they contain palm oil or not (their website isn’t terribly transparent on that). They are, however, plastic free, vegan, and free from animal testing, so thought I should highlight for your U.K. readers!
Very helpful, thanks so much MG!
Hello, I live in the UK and have recently asked smol about their palm oil policy. They came back to me straight away with an open, honest answer, so full marks for customer service.
They have confirmed that they don’t use palm oil as such as an ingredient, but that their glycerin comes from a mix of soy, palm and coconut; albeit the palm oil is from RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil).
From what I understand, the RSPO have their own controversies and despite best intentions, true sustainability can never be guaranteed. I therefore prefer not to use palm oil at all.
Pity, as I was looking forward to trying smol. I will keep the brand on my radar to see whether their palm oil practice improves in the future.
Thanks Anne, this is super useful info re Smol!
I absolutely love the way the products are listed with a small legend on the right indicating all the essential points in red and green. It makes decision making so easy. Apart from that, I like the background provided about each company.
Best website! Thank you much!
Well Earth Goods has palm oil in their product.
Thanks for pointing this out Jessica, we have updated the post. Much appreciated, Joy