How can detergent be environmentally friendly?

Choosing what you put in your shopping trolley is the first step towards green living.

In modern consumer society, our purchasing choices make the difference. It’s quite common for consumers to shop in an almost “automatic” way, without giving much thought to the environmental impact of the products in their basket. One category of products that often pops up in ecological questions is of course detergents.

Luckily we’re living at a time when more and more people are becoming increasingly aware of critical environmental issues and how important it is to protect the environment. One of the most difficult things for consumers through, is how to choose the right thing from the huge range of household cleaning and washing products offered by major retail chains.

There are many different kinds of washing powders and liquids for example; there are so many an attentive consumer, who wants to make a responsible choice, may find themselves in difficulty when faced with the multitude of products on supermarket shelves, asking themselves questions such as:

• “Is washing powder more effective than washing liquid?”
• “To be environmentally friendly, does the detergent have to be green or just concentrated?”;
• “Do pods pollute the environment less?”

So, how can a consumer decide and make the best choice?

Consumers are more and more attentive to these questions and actively look for information in magazines with pertinent articles that have an increasing influence when it comes to making purchasing decisions. For example, according to a test done by the famous Italian consumers’ association Altroconsumo, of the 35 detergents tested, the “good old” box of washing powder came out a clear winner as it removes stains at temperatures as low as 20°C and has less of an impact on the environment as it contains fewer preservatives and colouring agents.

The washing powder in the pack is mostly made of excipients, while the active ingredients are just a minor part of the volume. But this is obviously a drawback in terms of sustainability. What’s more, also in terms of logistics, a high percentage of volume and weight is transported unnecessarily, and there’s also the question of the wasted raw material used to manufacture packaging that’s bigger than it has to be.

In fact in Scandinavian countries, where the population has always been more aware of environmental questions, 5 – 10 kg boxes have been replaced by smaller packs containing more concentrated washing powders.

The best solution to meet the needs of this growing trend towards sustainable living is to design smaller packaging that contains less product, which is just as effective, or even more so, with a dosing system to help the consumer use and dispense exactly the right amount of detergent without wasting any of it.

Our work has always been dedicated to the value of sustainability. If your company produces detergents, don’t hesitate to contact us to find out how we can improve your packaging to make it more sustainable.