Laundry is a way of life. But the copious amounts of plastic jugs that are mostly filled with water and never completely disappear from the planet doesn’t have to be. There’s a better way to do laundry without the environmental impact of bottled detergent. Consider Frey’s laundry detergent sheets instead.
The company’s not new to the personal care and laundry care market. It’s been busy dialing in its products. They started with biodegradable, all-natural ingredients and detergent that’s free of parabens, synthetic dyes, and animal testing.
Related: Intergravity launches sustainable clothing that reduces the need to do laundry
“Our brand is all about turning everyday experiences into something extraordinary, whether it’s in the shower, the laundry room or the rest of the home, all while helping to make a positive impact on the world,” said Frey Cofounder Erin Robert Frey.
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The company’s past versions of laundry detergent even concentrated on being concentrated. The packaging design minimizes waste. But the most recent project is a leap into sustainability. They eliminated the plastic jug and switched to 100% biodegradable packaging.
“Most liquid laundry detergents come in jugs with a 4:1 ratio of water to soap,” said Frey Cofounder Aidan Porter. “This wastes more than just water. It’s unnecessary plastic, shipping emissions and money right out of consumers’ pockets.”
Instead of jugs, the reliable scents created by essential oils are merged into detergent sheets. It provides natural laundry care with an appealing aroma in a compact package. Existing and potential customers obviously support the project as evidenced by the 1,608 backers that pledged over $102,000 to fund the project on a recent Kickstarter campaign.
Rather than filling jugs with water and detergent, the sheets are more like a thick fabric softener, which the company also sells. In addition to eliminating the upfront water and plastic, Frey detergent sheets also oust the harmful chemicals so they’re safe for septics, sewers and your family’s skin.
“The dissolvable sheets are produced with naturally-derived surfactants from coconuts and blended with essential oils and biodegradable materials,” Frey said in a press release.
The three scent combinations include cedarwood/oakmoss/amber, jasmine/rose/white cedar and sandalwood/bergamot/clove. The product is plant based, vegan and approved by PETA for animal safety. In addition, Frey is a B-Corp Certified company, which means it meets the highest standards for environmental and social performance.
“Many mainstream detergents also use harsh chemicals and dyes, which are bad for the environment, expose us to chemicals and over-clean reducing color, breaking down garments and reducing the lifespan of clothes,” said Frey Cofounder Leif Frey. “To combat these issues, we’ve worked with our partners to develop technology to compress materials into a detergent format completely eliminating the need for water and plastic.”
The company continues its focus on the planet by planting a tree for each order. Frey reports over 500,000 trees have been planted as a result so far.
The boxes themselves are made from recyclable cardboard. Inside the box, the detergent sheets are protected by a polylactic acid (PLA) bag, which is a bioplastic made from fermented plant starch rather than petroleum. Not only is PLA all-natural and non-toxic, but it requires an estimated 65% less energy to produce compared to petroleum-based plastics. In the end, from the box to the end of your wash load, Frey detergent is a 100% plastic-free laundry experience.
Frey review
The company sent me a couple of sheets to try out. The packaging was paper based and plastic free. Inside, the sheets were easy to separate and use. Simply toss one into the laundry in place of your regular detergent and it dissolves during the wash cycle. You can still use it in conjunction with your favorite liquid fabric softener or dryer sheets.
I’m very scent sensitive when it comes to pretty much anything from candles to lotion to detergents. So when I pulled the sheets out of the box, the scent was quite strong for me. However, unlike the majority of laundry detergents that include lavender, which my daughter and I are both highly-sensitive to, the scent for the sample I received was cedarwood, oakmoss and amber. It’s a natural and fresh smell, kind of like standing in a damp forest surrounded by cut trees.
The scent diminished during the wash, which reduced it to a pleasantly fresh smell going into the dryer. Coming out of the dryer, it maintained a subtle and welcoming scent. I haven’t used the product long enough to speak to fading or other potential fabric damage, but will say the few loads I’ve done came out clean. The product performed as expected without a strong chemical smell, excess water or a huge plastic jug.
Images via Frey
Editor’s Note: This product review is not sponsored by Frey. All opinions on the products and company are the author’s own.
Source
Laundry detergent sheets from Frey are 100% plastic free is written by Dawn Hammon for inhabitat.com
