8 Best Eco Friendly Fabric Softeners
It’s time to add more sustainability to your laundry routine. We’ve put together the best eco friendly fabric softeners for fresh-smelling clothes and a cleaner Earth.
Fabric softeners have been in commercial use since the mid-1900s. Added to laundry during the rinse cycle, these scented conditioners soften frayed and harsh textiles, combatting the stress put on clothing fibers by the washing machine.
How then, you may ask, has this domestic staple become a known contributor to environmental catastrophe? And why is it important to switch to an eco friendly option?
Why you should use eco friendly fabric softeners
Fabric softeners were never designed with sustainability in mind. To give fabric softeners lubricating properties, many mainstream brands have employed petroleum-based chemicals.
These chemicals rely on the extraction of fossil fuels. On top of this, many fabric softeners have been found to include an array of substances that are harmful to human wellness and the environment.
One of these substances is quaternary ammonium, which is non-biodegradable and has the potential to harm marine life. Additionally, many fabric softeners are not cruelty-free.
They contain a compound called dihydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, derived from animal fat. Some popular household fabric softeners have also been called out for using palm oil!
Of course, this is all without mentioning the plastic packaging. The list goes on and on.
What are eco friendly fabric softeners?
Eco-friendly fabric softeners offer a kinder option: kinder to your skin, the animals and the planet. They trade out the toxic chemicals, environmental hazards and animal fats for natural, organic and plant-based alternatives.
However, eco-friendly products have gotten a bad reputation over the years for being inordinately expensive or simply not being as effective as their mainstream alternatives.
So, we have compiled a list of the top 8 eco-friendly fabric softeners. You don’t have to make any sacrifices in your bid to help the environment.
8 Best Eco Friendly Fabric Softeners
1. Bio-D
Bio-D offers a lavender-scented fabric conditioner derived from 100% plant-based ingredients. The company prides the product on leaving clothes static-free, soft and easy to iron.
It can be used in automatic washing machines, twin tubs and for hand-washing. The fabric softener is vegan and cruelty-free certified, and its biodegradable formulation means that it is suitable for septic tanks.
Bio-D hasn’t quite reached the mainstream yet, but customers seem very satisfied with their purchases. Many customers state that they will buy or have bought the softener again.
Reviews across multiple platforms average at 5-stars. The main criticism customers have is that the lavender scent is not always retained with different clothing fibers.
This eco-friendly fabric softener is cruelty-free, plant-based, biodegradable and contains no petrochemicals, phosphates, preservatives, enzymes or synthetic perfumes. The container is made from recycled water bottles and is recyclable itself. The cap is only recyclable in some areas.
2. Molly’s Suds
Straying from the numerous liquid fabric softeners on this list, Molly’s Suds offers all-natural fabric softener dryer sheets. Molly’s Suds was created by Monica Leonard, a pediatric nurse and repeat mother who experienced a stillbirth.
After reading up on the many causes of still-births, Leonard was alarmed to find out the number of chemicals and toxins that are present in household products. She endeavored to create a better choice.
Molly’s Suds fabric softener dryer sheets are plant-based, free of petrochemicals, solvents, dyes, and pesticides and have recycled, recyclable and biodegradable packaging. Customers connect with the brand’s authenticity, transparency and origin story.
A cross-website analysis shows their fabric softener dryer sheets frequently rate 4-5 stars. One of the biggest commendations customers have is that the product is soft and good for sensitive skin. It loses points from people that are unhappy with the scent.
All of the packaging involved in Molly’s Suds fabric softener dryer sheets, as well as the actual dryer sheets themselves, is recycled, recyclable and biodegradable. The product is cruelty-free certified and contains no waxes, dyes, or synthetic fragrances.
3. Ecover
Next, we have arguably the most popular eco-conscious fabric softener in the UK. Ecover’s rapeseed oil-based fabric softener is available in three different scents.
The conditioner is plant-based, biodegradable, palm-oil free and designed to soften clothes. It can also be found in an array of zero-waste stores.
Ecover’s fabric softener is beloved by many. Across a variety of platforms, it is routinely given 5-star reviews. The Apple Blossom & Almond scent is a fan favorite.
The product comes in fully recyclable packaging – including the cap – and can be used for refills in zero-waste stores. However, its parent organization SC Johnson has been consistently called out for animal testing.
4. Mrs. Meyer’s
Mrs. Meyer’s fabric softener is biodegradable and cruelty-free. It is designed to add softness to clothes in high efficiency and conventional washing machines. Scents are garden-inspired and composed of natural essential oils.
Mrs. Meyer’s fabric softener is popular within the sustainability world. The brand achieves particular success in the US and achieves global ratings ranging from 4-5 stars. The majority of customers who are not happy with the fabric softener are averse to its scent.
This fabric softener is all-natural and plant-based. The formula is biodegradable, and the bottle that it is packaged in can be recycled. The pump and cap, however, cannot always be recycled.
5. Method
Method is, without a doubt, one of the frontrunners when it comes to popular eco-friendly products. Method’s fabric softener contains a naturally derived softening agent designed to reduce static.
The company’s status as a sustainability giant means that it can offer its fabric softener for a low price. It is also stocked by many supermarket giants.
Method fabric softener is not hard-pressed to find. It provides the average shopper with an eco-friendly alternative without having to visit more fringe stores or order online. It frequently gets 5-star reviews.
Although opting for Method’s fabric softener is more environmentally favorable than buying from a conventional brand, its environmental footprint is the highest on this list. It succeeds in incorporating naturally derived ingredients in its fabric softener but also adds synthetic fragrances.
It is also less transparent about its ingredients than smaller brands. In addition to this, Method is owned by SC Johnson, the same brand that owns Ecover. It’s a brand that has been repeatedly called out for animal testing.
6. Dropps
Dropps’s fabric softener pods have revolutionized household sustainability! Their fabric softener comes in biodegradable pods that dissolve in the wash, leaving no residue.
It consists of mineral-based natural ingredients and is free of all toxic and synthetic chemicals. The softeners are also cruelty-free.
Dropps fabric softener pods are adored by the people that use them, and it isn’t hard to find repeat buyers and sustainability enthusiasts that swear by them. However, perhaps because of their price, they haven’t been adopted by the masses. They are regularly compared to their competitor, Tides, and come out on top by reviewers.
This is a truly earth-friendly fabric softener: cardboard packaging that can be recycled or composted, biodegradable fabric softener, and carbon-neutral shipping. Dropps has even partnered with Oceana, dedicating a small amount of its profits to the ocean conservation charity.
7. Seventh Generation
Seventh Generation’s fabric softener is made from plant-based ingredients, resulting in a softening effect that is cruelty-free. It is a USDA-certified biobased product that is biodegradable and free from dyes and synthetic fragrances.
Seventh Generation fabric softener is stocked in superstores like Target and enjoys widespread praise online. Reviews place it as a 4-5 star product. It is frequently celebrated for its sensitivity but is criticized by some for a ‘clumpy’ consistency.
The fabric softener itself is plant-based and biodegradable. It does come in plastic packaging; however, this is widely recyclable.
8. DIY
You may also want to consider making your own fabric softener. This can be done at home with ingredients that you may already have lying around the house.
You can find lots of recipes for DIY fabric softeners online. A lot of the ingredients listed you may already have in your pantry or can be sourced for cheap at local stores – even cheaper if you buy them in bulk!
Despite the promise of DIY fabric softener, making it is not a common practice. This may be because of the extra work required to produce it, or perhaps people are not aware that they can make it at home. The Daily Express recently did a story where laundry experts shared easy ways to do it.
By making the fabric softener yourself, you really can be sure that no synthetic and harmful ingredients are making their way into your wash. There is also the bonus of no excess packaging, as the fabric softener can go straight from the jar into the washing machine.
