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As someone who’s trying to reduce my family’s daily impact on the environment, I’m always on the lookout for eco-friendly alternatives to traditional household products. When I heard about Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets, I was intrigued. Could a laundry detergent that’s effective, natural, and environmentally friendly really exist? It turns out, it does (with one possible caveat)!
Laundry Sheets as An Alternative to Plastic Bottle Waste
One of the biggest environmental issues we face today is the absurd overabundance of plastic waste in our landfills and oceans. Traditional laundry detergents are often packaged in bulky plastic bottles that contribute to this problem.
I feel terribly guilty every time I put one of these giant bottles in the recycling bin, not knowing if it will actually be recycled in the end or just end up in a landfill or a floating trash heap in the Atlantic.
Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets have finally resolved my detergent container guilt! They are packaged in compostable materials that break down quickly and don’t add to the plastic waste crisis. By choosing Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets over traditional laundry detergents, you’re helping prevent more plastic bottles from ending up in landfills and polluting the environment.
It’s a small change that can make a big difference in the long run, if we all join the eco-friendly laundry detergent movement.
Earth Breeze also gives back with a portion of its profits, including contributing meals to Feeding America with every purchase and donating laundry detergent to shelters, veterans, animal care facilities, and other organizations in developing countries that need it.
What’s In Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets?
One of the things that drew me to Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets was their natural, plant-based ingredients. As someone with sensitive skin and a skeptical view of conventional cleaning ingredients, I’m always wary of harsh chemicals in my household products.
Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets are hypoallergenic and free of harsh chemicals, making them a solid option for anyone with sensitive skin. I also appreciate that the sheets are vegan-friendly and totally free of any kind of animal testing.
Here are the ingredients in Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets, all of which are certified as readily biodegradable and free of microplastics:
- Glycerol, Primary Alcohol Ethoxylate, Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, Sodium Acetate Trihydrate, Protease, Polyvinyl Alcohol (100% water soluble), Deionized Water, and Starch.
- The Fresh Scent variant is made from: Glycerol, Primary Alcohol Ethoxylate, Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, Sodium Acetate Trihydrate, Polyvinyl alcohol, Deionized Water, Fragrance, and Starch.
The Caveat: Watch out for PVAs
We need to talk for a minute about polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). PVA is a biodegradable polymer that’s used as a binding agent to hold together laundry sheets, and it’s become a bit of a debate in the scientific community and in eco-conscious circles. While it is technically water soluble, PVA has actually been observed to have low rates of degradation in waste-water treatment plants, which means we don’t know how much it’s polluting the natural environment when it’s not fully breaking down.
If PVA is used in massive amounts in manufacturing items like laundry sheets, there is concern among scientists that it may make its way into local ecosystems, without anyone knowing the full consequences of this occurrence. There isn’t yet enough research to know how much we should be concerned about PVA as a pollutant, which means it’s hard to know how truly eco-friendly products that use PVA, like Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets, really are.
If you find yourself concerned about PVAs, you may want to instead go with a plastic-free laundry detergent that doesn’t contain polyvinyl alcohol instead of Earth Breeze laundry sheets.
What’s in Traditional Detergents?
Traditional laundry detergents often contain harsh chemicals that can be harmful to both the environment and our health. Here are some ingredients to look out for and avoid:
- Phosphates – Phosphates are commonly found in traditional laundry detergents and can contribute to water pollution by promoting the growth of algae in lakes and rivers.
- Synthetic fragrances – Synthetic fragrances in laundry detergents can be irritating to those with sensitive skin and can also release harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air.
- Optical brighteners – Optical brighteners are chemicals that make clothes appear brighter and whiter, but they don’t actually clean the clothes. They can also be harmful to aquatic life and can accumulate in our waterways.
- Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) – NPEs are surfactants that are commonly found in traditional laundry detergents. They are known to be hormone disruptors and can harm aquatic life.
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) – SLS and SLES are surfactants that can be harsh on the skin and can also contribute to environmental pollution.
Are Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets Actually Effective?
Do these sheets actually clean clothes? It turns out, they do. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Earth Breeze’s laundry sheets are just as effective as the traditional laundry detergents I’d been using for years. They easily removed dirt and stains from my son’s soccer socks, and left them smelling fresh and clean (not a small task).
I also appreciate that the sheets work in all types of washing machines, including high-efficiency (HE) machines like our new washer. They have just two scents to choose from, unscented and “fresh scent.” I went with unscented because my son has sensitive skin and is prone to eczema, so I tend to go for unscented soaps and lotions if he’s going to come into contact with a product.
How Much Do Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets Cost?
For $14.99, you get 30 sheets, and depending on how big a typical load of laundry in your house, that can be between 30 and 60 loads (you can use a half sheet for smaller loads). So that comes out somewhere between 25 and 50 cents a load.
Comparatively, a big gallon container of Tide comes out to roughly 20 cents per load, so Earth Breeze is the pricier option. However, if like me you’re trying to cut back on adding more plastic into the environment as well as avoid harsh chemicals in your detergent, it certainly feels worth the extra cost.
How Do I Use These Sheet Thingies?
Using Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets is really easy. You just toss one sheet into the washing machine right on top of your clothes, and the sheet will dissolve during the wash cycle.
For larger loads or heavily soiled clothes, you can use two sheets, and for a small load, you can use just a half a sheet. I appreciate how convenient the sheets are to use, and how the compact packaging is compostable.
Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets vs. Traditional Laundry Detergents
When compared to traditional laundry detergents, Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets are a clear winner in my book, although we need to learn more about the consequences of PVA not fully breaking down in waste-water treatment plants before we can say for sure. They are at least as effective at cleaning clothes as conventional detergents, but without many of the chemicals that are known to be harmful to the environment.
With their compostable packaging and reduced shipping emissions, Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets are as eco-friendly a choice as you can find with laundry detergent these days.
As for drying your clean laundry, check out our guide to the best non-toxic dryer sheets and dryer sheet alternatives that will make your clothes soft and wrinkle-free.
