Climate change and the recent increase in the cost of living are both hot topics right now. And rightly so. It got us thinking… How can you look to reduce the cost of your household gas and electric bills AND reduce your environmental impact when it comes to your laundry?
The good news is, change is possible!
Firstly, let’s take a look at packaging. Our kitchen cupboards are likely full of a variety of plastic bottles and boxes, with various cleaning products, bleach, detergent, softeners and more. Unless you make a serious commitment to recycle, these bulky items often end up in landfill and let’s also not forget their bulk means they are inefficient and expensive to transport.
Is all this plastic really necessary?
When it comes to detergent we think not and the eco-impact of our products has been the driving force behind our business. In fact it underpins everything we do and motivates us to grow our range of products even further!
You’ll notice when you try Simple Living Eco products that we don't use plastic packaging. Our detergent sheets are packaged in fully recyclable cardboard sleeves that take up significantly less space than traditional boxes of powder, bottles of liquid or tubs of tablets. And even better… our carefully crafted formulation completely removes the need for added softener. One simple sheet of fully dissolvable laundry detergent does the job of TWO more traditional products! Less packaging, less waste!
Making these sheets is also a far easier and quicker process than the manufacture of liquid, powder and table detergents (and their packaging) so in production the process produces significantly lower carbon emissions. In fact, we’ve honed our manufacturing process so brilliantly that before the end of the year we are proud to say that we will produce our entire range here in the UK, further reducing our transport carbon emissions!
Once you’re finished with our packaging the process is simple. Pop it in the cardboard recycling bin so it can be recycled and reused. Reward yourself with a nice cup of tea!
So you’ve made the switch and reduced your environmental impact… Great! But what now?
How can our eco-friendly products help you help to actually save some money?
Here are our quick tips when it comes to laundry:
Wash full loads
Did you know that your washing machine uses around 10% of your household carbon emissions, and a half load still uses 100% electricity. Take time to sort your laundry and wash a full load wherever possible to cut down those running costs. A single Simple Living Eco detergent washes a full load with ease, but for a heavier load, or clothes that need a really good wash (gym gear, we’re looking at you) simply add another sheet. As long as you follow your machine’s weight capacity you’ll get a great wash on a full load.
Wash at 30 degrees
Dial your machine down to 30 and SAVE on electricity you consume (and every penny matters when electricity is as expensive as it is now). If you’ve previously avoided this because your washing doesn't “feel” clean, or those pesky liquid tabs haven’t fully dissolved in the drum fear not! When we say our sheets dissolve fully we mean it. In fact, they even dissolve in a cold hand wash. This means all that soapy goodness will filter through your washing to give it a really good clean, even at 30 degrees (and there’s no sticky residue left in your drum or pipes). Use your machine’s eco settings whenever possible.
Wash without softener
It’s something our new customers ask a lot… “do I still need to add softener”? And the short answer is NO. Our sheets contain oils derived from vegetable oils and coconut oil and this gives a wonderful, natural softness to your washing. We don’t use oil derived from animal fats, which astonishingly is in almost all fabric softeners and conditioners on the market right now* (*https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/products-you-didnt-know-contain-animal-ingredients/) and we never use palm oil.
Consider how much money you spend on fabric softener each month and how much you’d save if you simply didn’t NEED it any more. Switching to Simple Living Eco allows you to do just that!
Line dry
Summer is fast approaching so line dry your washing whenever you can. Tumble dryers can be very expensive to run, especially older less efficient models. From figures taken from the Energy Saving Trust the people at Ideal Home Magazine calculated that a typical vented dryer costs £178 to run on average per year, with a condenser dryer costing £172 to run over the same time period. If you can cut your usage to dry outside, or indoors on a clothes airer, then it’s money saved and your carbon emissions cut. Win win!
Making small changes really can add up to big numbers. Making the shift from traditional detergents to more eco-friendly detergent sheets will also make a difference.
Give Simple Living Eco a try and join the thousands of happy customers who've cut their emissions, saved money and won’t switch back!