From Greenwash to Clean wash: How to Truly Reduce Your Products’ Negative Impact

For companies committed to sustainability, it’s essential to look beyond packaging or the “green” impression a product gives. Sustainability is complex and goes far beyond a single feature. We use the four-pillar structure from our Sustainable Product Toolkit to explain what really matters when developing sustainable products.

In this blog, we dive into the world of laundry detergent as an example, but the insights are broadly applicable. The four-pillar framework works for almost any product type. Whether you’re working with personal care, clothing, household products, or food. The same themes keep recurring.

Laundry strips are often marketed as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional detergent, thanks to their light weight and paper-like packaging. But the real impact lies beneath the surface, in the ingredients.

To maintain their shape and dissolve well in cold and hot water, many laundry strips contain synthetic binders like PVA (polyvinyl alcohol). While PVA dissolves in water, it’s not fully biodegradable. It can break down into microplastics that harm aquatic life and are difficult to remove in wastewater treatment. Other commonly used ingredients in both strips and liquid detergents include:

• Silicone polymers
• PEGs (polyethylene glycol)
• Anionic surfactants (like SLS and SLES)
• Phosphonates
• Synthetic polymers

These substances are often poorly biodegradable and can be toxic to aquatic organisms.

What can companies do?

• Choose biodegradable ingredients
• Work with certified raw materials (e.g., COSMOS, Ecocert, EU Ecolabel)
• Avoid ingredients known to persist in the environment

TIP: The EU Ecolabel for detergents provides a comprehensive list of allowed, biodegradable ingredients to guide eco-friendly formulations.

A product can only be truly sustainable if it’s produced under the right conditions. Who are your suppliers? Where do your raw materials come from? And under what environmental and social conditions are they produced?

Too often, the supply chain remains a black box. Companies should check:

• Are suppliers ISO 14001 certified (environmental management)?
• Are ethical audits conducted, such as BSCI, SA8000, or Fair Trade?
• Are raw materials traceable to the source?
• Is there insight into energy and water use during production?

One of the advantages of laundry strips is their compact, lightweight form. They save space in storage, transport, and for the end user. In theory, this reduces CO₂ emissions per product. Think of it like transporting pineapples without the crown-removing a small part saves a lot of transport weight.

But transport impact goes beyond weight and volume. Consider:

• Production location: The closer to the market, the better.
• Mode of transport: Trains or ships are much more efficient than trucks or planes.
• Fuel type: Electrification or alternative fuels can drastically cut emissions.

Packaging is often the most visible element of sustainability. Liquid detergent almost always comes in plastic bottles, while laundry strips usually arrive in “paper” packaging: a key reason they’re perceived as green.

But many paper packages are coated with a thin plastic layer for water resistance. This makes them non-recyclable and not circular. Some paper packaging looks eco-friendly but is difficult to separate in waste processing.

What makes packaging truly sustainable?

• Cardboard without plastic coating, preferably compostable
• Mono-material that’s easy to recycle
• Recycled (and recyclable) plastic with refill options
• Reduced volume and no unnecessary over-packaging

A bonus is when packaging is part of a refill system, allowing customers to refill bottles instead of buying new products each time. Ecover is a good example, with refill points in various supermarkets and stores.

ESG: The “G” Is for Greenwashi… Governance

As you can see, sustainability isn’t in just one product aspect – it’s in the whole chain. This blog focuses mainly on the E in ESG: Environmental. But S (Social, e.g., working conditions) and G (Governance, e.g., transparency and communication) are crucial as well.

Many brands position themselves as sustainable, but unfortunately, some engage in greenwashing. Examples include claiming a product is plastic-free when it contains microplastics or synthetic polymers, or using phrases like “protect our oceans” while ingredients or packaging still pollute water and marine life.

The issue isn’t only lies or half-truths. Even genuinely sustainable brands must back up their claims with facts and data. Statements like “eco-friendly,” “biodegradable,” or “safe for aquatic life” are only allowed if you can prove them with independent testing, certifications, or scientific evidence.

In short: Be careful with claims. Transparency and honesty are essential. No sustainability claim should be based on assumptions or marketing language. Governance also means taking responsibility for what you say—and being able to prove it.

Want to Truly Integrate Sustainability in Product Development?

Developing a truly sustainable product is challenging. You can’t do everything perfectly at once. It starts with knowing what steps you can take and what responsibilities your company holds.

Then you take that first step. Maybe small, but in the right direction. Then the next. And another. Before you know it, you’ve built something to be proud of and can confidently present it to the world.

Our Sustainable Product Toolkit helps companies make sustainability tangible and actionable through four clear pillars:

• Materials: Sustainable raw materials, ingredients, and certifications
• Suppliers: Choosing suppliers with verifiable environmental and social standards
• Transport: Optimizing logistics and electrifying transport
• Packaging: Smart choices for less and better packaging

Check out the toolkit here: newkinds.thinkific.com

This way, your brand not only creates a sustainable product but also builds a future-proof proposition.