Kind Laundry - Kinder To You & The Environment
Organic, sustainable, ethical - these are words we often associate with the food we consume and making healthier, more responsible choices. When it comes to what we use around our homes, we are often less fussy. Cleaning products, cosmetics, hair products and more all contain a cocktail of chemicals. Given our skin absorbs up to 60% of anything topically applied, it’s worthwhile reconsidering any product that comes into contact with our skin.
Arguably one of the most mundane chores in your home is washing your clothes. Did you know this chore could be causing you harm without you even realising? Residues left on our clothing from laundry detergent can contribute to a host of issues. Eczema, dermatitis, inflammation, itchy eyes, runny nose, hives and even thrush. If you’ve suffered from any of these conditions and struggled to find the cause, your detergent could be to blame. Choosing a natural alternative is the answer. The best natural laundry detergents are uncomplicated, gentle, yet effective.
Too Close For Comfort
All clothing and especially clothing such as gym wear and underwear, have very close contact with our skin and our most sensitive areas. In the course of your day or during a workout, the warmth of your skin and sweat can reactivate the harsh cleansing residues left on your clothes.
Our leading competitors in the natural laundry detergent sector, still have many hidden extras that aren’t so kind to your skin or the environment. Common ingredients can include:
- Fillers such as starch. While not damaging, they are unnecessary additives.
- Sulfonic Acid. Known to irritate the nose, throat and lungs. It can also induce wheezing and shortness of breath.
- Propanaminium, known to cause serious damage if it gets in eyes, it also damages aquatic eco-systems with a long-lasting impact.
- N-Dimethyl-, acutely damaging to aquatic life. Irritating to skin and eyes.
- Inner salts and sodium, drying and irritating to the skin.
Kind Laundry uses just four, carefully selected ingredients to clean your clothing.
- SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate) a fatty acid derived from coconut oil alcohol, this is a surfactant or detergent that cleanses your washing.
- Fatty Alcohol Polyglycol Ether, a gentle solvent that dissolves the dirt and stains from your clothing.
- Polyvinyl Alcohol, PVA is a colorless, water-soluble synthetic resin that we use to create the laundry sheets. It bonds the ingredients into one completely dissolvable and powerful cleanser.
- Tea Seed Oil
- Water
- Decyl Glucoside
- Glycerol
- Cocamidopropyl betaine
None of our ingredients leaves heavy residue, fragrance or harsh chemicals on your washing. Meaning your skin remains irritant-free.
- Water. We use just 15% water in our product, compared with competitor products which can be as much as 70% water or higher. Thoughtfully, we use deionized water, which prevents salt and mineral build-up in your washing machine.
How Much Is Too Much?
One of the best aspects of Kind laundry sheets is the fact that they offer the perfect quantity, every time. We have created this incredibly gentle, yet powerful formula in the exact right measurement, which also helps protect your skin. It is easy to equate more detergent with a cleaner wash, but this is in fact untrue. With many commercial laundry detergents, they are made up of fillers - often up to 70% water. Adding more does not increase your chances of a better wash, but it does expose you to higher amounts of dangerous chemicals.
With Kind Laundry, every wash has the correct amount in a balanced, biodegradable sheet. No powders, no messy bottles covered in spilled detergents. Best of all, no nasty chemicals, fragrances or dyes. You may notice that we predominantly use ingredients derived from coconuts. This is down to them being an environmentally friendly substitute for synthetic detergents. Coconut lathers beautifully and gently yet effectively cleans your laundry. It works well in hard water, hot or cold washes and is completely renewable and biodegradable.
Natural, Is Natural, Is Natural, Right?
Wrong. If you really look closely at ingredient labels on your favourite detergent, even ones purporting to be natural and environmentally friendly, you may get a shock. Many companies direct you to their websites to review the ingredients, rather than displaying them on the box. Why keep this hidden? Is there something to hide?
A closer review of our competitors in the natural and eco-friendly sphere surprised even us. Yes, there is a reduction in some of the worst chemical offenders, but they are still laden with dyes, fragrance and ingredients that we have been able to completely do away with. Not all natural laundry detergents are truly that natural.
So What Can I do?
If you're prone to skin conditions or have sensitive skin, steering clear of harsh detergents and chemicals is common sense. Are you an avid gym-goer who suddenly develops rashes or irritation when you sweat? What about unexplained hives, headaches or itchy eyes when you don your freshly washed clothing? You likely have an allergy to your laundry detergent.
The best thing you can do is make the switch to Kind Laundry laundry sheets. No compromising on cleanliness, gentle on both skin and clothes and honesty in our ingredients. As an added bonus, you’re helping conserve marine environments. It’s cool to be kind and Kind Laundry makes it easier than ever.
