How Ecoegg’s Founder Is Redefining Sustainable, Plastic-Free Laundry

Founder Dawn White discovered that skincare products were not the culprit of her flare-ups, but the residues and fragrances left behind by traditional detergents. Driven by this discovery, the creation of Ecoegg began.

A refillable, skin-friendly, sustainable alternative that cleans efficiently without any harsh chemicals, overdosing, or excess plastic waste that conventional laundry products produce. From a sensitive-skin solution to a symbol of effective eco-living, Ecoegg has eliminated over 102 million plastic detergent bottles since its launch and counting! Proving that small household changes can have a positive and fundamental impact on both people and the planet.

Ecoegg began as a response to a prevalent problem: traditional detergents. What sparked the birth of Ecoegg, and what has it evolved into? 

The lack of skin-safe laundry products on the market sparked the birth of the Ecoegg Laundry Egg. I had the idea for Ecoegg after my own struggles with eczema and other sensitive skin issues. After numerous trials and errors with various skincare products, I eventually discovered that the laundry detergent residue on my clothes and bedding was causing my eczema flare-ups, particularly due to the fragrances in these products. The Ecoegg Laundry Egg has now evolved into a product suitable for all, not just those suffering from sensitive skin issues. It’s perfect for people looking for a more sustainable way to clean their clothes and is one of the gentlest on babies' skin laundry products on the market!

The egg-shaped case is refillable, and the Laundry Detergent Pellets, which are filled into the egg case, are now widely available in both retail and online.

Traditional liquid detergents often lead to accidental overdosing, which many are unaware of. How does Ecoegg tackle this issue, and why does it matter for our health and the planet?

Ecoegg’s Laundry Egg has been specially formulated to release the recommended amount of detergent into your wash, unlike traditional laundry liquids which can very easily leave you overdosing the amount of laundry detergent needed, this unnecessary detergent can cling to the fibres of your clothes, increasing the chance of irritating your skin, or is simply rinsed down the drain releasing unnecessary chemicals into our water system. The impact of this overdosing in many households is immense.  Most of the time, we are only refreshing our clothes and bedding and require a much smaller dosage than is written on the pack of traditional detergents.

Why do you think detergent overdosing is still such a common household habit?

From focus groups we have spoken to, many believe that if something is stained or sweaty, then they need to add a lot more detergent to clean the products, which simply isn’t the case. Many traditional detergents contain stronger fragrance oils that cling to fabrics, masking odours.  Fragrance doesn’t mean that clothes are any cleaner, though.

Your products use low-allergen fragrance oils. What inspired your decision to focus on these, and how do you find the perfect balance between a beautiful scent and skin sensitivity?

I discovered that the fragrances used in skincare and laundry products contain the ingredients that flare up my sensitive conditions the most.  The fragrances also often carry the ‘harmful to aquatic life’ labelling, so be sure to always check the labels! I spent an equal amount of time developing suitable fragrances as I did developing the detergent formulation, as this was as important to me.  The fragrances are as low
irritant and low allergen as possible, still leaving a mild, beautiful and fresh scent on fabrics. The Laundry Eggs come in a range of fragrances in both Non-Bio and BIO. We have: Fresh Linen, Spring Blossom, Tropical Breeze, Pink Paradise and Fragrance Free. All of our Laundry Detergents have been tested at professional Dermatest labs and carry the Dermatest stamp of approval, rated excellent on sensitive skin and require no harmful to aquatic life or environment labelling. 

Why did you choose an egg as the shape of your main product? Were there other shapes you considered, or does the egg symbolise something?

A ball shape seemed the most obvious shape at first; however, there had been ball-shaped laundry liquid dispensers used in the past, so I wanted something to differentiate from these. An egg shape felt like a very natural and slightly unique shape. Then followed the brand name, so in this instance, the egg came first!

Sustainability is at the core of Ecoegg, but with many companies being accused of greenwashing, it’s difficult to find brands to trust. 
How do you ensure Ecoegg stands out as a trustworthy and genuinely sustainable brand in the current climate?

Ecoegg was built around the principle of reusability, long before it was trendy. Our Laundry Egg’s case replaces up to 80 single-use large plastic detergent bottles over its 10-year life (we offer this warranty), and the refill model keeps waste to an absolute minimum. But we know that’s not enough, so we’re constantly looking at where we can improve. For example, our pellet refill bags were previously made from recycled plastic, but we’ve now transitioned to paper-based packaging as material technology improves. Where we try to stand out is by not overstating our claims. We don’t use buzzwords lightly and avoid vague eco-language. If anything, we’ve probably been too cautious, especially compared to some laundry pod and sheet brands that promote water-soluble PVA/PVOH as “zero waste” or “plastic-free,” when that’s still very much up for debate, as technically this is a plastic.
We’d rather be quietly honest than loudly misleading, which we think customers respect.

As a woman-owned brand, have you noticed any barriers or advantages in the sustainable industry?

I think gender is irrelevant (as it should be). I feel barriers are more around life circumstances. Like many Men, Women often have houses to run, children to look after, and a work-life balance to find! The main barrier in the sustainable sector isn’t gender but money! As a small business in the laundry sector, we are up against the world’s biggest
brands like P&G and Unilever, with million-pound marketing budgets. To stay on the shelf of larger retailers is near impossible, so we are very proud that Ecoegg has lasted as long as we have in the likes of Tesco and ASDA.

Lastly, what impact do you hope Ecoegg will have on the future of
sustainable living?

Sustainable living has often been held back by cost, but we believe that doing the right thing shouldn’t come at a premium. One of the things we’re most proud of is that Ecoegg’s Laundry Egg is cheaper per wash than traditional detergents, while also being refillable and skin-friendly. We hope Ecoegg provides people with an easy, affordable starting point. Not everyone can overhaul their lifestyle overnight, but switching to a detergent that’s better for the planet, better for sensitive skin, and better for your wallet is a small change with a big impact. Our bigger goal is to help make reusability the norm. If we can shift expectations for shoppers, retailers, and even regulators, then we’re making progress. Ultimately, we want to help make sustainable choices feel accessible, practical, and a bit more joyful!

Exclusive news from Ecoegg: 

Explore their newly revamped website launching September 22nd, shop the site-wide Flash Sale starting September 30th, and get ready for two new products arriving this October!

Be part of EcoEgg’s sustainable laundry revolution here.