Top 5 Eco-friendly Products of April

Posted by Curtis and Candice on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 ·

By Candice Aiken.

I spend alot of time in the laundry because let’s face it, my dirty clothes are not going to wash themselves (despite my daily wish upon the clothing-washing-fairy star every night). In all areas of my life I am extremely conscious about reducing my environmental footprint and avoiding man-made toxic chemicals in my food, cosmetics and skincare. It makes perfect sense to extend this to the laundry considering conventional washing powders are loaded with super toxic chemicals that remain even once dried. These chemicals can cause nasty allergies, reactions and dermatitis.

Given there’s absolutely no escaping the daily or weekly visit to the laundry, I would like to share with you 5 of my all time favourite people-friendly and eco-friendly products this month for the laundry:

1. Jute Laundry Hamper:

If I want my clothes to last a LONG time (which I most definitely do due to the current clothes shopping ban which is not set to be lifted any time soon *shakes fist at husband*), then they deserve the best treatment even if they are dirty. I adore anything natural, durable, fair-trade and ridiculously good-looking and this jute hamper sure does tick all the boxes in my eyes. You can grab one from: www.ecochic.com.au

2. Eco wash ball:

I can’t tell you the amount of times I had to rewash my dark clothes because of powder residue. Not only was this a complete waste of water, but it was also extremely bad for my health. Most conventional washing powders contain synthetic ’phosphate’ which boosts your wash cycle but at the same time damages the environment and can cause some serious health issues (such as dermatitis and even cancer!). These wash balls are completely non-toxic and contain mineral-based ingredients – perfect for those with skin allergies. In addition to being great for your health, these balls are excellent for the environment and your pocket! Just 1 ball will give you 365 washes, the packaging is recyclable, there’s no residue which means there’s no pollution to our water supply and they clean super effectively in cold water (so you save on energy = $$ savings)! Not to give a long-winded sales pitch but we are looking at stocking these bad boys through our store.

3. Natural soap nuts:

I came across these a long time ago but we were only recently reaquainted in Bali. We were fortunate enough to have our clothes washed for us at our villa and though they took DAYS to dry (and even then they were still damp thanks to the humidity), they came out smelling more amazing than ever and not at all like that wet dog smell that comes with damp clothes. Soap nuts, or ‘berries’ are grown on trees and are the only 100% natural cleaner you will find. They are chemical free and completely multi-purpose so you can use them for anything your heart desires including getting rid of that wet dog smell – from your dog! At roughly 5c per wash, they will save you and the earth an absolute fortunue! We will also have these in stock shortly.

4. Organic Cotton Delicates Bag:

I am not big on hand washing due to some serious time restraints so in order to keep my delicates in one piece and looking the same as the day I bought them, I pop them into a washbag. I found these awesome organic cotton washbags online and adore that they are made from organic cotton. Give your delicates a treat and pick one up here: www.byronshop.com.au

5. 100% Recycled Paper Hanger:

Once your clothes are safely washed and dried, keep them in shape with these awesome eco-friendly hangers. They are made from 100% recycled and recyclable paper without nasty inks or glues, can hold up to 4kg and are SO thin, it means you can fit a ‘shirt’load more in your wardrobe. You can get them at: www.greenhanger.com.au