350,000 chemicals on the market—do we really need more?

Laundry detergent is traditional in the sense that we tend to do what we have always done, without being particularly innovation-oriented or even aspiring to create more sustainable laundry detergents.

 

 

Or—well, we do try by using more chemicals so that we can lower the washing temperature. But is that really the right way to go? 
Should we solve energy problems by genetically modifying bacteria and microorganisms to produce more powerful chemicals for laundry detergents?

 

If we apply the same theory to another area, say the shower—how would it feel to start washing yourself in cold water but with more chemicals to save energy? Maybe not entirely acceptable? "Replace your shower gel and hand soap with an enzyme-based washing product so you can save energy by washing yourself in cold water and save energy."

 

This is a strategy used to perform well in the laundry tests that are conducted and publicly promoted with great fanfare. These tests are designed to handle every possible and impossible stain with one clear purpose—to sell as many chemicals as possible.

 

For a laundry detergent to remove absolutely everything in a laboratory test, it needs to contain a wide range of different chemicals. Chemicals that have to be produced and transported, that stick to your clothes, remain against your skin every day, and are released into the drains.
To be honest, it is quite rare to accidentally soil your clothes with absolutely everything and therefore need all these chemicals. I would say these are extreme exceptions. So most of the chemicals we pour into the machine are actually unnecessary; they are only there to make a good impression on television and in case you happen to have eaten blueberry pie, put a lasagna in your inside pocket, fallen on the lawn, and worked on your car all at the same time ;)

 

Multinational conglomerates would love to sell at least three different laundry detergents and a fabric softener to maximize the order value of each purchase. Saying that only one product is needed—not four—is neither profitable nor popular at every level. Nor is it commercially advantageous to sell one product that replaces four.

 

There are an estimated 350,000 different types of chemicals on the global market, and we crossed the planetary boundary for novel chemical substances a long time ago.

 

Since 1950, chemical production has increased fiftyfold and is expected to triple again by 2050. We do not want to be part of that!

 

That is why we have developed an all-purpose laundry detergent based on soft soap—a circular product. We use far fewer chemicals than other liquid laundry detergents on the market, and fabric softener is built into the product. It contains no enzymes, which means you can wash all clothes, including wool, with it. (Enzymes are often produced through the genetic modification of bacteria and microorganisms.)

 

In other words—one product instead of four! Fewer chemicals, but the same (if not better) result. But how does it work with difficult protein stains? Laboratory tests with heavy protein stains would probably show poorer results in cold water. But honestly—how often do you forget that you have a raw egg or a lasagna in your inside pocket, and if you wash difficult protein stains at 40*C, do they disappear? If you do happen to get difficult protein stains, you can also pre-treat the stain and wash as usual—it will disappear easily.

 

Read more and shop here -> https://vasterbottenssapa.se/products/tvattmedelpaket-citrus