In this article, we’ll take a look at the 12 Best Clean Laundry Detergent Brands, with detailed insights into the trends in the global detergent market and top players in the industry. For a quick overview of the top 5 brands, read the 5 Best Clean Laundry Detergent Brands.
In today's global market, the laundry detergent industry is more significant and influential than ever before. With an estimated global value of over $120.7 billion as of 2021, this industry is marked by fierce competition, constant innovation, and a deep understanding of consumer needs and preferences.
From 2022 to 2031, the laundry detergent market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3%, with an anticipated value of approximately $176 billion in 2031. This growth can be attributed to various factors, such as increased urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and the continuous demand for cleaner and more efficient laundry solutions.
A trend shaping the industry is the rising interest in organic detergents. The organic laundry detergent market was valued at around $40 billion in 2021 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.4% between 2021 and 2027, reaching around $51.5 billion by 2027, per Business Research Insights. Consumers now prefer organic brands and products, which has led companies to invest heavily in research and development, aiming to produce detergents that not only clean effectively but also have a reduced environmental impact.
A report by Transparency Market Research shows that major players in the laundry detergent industry account for around 40% to 45% of the total global market share. When it comes to the top players in the industry, brands like Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG), Church & Dwight Co Inc (NYSE:CHD), Unilever Plc (NYSE:UL), Biokleen, and Dropps have established themselves as leaders. These companies have achieved their positions through a combination of extensive research, an understanding of consumer behavior, and effective marketing strategies.
Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG), for instance, boasts an impressive portfolio of laundry detergent brands, with Tide being one of the most recognized names worldwide. Its continuous innovations, such as the introduction of Tide PODS, have kept it at the forefront of the industry. Reports show that Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) dominates the U.S. laundry market, holding nearly 60% of the liquid detergent segment and a whopping 80% share in single-dose laundry pods.
Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) is also one of the world’s biggest consumer-products companies by sales. In the third quarter of its fiscal year 2023, the company reported a year-over-year surge of 4% in its net sales, reaching $20.1 billion. Simultaneously, Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) witnessed a 3% increase in its Earnings Per Share (EPS), jumping to $1.37 in Q3 FY2023 compared to $1.33 in the same quarter of the previous year. The fabric and home care sector accounted for 5% of the company’s net sales, making a 9% increase compared to a year earlier.
Unilever Plc (NYSE:UL) is another prominent brand that has a significant share in the laundry detergent market with its brands like OMO (Surf Excel) and Seventh Generation dominating the market. With total sales of around INR 8,200 crores, Surf Excel became the first brand in the Indian home care market to beat the $1 billion mark in annual sales.
Unilever Plc (NYSE:UL) has also successfully tapped into the eco-friendly market with the acquisition of the organic laundry detergent brand Seventh Generation. The company acquired Seventh Generation for an estimated $700 million.
Unilever Plc (NYSE:UL)’s financial reports show its stronghold in the global consumer products market. In the first half of 2023, Unilever reported a 44.6% increase in sales compared to a year earlier. The company also reported a 55.2% growth in EPS, reaching 814.67 from 524.86 in the same period in 2022.
Church & Dwight Co Inc (NYSE:CHD) is another leading manufacturer of household products that has established a significant presence in various consumer goods markets, including the laundry detergent market. Particularly renowned for its iconic "Arm & Hammer" brand, Church & Dwight Co Inc (NYSE:CHD) has successfully penetrated households across various demographics by providing efficient and innovative laundry solutions.
In Q2 2023, Church & Dwight (NYSE:CHD)’s US product range witnessed growth in 11 of 17 categories. ARM & HAMMER™ liquid detergent saw a rise in demand and market share due to the ongoing trend toward value laundry products. The company also observed an increase in global online sales, which constituted 18% of total consumer sales for the quarter.
Biokleen and Dropps are some of the top players in the organic laundry detergent industry. These brands are admired by consumers for their commitment to eco-friendly and health-conscious formulations. They capitalize on the use of natural and sustainable ingredients while eschewing the use of artificial fragrances, preservatives, and colors in their laundry detergents and other home cleaning products.
Most Toxic Laundry Detergent
Although numerous laundry detergent options exist in the market, laundry detergents from several brands have received an "F" rating (highly hazardous to health and environment) from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization committed to advocating for improved health and environmental practices.
Laundry detergents by notable brands such as Ajax, Boulder, Cheer, Woolite, Persil, Era, and Wisk, among others, have found a place on this list. Tide, a highly recognized laundry detergent manufactured by Procter & Gamble, is also categorized among the most toxic laundry detergent brands.
A safer approach is to opt for organic laundry detergents from trustworthy brands, some of which are highlighted in this article.
For our list of the top 12 best clean laundry detergent brands, we focused on brands that make non-toxic and natural detergents. For this purpose, we looked through various articles that talked about or ranked non-toxic and natural detergents. We counted how often each brand was mentioned in our research, and the ones mentioned most frequently made our list. This way, we chose brands that are widely recognized for being safe and eco-friendly.
Below is our list of the 12 best clean laundry detergent brands.
12 Best Clean Laundry Detergent Brands in the World
12. Earth Breeze
Earth Breeze presents an eco-friendly laundry solution with its Liquidless Eco Sheets, aiming to provide an alternative to conventional liquid detergents in plastic bottles. Containing ingredients like glycerol and primary alcohol ethoxylate, these sheets are claimed to be hypoallergenic, vegan, and free from parabens, phosphates, bleaches, and dyes. The company has also donated detergent for more than 100 million laundry loads and claims to have saved over 25 million liters of water by offering eco-friendly solutions.
11. Biokleen
Biokleen was established in 1989 with a vision to offer safe and effective cleaning solutions. The brand focuses on producing plant- and mineral-based cleaners, ensuring its products are free from phosphates, chlorine, ammonia, and other harsh chemicals, safeguarding both the environment and users alike. The use of organic and allergen-free ingredients in their products also makes Biokleen one of the best clean laundry detergent brands for sensitive skin.
10. Rebel Green
Rebel Green is a women-owned brand that offers a line of USDA-certified organic laundry products, showing its commitment to innovative, eco-friendly solutions. Their products are free from synthetic fragrances, phosphates, phthalates, parabens, and dyes and contain pure essential oils, making them effective and gentle on sensitive skin. Its products are also available both unscented and in various scents including peppermint and lemon, lavender and grapefruit, and pink lilac, ensuring that you can get non toxic laundry detergent that smells good too. The company is certified with WBENC, B-Corp, and Leaping Bunny.
9. Dropps
Dropps offers laundry detergent pods with a focus on sustainable and safe practices, making it a clean laundry detergent brand. The company ensures the use of bio-based and vegan ingredients while minimizing water usage in its operations. Dropps claims it has conserved around 6.1 million liters of water since 2018. Additionally, the company claims to have prevented the use of 5.1 million single-use plastic bottles through its practices. It also offers zero-waste shipping labels along with recyclable packaging materials to customers. As a certified B Corporation, Dropps is recognized for meeting stringent social and environmental standards.
8. Puracy
Puracy is an award-winning clean laundry detergent brand, gaining recognition from media outlets like The New York Times, FOX, Business Insider, Forbes, and more. It has also won the Best of Baby Awards in 2018. Having reportedly sold over 8 million products, Puracy claims to be one of Amazon’s #1 best sellers in its category. According to the company, its products are composed of 98.5% natural ingredients and are free from sulfates, DEA, bleach, perfumes, phosphates, and more. Puracy ensures its products are both cruelty-free and dermatologist-tested.
7. Dirty Labs
Dirty Labs is a cleaning innovations lab with a team of dedicated environmentalists and chemists to offer sustainable, safe, and biodegradable cleaning solutions. Its products are EWG-certified and free from synthetic preservatives, sulfates, fragrance allergens, and chlorine-based bleaches, making Dirty Labs one of the best non-toxic laundry detergent brands. The company uses enzyme-driven technology to ensure powerful stain removal and eliminate odor from clothes. You can use its detergent with traditional and HE machines.
6. Branch Basics
Branch Basics is another clean laundry detergent brand that offers non-toxic, all-natural products. Branch Basics laundry detergent and cleaning products are non-GMO, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and free of preservatives. With vegan- and mineral-based ingredients like organic chamomile, decyl glucoside, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium citrate, the brand ensures its products are gentle to the skin and environment.
