Honest Review of Tru Earth Eco-strips Laundry Detergent from a Scientist
Are you looking for a scientific, fact-based review of Tru Earth Eco-strips Laundry Detergent? I’ve been using Tru Earth Eco-strips to do my family’s laundry for over two years and will provide an honest review of the product. Read on to find answers to the most commonly asked questions about this eco-alternative laundry detergent and my results utilizing the soap.
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How do Tru Earth Eco-strips work?
Tru Earth Eco-strips are made of a solid, hypoallergenic laundry detergent supported by a water-soluble polymer. In other words, the soapy detergent is spread on top of a thin film that dissolves in water. The film is made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) which I discuss later in this post.
The solid detergent is packaged in sheets that contain two strips each. To use the detergent, rip apart the sheet along the perforated line and add it directly to your washing machine bin. I have a top-loading washing machine and like to drop the strip into the back of the bin before adding my clothes to help the strip dissolve faster. You can also put it into the detergent compartment in a front-load washing machine.
Do Tru Earth Eco-strips clean large loads of laundry?
I’ve found that Tru Earth Eco Strips will clean large, normal, and small loads of laundry. I use one strip for a normal or large load of laundry and half of a strip for a lighter load.
To increase the speed at which the laundry strip dissolves, I rip the strip in half for a normal or large load and add both halves to my washing machine bin. Occasionally when I’ve had a larger load of laundry, I’ve noticed that the strip did not completely dissolve and got stuck to the side of my washing bin. To solve the problem, I add the strip to the liquid detergent compartment of my washing machine and get fantastic results.
How do you use Tru Earth Eco-strips in a front load washer?
Tru Earth Eco-strips can be added to the detergent compartment of a front load washer. Rip off a strip from the laundry sheet for a normal or large load, or rip the strip in half for a small load and place it into the laundry soap dispenser of your washing machine. To increase the rate at which the strip dissolves, I’ve found it’s best to rip the strip in half before adding it to the dispenser.
Do Tru Earth Eco-strips work in cold water?
As an avid environmentalist and a budget-conscious mom, I use cold water for almost all my laundry loads. Tru Earth Eco-strips easily dissolve in cold water. I created a simple demonstration video on Instagram if you want to see it yourself! Washing with Tru Earth Eco-strips leaves my laundry looking and feeling clean, with no dry or tacky soap residue.
Do Tru Earth Eco-trips contain plastic?
I mentioned earlier that the laundry strips contain a water-soluble polymer made of polyvinyl alcohol. Polyvinyl alcohol is also referred to as PVA, PVOH, and PVAI. For this post, I am going to use the abbreviation PVA. When you hear the word polymer, you may immediately assume that this word is synonymous with plastic. Let me back up one minute and explain what a polymer is.
A polymer is any natural or synthetic (man-made) substance made up of a repeating chain of the same molecule. The proteins in our bodies are examples of natural polymers and plastics are examples of synthetic polymers. PVA is a synthetic polymer made up of repeating units of CH2CH(OH). The source of carbon for this molecule is petroleum-based, therefore PVA is considered a plastic.
The problem with synthetic polymers such as PVA is that they break down in the water to form microplastics. These microplastics will degrade on their own, albeit very slowly. Therefore, researchers and medical professionals have some concerns about the effect an increase in PVA concentration will have on living things. It is currently known that water with a 5% PVA concentration is toxic to fish.
Particular conditions can fully decompose PVA, however, most water treatment facilities in the United States do not have all of the necessary conditions in place to make this happen.
So, to answer the question, “Do Tru Earth Laundry Strips Contain Plastic?” – Yes, they do. If you’re interested in learning how plastic is made, check out this post: “How is Plastic Made? Understanding the Science of Plastic Production.”
Related Reading: 5 Simple Steps for a Low-waste Laundry Room
Where are Tru Earth Eco-strips made?
Tru Earth Eco-strips are manufactured in Canada. Depending upon where you live, this may be a factor to consider when purchasing laundry detergent, as the further the package has to be shipped, the higher its overall carbon footprint will be. From a monetary standpoint, Tru Earth offers free shipping for its products no matter where you reside, with a few exceptions.
How Much Does Tru Earth Cost Per Load of Laundry?
Tru Earth Eco-strips are sold in packages of 8, 32, 64, and 384 loads (or strips) on the Tru Earth website. Here is the cost breakdown per package excluding taxes and shipping fees (at the time this was posted).
Tru-Earth Eco-strips come in different scents, including fragrance-free strips. They also offer a “Platinum” version of each scent, which is more concentrated and a few dollars more expensive per package. I calculated the cost per load for the regular eco-strips for this comparison.
| Package Size | Package Cost | Cost per Load* |
| 8 | $9.95 | $1.24 |
| 32 | $19.95 | $0.62 |
| 64 | $35.95 | $0.56 |
| 384 | $149.00 | $0.39 |
*Cost per load has been calculated based on a normal size load, which utilizes 1 strip of detergent.
Check the laundry aisle of your local grocery store before heading online to purchase. One of the grocery store chains in my area sells Tru Earth Eco-Strips in the 32-strip package for $3.00 less than the Tru Earth website. Additionally, you can place a request with your local grocery store to stock the laundry strips. They may be able to sell the detergent at a lower rate as they will be purchasing them in bulk.
Are Tru Earth Eco-strips Good for the Environment?
Tru Earth Eco-strips come in a thin, cardboard pouch that can be composted or recycled and the package is quite small and light. This reduces the environmental impact of the packaging compared to some other eco-friendly laundry products.
Tru Earth Laundry Strips are free of parabens, phosphates, chlorine bleach, 1,4-dioxane, and added dyes. Why is that important? Many of these traditional laundry detergent ingredients take a long time to break down in water, decreasing the quality of your local water and/or causing your local water treatment plant to work harder to remove them. The product website includes a complete list of ingredients used in each type of Tru Earth detergent strip.
Related Reading: 9 Easy Tips For A More Eco-Friendly Laundry Room
Why I like Tru Earth Eco-strips
My kids and I have sensitive skin and these little laundry strips work great for us. After using this detergent for over two years, I am very pleased with the cleaning power of the strips, as my laundry looks, feels, and smells clean.
I also like the portability of the strips. They slide easily into a suitcase or backpack making them a simple solution for tackling laundry away from home. Though the strips are a bit more expensive than your traditional hypoallergenic liquid laundry detergent, their drastically reduced carbon footprint along with the ease with which my kids can help with laundry (no messy measuring cups!) makes them a favorite choice in my house.
But what about the PVA?
The jury is still out on the sustainability science. There is mixed messaging on the impacts of PVA on our water and health. PVA is a synthetic polymer derived from petroleum. It is commonly used in laundry pods, dishwasher pods, and paper manufacturing. With the recent rise in consumer demand for premeasured, single-dose cleaning products, researchers are concerned that products containing PVA may contribute to the rise of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems.
Research funded by a competitor of Tru Earth (and other sustainable laundry detergent brands) that does not use PVA suggests that PVA may be a source of problematic microplastics. However, there is limited science outside of this research. Because of its funding source, the research has inherent conflicts of interest to support the study. (A conflict of interest doesn’t mean it’s wrong, just that it’s beneficial to get an independent researcher to support it.)
Alden Wicker of Ecocult, a formidable journalist in the sustainable fashion space, shared more about this debate. I encourage you to take a read. PVA is considered a safe substance in many cases, so it’s worth a second look to consider if it’s problematic in the laundry detergent space.
What’s the final verdict on Tru Earth Eco-strips?
We use them and like them. Jen, the editor of Honestly Modern, also uses them (and has for a few years). There are always trade-offs in sustainability. In this case, the benefits of Tru Earth Eco-strips are worth the potential consequences of PVA based on the information available to us now. Each person can decide for themselves what benefits and costs are most important to them, as there are many types of sustainable laundry detergent options available (powders, pods, strips, etc…)
Have you tried Tru Earth Eco-strips? What did you think?
About the Author
Jess Purcell
Jess Purcell, a co-founder of Raising Global Kidizens, is a science educator who is dedicated to making the science of sustainability accessible to all learners. She creates sustainability science lessons and nature activities written for students of all ages to be done in the classroom or at home to foster critical thinking skills and a love of the natural world. You can find more of her work at Thoughtfully Sustainable.
Jess lives in central Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids, and two cats and can usually be found outside, working out the kinks of an experiment, upcycling trash into “treasure”, hiking with her family, or attempting to read a book while being cajoled into a game of hide-and-seek.
