Sustainable laundry solutions: Insights, challenges and opportunities

The consumer mindset is constantly shifting and reprioritizing regarding the products they purchase for homecare cleaning solutions. While cleaning power remains the primary buying factor among consumers for detergents and other laundry cleaners, product safety is also a crucial consideration – not just about the safety of their families now but in the future.

Research suggests that consumers increasingly align their purchasing power with personal values. Environmental concern is one of the key factors driving consumer behavior, with 67% identifying themselves as being environmentally aware, according to the "2021 Global Buying Green Report" from Trivium Packaging.

This represents significant opportunities for North American brands to provide eco-friendly and sustainable laundry products. However, retail data reveal that they are often only able to command mid-single digits in market share. So, where is the gap? Why are North American 'green' laundry brands unable to capture the environmental consciousness of consumers through their products? How can the effectiveness of ingredients for sustainable laundry products be demonstrated to shift this perception?

Green laundry brands have a perception challenge

Many green brands were introduced with a purpose-driven mission of removing chemicals such as synthetic dyes, parabens, and optical brighteners from cleaning products to avoid unnecessary exposure to chemicals. However, this focus on eco-friendliness has created a perception in the U.S. market that greener laundry brands do not clean as effectively. 

Recent research from a study cited in the Journal of Advertising tested this hypothesis with surveys from 253 U.S. consumers who assessed two ads for a laundry detergent concept. Both ads communicated that the products were "made using ingredients to ensure a great cleaning experience." One of these cleaners was 100% eco-friendly. Results showed that more consumers saw the eco-friendly variant as less effective than the traditional counterpart.

Novonesis surveyed 1,000 U.S. laundry decision-makers to understand why their purchase behavior was not aligned with their eco-consciousness and evaluate opportunities for sustainable laundry brands to help break into the mainstream. The survey confirmed that there are primarily three types of laundry consumers in the U.S.:

• Eco actives - Current buyers of eco-friendly, greener laundry brand
• Eco contemplators - Those who buy organic foods and green personal care products but have not shifted their dollars to cleaning products
• Eco dismissers - Those who may buy some organic food but making eco-conscious purchasing decisions is not a priority.

Novozymes found that within the representative data set 6% of respondents were Eco actives, 50% were Eco contemplators and the remaining 44% were Eco dismissers. These findings largely align with the market share of greener laundry brands in the U.S. market. But what do these segments care about when making purchasing decisions in laundry?

Which of the following statements best applies to your laundry detergent purchasing behavior? N = 1000

By combining the data and creating a sustainable laundry product that fits the needs of multiple consumer types, the green laundry market will have more reach. Addressing the perception that eco-friendly ingredients are high-performing cleaners offering long-lasting cleaning benefits will also help dispel myths about their effectiveness, and more consumers will inevitably seek out these sustainable solutions.

Though the numbers vary across consumer types, three priorities still are the most important to today's consumers: family health, environmental impact, and performance. Novonesis' enzymatic solutions for homecare and industrial cleaning are simple yet powerful laundry aids that can help formulators address various consumer challenges. Our laundry cleaning products with enzymes deliver powerful wash performance in an eco-friendly format, while also helping reduce detergent formulation costs.

I Would Buy a Green Detergent If It… N= 1000

To learn more about green laundry product formulation for your business, contact the ingredient specialists from our Homecare and Industrial Cleaning team. Our in-house lab specialists in our global Solution Centers can also provide market insights and knowledgeable technical support to help overcome your formulation challenges.