Green Giants

Remember when “green” was just a color? Nontoxic, organic, all-natural, eco-friendly -- buzzwords such as these have increasingly found their way onto labels and become part of the pitches offered up by consumer products makers in recent years as people add more environmentally sensitive household supplies to their pantries. The shift reflects consumers’ interest in good health and sustainability; however, several companies have been dedicated to making green cleansers, detergents, and other home goods for decades.

• Seventh Generation is a leading maker of environmentally safe home cleansers and laundry care products, in addition to feminine supplies and baby care essentials. Founded by Jeffrey Hollender in 1988, the company takes a long-term approach to business; its name is a nod to the Iroquois practice of considering how decisions will affect the next seven generations. With this in mind, Seventh Generation constantly works to build its environmental cred. In recent years it has reformulated a host of products and introduced several new ones – including a line of botanical disinfectants and a concentrated multipurpose cleaner. To aid transparency, Seventh Generation lists all of the ingredients in all of its products (including recycled materials) on its website.

  
  

• Method Products is another top name in nontoxic cleaning. Like Seventh Generation, the company offers an assortment of household cleansers, detergents, and child care items made with biodegradable ingredients. Its products stand apart from competitors on store shelves, thanks to eye-catching packaging designs. To keep its products in the spotlight, Method launched the Detox Your Home advertising campaign in 2007 and partnered with eco-lifestyle expert Danny Seo. The company was established in 2000 by chemical engineer Adam Lowry and account planner Eric Ryan, who backed the operation with an inheritance from his grandfather.

  
  

• Shaklee is a manufacturer and direct seller of eco- friendly household cleaners as well as vitamins, cosmetics, and other personal care products. The company was founded in 1956 by Dr. Forrest Shaklee and produced one of the first biodegradable household cleansers in 1960. Shaklee has continued to expand its green cleaning lineup – which is free of phosphates, borates, nitrates, and chlorine – by investing more than $250 million in research and development since it was established. Shaklee backs its products by conducting more than 83,000 tests (not on animals) each year, the results of which also contribute to the publication of more than 100 scientific papers. An interesting tid-bit: The company maintains climate-neutral operations by completely offsetting its carbon dioxide emissions through sustainability practices.

  
  

• Direct-selling titan Amway International has been producing environmentally sensitive cleaning supplies since its founding in 1959. Its first was the biodegradable all-purpose Liquid Organic Cleaner, abbreviated L.O.C. The company has since expanded L.O.C. into the Legacy of Clean line, which includes multipurpose and surface cleaners and concentrated laundry and dishwashing detergents. The Legacy of Clean collection is formulated with biodegradable ingredients and manufactured in a facility that is powered by wind energy and recycles more than 70% of its waste.

  
  

• Another manufacturer and direct seller of healthy living products, Melaleuca uses natural and sustainable ingredients in many of its household products, which utilize the disinfecting power of citric acid and thyme and stain-fighter Melaleuca Oil, the company’s tea tree oil formulation. Its cleaning products are also highly concentrated, allowing the company to reduce packaging (which is made of recyclable plastic and cardboard) and transportation. Founded in 1985, Melaleuca derives its moniker from the scientific name of the tea tree, Melaleuca alternifolia.

  
  

• All One God Faith is best known for its all-natural Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, but the company also uses plant-based surfactants combined with spruce and fir-needle oils to make Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds all-purpose cleaner. All One God Faith was established in 1973, however, its founder, the late Emanuel Bronner, began making soaps in the US under the Dr. Bronner’s name in 1948. (Bronner was originally from Germany and left the country when the Nazis came to power.) Part of the third generation of master soapmakers in his family, Bronner drew upon Old World formulas calling for natural ingredients. He also used his packaging to extol beliefs of unity among different ethnicities and religions. Bronner’s simple product, packaged with a countercultural message, saw soaring sales during the 1960s, and the brand has continued to grow in popularity in North America.

  
  

• The Caldrea Company, a stand-alone subsidiary of S.C. Johnson and Son, takes the edge off cleaning with its aromatherapeutic products, which are marketed under the Caldrea and Mrs. Meyer Clean Day brands. Its household cleaning products are made with plant-derived ingredients, and they are free of parabens, ammonia, chlorine, formaldehyde, and other harmful chemicals. Emphasizing aromatics, the brands use essential oils from flowers and herbs such as lavender, basil, eucalyptus, and rosemary to make their goods smell great. The company was started in 1999 by a corporate marketing consultant, Monica Nassif. The Mrs. Meyer brand is named for her mother, Mrs. Thelma Meyer; the Caldrea brand combines the names of Nassif’s two daughters, Calla and Aundrea. S.C. Johnson acquired The Caldrea Company in 2008.

  
  

• Church and Dwight has been rolling out ARM and HAMMER baking soda since it was founded in 1846. Sure, sodium bicarbonate has several uses (as a toothpaste, a leavening agent, and a pH stabilizer for swimming pools), but it’s also an effective ingredient for cleaning floors and other surfaces, laundry care, and deodorizing. Capitalizing on the success of its baking soda, Church and Dwight has expanded the ARM and HAMMER brand to include bicarbonate-based laundry detergents, cat litter, and deodorizers. ARM and HAMMER-branded goods account for some 40% of the company’s consumer products sold in the US.

Editor Rachel Pierce covers the retail sector for Hoover's.