By Katherine Martinko / Source: TreeHugger

In an attempt to reduce wasteful plastic packaging, MyGreenFills has come up with an innovative paper refill design, which makes its non-toxic detergent both affordable and truly eco-friendly.

When I received a sample of ’ laundry detergent, I was skeptical about whether it would work. A narrow package of powdered detergent dissolved in a full jug of water hardly seemed strong enough to tackle my family’s never-ending stains and spills. But it worked surprisingly well, and even passed the biggest test of all – doing all the post-partum laundry after delivering my third baby at home. If a natural laundry detergent can handle that job, then it can handle anything!

is a new line of all-natural laundry products made by the founders of Selestial Soap. While Selestial sells a highly successful line of eco-friendly industrial laundry supplies, MyGreenFills is geared toward ordinary consumers who just want their laundry to be “free and clear of ‘gobbledygook’: the conventional suds-making, uv-brightening, caustic, perfumery, slimy, residue-leaving laundry products that we have been conditioned to use [and which] causes a myriad of health and environmental issues,” as described by the company’s website.

What makes MyGreenFills unique is its focus on refillables, an option that’s hard to find in today’s world of disposable and single-use consumer goods. Instead of getting a new jug every time you need laundry soap, MyGreenFills sends you a jug with your first order – labeled “The Last Jug You Will Ever Own” – and as many “greenfill” pouches as you need. These could be basic unscented laundry soap, fabric softener, enzyme stain remover, and color-safe brightener. Dump the powder into the jug, add water, and shake it up. The result is an effective cleaning agent that’s much cheaper than most non-toxic laundry brands, fully natural, and dissolves better than pure soap flakes.

“The jug is not a consumable, it’s a durable,” said CEO Stephen Ezell, who knew he needed to come up with some radically different packaging in order to create real change. A horrifying 1 billion plastic laundry jugs are used and discarded annually in the United States, and, according to Ezell, many recyclers can’t handle these products because of the toxic junk that remains inside. The refill packages, by contrast, are made of biodegradable rice paper.

Ezell wants to take the innovative packaging a step further and is currently working to develop a new laundry jug made from post-consumer resin (PCR) and ocean waste plastic. His ultimate goal is a jug that contains as little virgin material as possible, preferably less than 10 percent.

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