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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lizzie Rivera

Best eco-friendly laundry sheets that will leave your clothes smelling fresh

These picks use less space than bottled detergents and fit straight through the letterbox - (Lizzie Rivera/The Independent)

Like many people, I care about keeping our waterways and environment free from detergents and microplastics. So, when I was asked to test the best eco-friendly laundry sheets, I was genuinely keen to find out how sustainable and effective they are.

These dissolvable polymer sheets of enzymes are much more eco-friendly than bottles of detergent and plastic laundry pods. They are usually free of fragrances, surfactants and VOCs that contribute to water and air pollution.

On top of that, they are lighter and therefore save carbon emissions compared to shipping heavy powders and liquids. The sheets usually come in cardboard packaging, too, which helps to cut down on plastic waste.

There are a lot of laundry sheets out there claiming to be eco-friendly, but there’s a lot of greenwashing going on, too. All the brands included in this round-up really are working hard to make washing as non-toxic as possible, from the ingredients used to the production process. My favourites are the Stripwash laundry detergent eco strips, but they might not work for everyone. If you want a more planet-friendly alternative to liquid and powder detergents (while also saving on cupboard space), I’ve found some great options.

How I tested

I spent weeks trialling the sheets (Lizzie Rivera/The Independent)

I tested these sheets for weeks, using them on several laundry loads to see which genuinely cleaned my clothes and which left a little to be desired. I used stain remover on tough stains, as usual, but no conditioner. I examined them on the following criteria:

  • Eco-friendliness and ethics: I investigated every company, grilling them about where the products are made, what ingredients are used, whether or not everyone in the supply chain earns a minimum or living wage.
  • Colours: I tested colour sheets on loads of colourful laundry to see if these sheets prevented colours from running.
  • Whites: I tested sheets on white laundry, seeing if they brightened the sheets or left them looking dull.
  • Scents: Where scented, I assess the scents of each sheey. Many are unfragranced, so I wanted to ensure they refreshed laundry and removed body odour.
  • Stain removal: Most importantly, I wanted these sheets to remove stains.

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

IndyBest is The Independent’s reviews section, where trusted experts examine products to see if they actually work.

Lizzie Rivera is an experienced journalist who specialises in all things sustainability. From eco-conscious lingerie brands to sustainable menswear, she’s written a wide variety of reviews for IndyBest, offering her honest opinions and only recommending products that genuinely deliver on more planet-friendly practices.

The best eco-friendly laundry sheets for 2025 are:

  • Best overall – Stripwash laundry detergent eco strips: £6.49, Stripwash.co.uk
  • Best budget – Re:gn laundry detergent sheets: £6.30, Regn.co.uk
  • Best for sensitive skin – Spruce laundry sheets: £12.99, Wearespruce.co

Stripwash laundry detergent eco strips

Rating: 5/5

Best: Eco-friendly laundry sheet overall

Number of sheets in pack: 24

Cost per sheet: 29p

Number of sheets per wash: 0.5-2

Scents available: Cotton fresh, fragrance-free

Subscription available: Yes

Made in: Britain

Why we love it

  • Clothes smell clean
  • Great brand ethos

Even after the official testing period, I’ve found myself reaching for Stripwash again and again. I used the brand’s ‘cotton fresh’ option for sheets, and the scent-free version for everything else, and my clothes smelled lovely and clean. The washed garments came out soft, without the need for conditioner.

There is so much I admire about this company. It set up its own manufacturing unit in the UK; it uses renewable energy; the highest-paid worker in the company only earns 1.43 times more than the lowest-paid worker, with the brand linking with the local job centre to provide opportunities to those looking for work. All these things are signs of a company that truly cares about people and the planet.

Buy now £6.49, Stripwash.co.uk

Re:gn laundry detergent sheets

Rating: 4/5

Best: Budget eco-friendly laundry sheet

Number of sheets in pack: 64

Cost per sheet: 10p

Number of sheets per wash: 1-3

Scents available : Naturally scented, unscented

Subscription available: Yes

Made in : China

Why we love it

  • Great value for money
  • Plant-derived ingredients

If you’re looking for the best value per wash, Re:gn is the brand to go with, as the sheets in this pack of 64 work out at about 10p each.

This doesn’t come at the cost of the workers, though – the company’s owner has done their due diligence (as far as possible) and has assured me that the average wage for people working in the factories in China is two-thirds higher than the average wage of people working in the region.

The unscented laundry sheets are ideal for people with sensitive skin, as the ingredients are gentle, plant-derived, and designed to be non-irritating. During testing, they left my clothes feeling fresh and clean. What more could you want?

Buy now £6.30, Regn.co.uk

Spruce laundry sheets

Rating: 5/5

Best: Eco-friendly laundry sheet for sensitive skin

Number of sheets in pack: 30

Cost per sheet: 43p

Number of sheets per wash: 1-2

Scents available : Fragrance-free

Subscription available: Yes

Made in : Britain

Why we love it

  • Laundry felt nice and soft, despite lack of softener
  • Gentle on skin and the planet

Take note

  • Relatively pricey

Spruce’s founder is very honest about how her infertility journey led her to create her brand. The focus here is on non-toxic ingredients that are better for human and planet health. These ingredients are mainly grown and made in the UK, with the exception of the organic essential oils, which are climate-dependent and sourced from the EU.

Because of their non-toxic focus, the sheets are fragrance-free, but my clothes still came out feeling clean and smelling fresh. There is no softener added to the sheets but my laundry still felt lovely and soft. In fact, the lack of additional fragrance was pretty much the only thing that stood these sheets apart from scented products. If you’re looking for laundry sheets that won’t upset sensitive skin, these are great.

Buy now £12.99

Wablu coloured wash laundry sheets

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Eco-friendly laundry sheet for colour washes

Number of sheets in pack: 24

Cost per sheet: 28p

Number of sheets per wash: 1-2

Scents available : Very berry

Subscription available: Yes

Made in : Germany

Why we love it

  • Helps stop colours from fading
  • Smells great

I was impressed with the offering from Wablu, which has recently moved its operations from China to Europe, ensuring a smaller carbon footprint as the products don’t have to travel as far.

I used the ‘coloured wash’ on everyday clothes and they did indeed retain their colour, with the items coming out smelling clean, too. I also tried the brand’s ‘spring floral’ laundry sheets (£6.79, Wablu.care) on white bedding and towels, and they came out looking refreshed and bright.

Buy now £6.79, Wablu.care

The Green Co Greensheets laundry detergent sheets

Rating: 4/5

Best: Eco-friendly laundry sheet for scent

Number of sheets in pack: 64

Cost per sheet: 23p

Number of sheets per wash: 1-2

Scents available : Lavender, fresh linen, fragrance-free

Subscription available: Yes

Made in : China

Why we love it

  • Clothes came out clean and soft
  • Great brand ethos

When he was just 17 years old, one of this company’s co-founders, Emilio Rimini, started creating beeswax wraps in his mother's kitchen in Scotland, because he was concerned about plastic pollution. Fast-forward to today, and The Green Co makes all sorts of cleaning products.

Rimini is passionate about sustainability, and he’s impressively honest about what’s good about his company (it works closely with manufacturers, it values the team, and it’s donated more than 300,000 loads worth of laundry sheets to 25 food banks) and what can be improved (it’s looking to fund small-scale manufacturing in Dundee from next year).

As for the sheets themselves, they’re fantastic. They smelled great, and my clothes came out clean and soft during testing.

Buy now £14.95, Thegreencompany.online

Purum laundry detergent sheets

Rating: 4/5

Best: Eco-friendly laundry sheet for sportswear

Number of sheets in pack: 64

Cost per sheet: 11p

Number of sheets per wash: 1-3

Scents available : Fresh linen, tropical, ocean breeze, lavender, citrus bliss

Subscription available: Yes

Made in : China

Why we love it

  • Smells more like traditional laundry detergents
  • Planet-friendly ingredients

Purum is owned by the same small company as Re:gn (also included in this list). The brands’ laundry sheets are pretty much identical when it comes to ingredients, but they are made in different factories, and the scents are stronger with Purum, so I found that these sheets excelled when washing sportswear.

As such, Purum would be a good option for those who are just starting to transition to more eco-friendly products in the home, as you still get the just-washed smell of traditional laundry detergents but with more planet-friendly ingredients.

Buy now £6.99, Purum.co.uk

What is the best eco-friendly laundry sheet?

Overall, I was impressed with the range of eco-friendly laundry sheets on offer, but Stripwash is leading the pack when it comes to sustainability and innovation. The brand’s laundry sheets cleaned beautifully, even in cooler washes, and they smelled great.

Spruce was also a firm favourite during testing. The brand goes above and beyond in keeping its laundry sheets free from toxic chemicals and synthetic fragrances, making the sheets ideal for people with sensitive skin or children. Plus, both brands’ sheets are UK-made, reducing carbon emissions.

Want more recommendations? Check out our guide to the best eco-friendly cleaning products

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