Tru Earth Laundry Strips Review: Is It Truly Eco-Friendly?

When you think of the laundry and cleaning, the first thing that comes to mind probably won’t be exciting and cutting edge.

Well, it’s time for your laundry duty to get more exciting!

I first heard about Tru Earth Laundry Strips from a friend who said they changed her life. I was skeptical at first and thought, how could little strips of paper really clean my clothes?

After having to empty my trash can a second time in a day because it was overflowing with used detergents and softeners, I gave up and decided to give Tru Earth Eco strips a try.

In this Tru Earth Laundry Strips review, I’ll talk about my experience using this product. I’ll explain all its pros and cons, and most importantly, if it's effective and truly eco-friendly.

Let’s start.

What Are Tru Earth Laundry Strips?

Tru Earth Laundry Strips are strips used to clean clothes in a washing machine. They are an eco-friendly alternative to liquid, powder, and pod detergents. 

Tru Earth laundry strips are manufactured by a company located in British Columbia, Canada, which wanted to create a product that takes care of the environment and works well. 

Tru Earth eco strips laundry detergent comes in zero-waste compostable packaging, in a box resembling an envelope. It looks like thin foam sheets that dissolve in water.

The sheets are vegan, without any dyes, chlorine, or phosphate. They are not only free of animal-based ingredients, they are also hypoallergenic, which makes them suitable for sensitive skin.

Plus, they are low-sudsing, so the laundry strips can be used in both standard and high-efficiency washers. 

This detergent is mess-free, and there’s no measuring needed. I liked that it comes in the shape of sheets, as regular and other eco-friendly detergents in the shape of jugs always leave smears on every surface I place them on. Plus, the jugs almost always drip or leak.

Tru Earth sheets are 6 by 3 inches. I especially liked that they are perforated down the middle so I could tear them in half when I only had enough clothes for a medium-sized load.

As the sheets are pre-measured and liquidless, you can just toss them in the wash.

Variations and Options

These laundry strips come in four scents: 

I was thrilled to discover they offer a fragrance-free version, as my mom is extremely sensitive to smells. 

The price depends on which size of laundry strips you choose, but it goes from $9.95 for 8 loads to $149 for 384 loads.

Plus, there’s free shipping on all orders, and if you subscribe, you’ll get a significant discount. If you try it and don’t like it, you can contact the company and get a full refund.

Tru Earth Laundry Strips vs. Regular Laundry Detergents

Here are all the ways in which Tru Earth strips differ from regular detergents.

Number of Loads

A regular liquid laundry detergent claims it can last for 100 loads. Let’s break this down. Most of them come with a cup with a selection of fill lines. You can find the instructions for the lines on the bottle. 

But let’s be honest.

Do you really stick to those? Or do you tend to go over the fill line a little to be sure your clothes will come out clean?

Or do you even completely wing it and free-pour?

When we consider these habits, it’s highly unlikely anyone ever truly gets 100 loads out of these jugs.

On the other hand, you won’t have this issue with Tru Earth laundry strips. One strip is enough for one load, and there’s no measuring needed on your part. Plus, as I mentioned, you can even use half a strip for a light load or two strips for a very big one.

Storing

Some people like to store laundry detergent. This is much more difficult to do with regular ones, as they come in bulky jugs or bags, while Tru Earth comes in thin packages.

Finally, the less something weighs, the less fuel is used for its shipping, which is also an important consideration. 

Ingredients

Ingredients are the biggest difference between eco-friendly detergents and regular detergents. Regular detergents contain huge amounts of water — up to 95% in some cases.

On the other hand, eco-friendly ones contain up to 50%, which is a significant difference. So, why would you buy water from a company that manufactures detergents when you already have it? 

Also, regular detergents contain phosphate, which is a kind of salt mostly used in fertilizers and is banned in detergents.

To get around this ban, companies use substitutes harmful to human health.

Some of the substitutes are synthetic surfactants, which are highly toxic to fish. 

Tru Earth Eco Strips laundry detergent doesn’t use any of these. It has completely natural plant-based ingredients, so it’s safe to drain into the waterways. 

Packaging

Finally, let’s compare the packaging. Regular detergents are packaged in high-density polyethylene.

68% of these bottles aren’t recycled, which leads to 275 metric tons of waste that goes into the oceans.

Not to mention that these huge jugs are leaky and can leave stains in your home.

On the other hand, Tru Earth company claims they can ship 400 laundry strips for the same carbon emissions and packaging it would take to ship a 100-load jug of laundry soap.

This would cut the environmental impact by around 75%, which is a huge improvement. 

Plus, Tru Earth packaging can be recycled or composted, so it creates no waste, while regular plastic ones can’t.

Are Tru Earth Laundry Strips Eco-Friendly? How So?

I would have liked to know how exactly they reached these numbers, but they sound promising. We can conclude the transport of Tru Earth is much more efficient compared to traditional detergents.

The packaging is 100% plastic-free, and Tru Earth strips come in completely recyclable and compostable packaging with eco-friendly ingredients. It doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals, bleach, phosphates, or dyes, and it’s biodegradable.

The Tru Earth laundry strips ingredients list contains coconut oil, essential oil fragrance, polyvinyl alcohol, and other plant-based or plant-derived ingredients.

The company claims the strips have been certified by an independent dermatologist, so it’s suitable for sensitive skin. 

Finally, these laundry strips are vegan-friendly, which means none of them have been tested on animals, either by Tru Earth or their suppliers. 

To sum up, Tru Earth laundry strips are eco-friendly and much kinder to the planet compared to regular detergents. These strips come in a cardboard box that can be recycled. They are lightweight, which results in fewer carbon emissions, and have safe and natural ingredients. The strip can be composted once you’re done with it. I found this to be an eco-friendly and a zero-waste product. 

How to Use Tru Earth Laundry Strips

I found Tru Earth laundry strips extremely easy to use — much easier compared to traditional detergents. I mentioned there’s no need to measure anything, haul, or pour from heavy jugs.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to use Tru Earth strips:

1. Tear a square sheet into two strips

1. One strip is enough for one load.
2. Use half a strip for a small load.
3. Use two strips for very dirty clothes or a large load.

2. Put the strip into the washing machine

1. If you have a top-loading machine, toss the strip inside the drum.
2. If you have a front-loading machine, put the strip into the detergent dispenser drawer. If it won't fit, tear the strip into small pieces. Alternatively, you can also place the strip directly into the drum.

3. Add the clothes to the machine

4. Choose the wash cycle (Tru Earth strips will dissolve in both hot and cold water).

The strips dissolve easily in water, whether cold or hot. You can use Tru Earth Eco Strips in all washing machines, including HE ones.

The detergent formula will remove dirt molecules and stains and keep them suspended until they are rinsed. This makes clothes washing easier, more economical, and better for the planet.

Performance Analysis: Does It Clean Well?

The short answer — Yes, Tru Earth laundry strips clean well. 

I’ve used them on smelly clothes, on my gardening clothes full of dirt stains, and on my hiking clothes full of stains after coming back from camping. Tru Earth successfully cleaned all of these well.

More serious stains, such as wine ones, needed paste rubbed in before washing, but the stains were removed, and the clothes smelled nice and fresh.

Personally, I’m not too fond of detergents whose smell can be detected two floors over. I found Tru Earth to have a very subtle smell. In most cases, I wouldn’t even smell it unless I stick my nose into the clothes, which is a plus for me.

But I have to be completely honest here. While these laundry strips worked for me, many others didn’t have the same experience. 

I checked other Tru Earth laundry strips reviews and found several complaints. Some users complain of Tru Earth ruining their clothing. These users experienced changes to the texture and color.

For example, brand new white socks turned out gray after washing, and the odor didn’t completely disappear.

I advise trying them for yourself. Based on my experience, they work well, but it’s possible that may not be the case for everyone.

Things I Loved About Tru Earth Laundry Strips

There were several things I liked about Tru Earth laundry strips. Most importantly, I liked how effective they were. True, some of the worst stains needed little additional help, but that’s true for most other detergents.

Generally, my clothes came out of the washer clean and smelling fresh.

Talking about the smell, I appreciate the subtle smell. I have some smell-sensitive people in my family, and I found that even versions with smell weren’t too overpowering.

Next, I really liked the packaging. I talked about how eco-friendly it is.

It’s recyclable, compostable, and lightweight. I used these strips while living in an apartment building with shared laundry three floors down, so I was ecstatic with how lightweight the strips were compared to lugging a jug of detergent. 

I studied the list of ingredients, and I liked how people, animal, and planet-friendly they are. They are paraben-free, which makes them suitable for very sensitive skin. There isn’t any bleach or dyes, and it’s phosphate-free, which makes it good for the environment. 

Finally, the strips are 1.4 dioxane-free and certified by independent laboratory tests.

I loved how easy it was to use the strips.

I didn’t have to measure anything. My mom liked this even more. She always forgets her glasses when filling in the cup of regular detergent, so she either overpours or has to go and hunt for her glasses.

One strip equals one load, so there’s nothing to spill and measure.

Finally, I liked the shipping and guarantee options. You’ll get free shipping even on the smallest package (8 loads).

Plus, if you subscribe, you’ll have significant savings. And, if you aren’t satisfied with the laundry strips, you can contact the company and get your money back, so you aren’t risking anything by trying them out.

Things I Didn't Like About Tru Earth Laundry Strips

There were also some things I didn’t like and wish the company improved upon.

To start, the fragrance. I know I praised the subtle smell, but here’s the catch. Even the Fragrance-Free option has a smell.

This is because fragrance-free isn’t the same as unscented. This essentially means this option doesn’t have added fragrances — natural or synthetic. However, there’s a faint aroma. Still, I have to admit, it’s very faint, and you aren’t likely to notice it much or at all.

Next, I would have liked to see some cruelty-free certifications to back up all the vegan claims. I found that Tru Earth’s partner company has vegan products, but Tru Earth could make more of an effort to get a certificate as well.

Finally, the last thing I didn’t like was the price. Tru Earth laundry strips are more expensive compared to both regular detergents and eco-friendly ones.

I did find you can get them a little cheaper through Amazon Prime. However, there’s a high chance Amazon will ship the strips in non-recyclable plastic, which beats the purpose of buying an eco-friendly product.

Popular Alternatives

Here are a couple of other Tru Earth alternatives I used and loved.

Dropps Stain & Odor Laundry Detergent Pods

ECOS Laundry Detergent

The ingredients are natural, such as coconut, and there aren’t any harsh chemicals, and one bottle has enough liquids for 100 loads.

Finally, the only part I didn’t like is that it comes in plastic packaging; however, it’s fully recyclable.

Tide Purclean

The only thing I didn’t like about Tide Purclean is that it struggled to remove serious stains, so you may need to get a separate removal soap.

It’s good for sensitive skin and has subtle honey and lavender scent.

Should You Buy Tru Earth Laundry Strips? 

I hope you found my Tru Earth review helpful. My final verdict: Yes, you should buy Tru Earth laundry strips. 

The packaging is 100% eco-friendly, recyclable, and compostable. It has only natural ingredients and won’t irritate sensitive skin.

If you’re a parent concerned your child will get a hold of the laundry detergent, or you’re very short on space, this could be an excellent solution.

Most importantly, I found it to be very effective. I had a lot of success using it even on very dirty clothes. 

Give it a try, and you too can wash your clothes without damaging the environment.