Despite being relatively new to the market, Tru Earth Eco-Strips have gained a stellar reputation among consumers. Positive reviews and increased attention abound for these detergent alternatives.
But have you even heard of Tru Earth? And are its products everything they seem?
I’ve put together a detailed analysis of this Canadian laundry sheet manufacturer, its Eco-Strips laundry detergent, and its other products to help you figure out if Tru Earth is worth your time and money.
My assessment of Tru Earth Eco-Strips
Pros
- Plastic-free, zero-waste, and biodegradable packaging
- Cruelty-free ingredients that are never tested on animals
- 94% less carbon emissions than alternatives
- Low-sudsing formula that works properly in hot and cold water and in all washing machines
- Convenient and mess free
- Made in Canada under strict health and safety regulations
- Completely hypoallergenic and safe for people with allergies or sensitive skin
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Paraben-free, chlorine bleach-free, 1,4 dioxane-free, dye-free and phosphate-free formula
- Donations of 32 laundry sheets to charity with every subscription, including food banks, frontline workers, and people experiencing financial hardship
- 36-month shelf life
Cons
Despite the wide range of benefits—especially with sustainability and eco-friendliness—Tru Earth strips have a few negatives:
- Tru Earth laundry strips cost $19.95 for 32 loads, making them more expensive than alternatives. Earth Breeze, for example, costs $20 for 60 loads, almost half the price.
- Tru Earth Eco-Strips are difficult to find in stores. They’re much easier to purchase online from Amazon or its website.
- Despite being “eco-friendly,” Tru Earth Eco-Strips contain polyvinyl alcohol, a petroleum derivative. Polyvinyl alcohol is biodegradable and may pose little risk to gray water, but that’s debatable. And it’s still a petrochemical.
- The special varieties aren’t much to sneeze at.
- If you’re not happy with your product, you still have to pay the shipping to return it, so it’s not completely risk free.
- Tru Earth’s customer service and delivery times need work.
Eco-Strips laundry detergent sheets
Tru Earth’s main product is concentrated laundry detergent sheets that are hypoallergenic and eco-friendly. Their gentle formula makes them an excellent choice for households with babies and people with allergies or sensitive skin.
They all come in quantities of 32, 64, and 384 loads and cost $12.95–$164, depending on quantity and subscription discounts.
Signing up for the annual subscription gets you a 27% discount on your 384-load package of Tru Earth Eco-Strips. That applies to scented and unscented products, as well as baby detergents. A one-time purchase of the 384-load package costs $149, but the discount brings it down to $109.
Visit the Tru Earth website for specifics, but here are the varieties and scents Eco-Strips come in:
- Baby
- Fresh Linen
- Fragrance Free
- Lilac Breeze
How do these laundry strips work?
Tru Earth laundry strips are surprisingly easy to use. For a top-loader washing machine, take out a pre-measured strip—or half a strip for small loads—place it into your machine with your clothes, and you’re ready to go.
A front-loading laundry machine is slightly different, but still easy. You’ll simply need to throw the strip into the dispenser, toss your dirty clothes into the machine, and let them work. If you need to tear the strip into pieces to do this, that’s okay.
The brilliant thing about detergent sheets is that there’s no mess, no spillage, no heavy lifting, and no measuring. For more information about detergent sheets in general, read my article “The Best Laundry Detergent Sheets in 2022.”
Beyond laundry soap
What sets Tru Earth Eco-Strips apart from other eco-friendly laundry detergent brands is its extensive line of other cleaning products and household items made from quality ingredients and materials with environmental friendliness in mind. Here’s a list of the other essential household items you can get from the Tru Earth shop.
- Bamboo Cutlery Set: Get it here.
- Beeswax Food Wraps: Get them here.
- Beeswax Snack Bags: Get them here.
- Bamboo Rounds Reusable Makeup Remover Pads With Reusable Cotton Laundry Bag: Get them here.
- Stainless Steel Straws: Get them here.
- Multi-Surface Cleaner—Lemon Fresh: Get it here.
- Swedish Dishcloths: Get them here.
- Fabric Softening Wool Dryer Balls: Get them here.
- Tru Earth Premium Laundry Strips Storage Tin: Get it here.
- Premium Tote Bag: Get it here.
- Reusable Cotton Mesh Produce Bags: Get them here.
- Mesh Reusable Grocery Bags: Get them here.
- Bamboo Cotton Swabs: Get them here.
- Compostable Pop-up Sponges: Get them here.
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Get it here.
- Laundry Hamper: Get it here.
Why Tru Earth?
Consumers are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious and are making the switch from harmful powder and liquid detergents to more eco-friendly products. Tru Earth Eco-Strips are leading the way in this department, with the brand’s benefits putting a traditional powder or liquid detergent to shame.
Founded in British Columbia, Canada, in 2019, Tru Earth is a Vancouver-based laundry detergent sheets manufacturer. Established by Kevin Hinton, Ryan Mckenzie, and Brad Liski, it also makes other eco-friendly products to outfit your laundry room, kitchen, and whole house.
The brand promotes sustainable and eco-friendly best practices across the entirety of its production, including packaging and shipping. Tru Earth’s ingredients are also harmless to the environment and completely biodegradable.
To back up its dedication to sustainability, Tru Earth started the #TruEarthMovement to reduce the impact humanity has on the planet. According to the company, it’s helped eliminate six million plastic jugs through this initiative.
Tru Earth is also involved in social efforts, donating 32 Eco-Strips to food banks and frontline workers (among other charities) with each subscription. That’s led to over 11 million loads of laundry being donated to charity in the past few years.
Despite the damage that traditional laundry detergent does to the environment, it’s still widely used, whether consumers are aware of this damage or not. If you’re not convinced that laundry detergent poses a threat to the environment—and your family—read my article that lists the 11 worst toxins in your laundry detergent. Still, the movement is growing to switch to brands like Tru Earth, as they avoid this ecological devastation while still being a convenient way to clean clothes.
Tru Earth, specifically, boasts multiple benefits, including its plastic-free and biodegradable packaging, a huge step up from the damaging plastic a traditional powder or liquid detergent comes in. The detergent strips are also easier to store because they come in lightweight and compact containers. The paraben-free, chlorine bleach-free, dye-free, and phosphate-free formula is completely plant based, so the ingredients are safe for your skin and the environment.
Tru Earth says it’s kept 700 million plastic jugs from being unleashed into the environment, resulting in significantly less plastic pollution every year. If every consumer switched to Tru Earth, it’d equate to taking 27 million cars off the road or planting 9 million trees.
As climate change worsens and humanity sees worsening flooding, drought, and species loss, every little bit helps, and Tru Earth definitely seems to be doing its bit.
Why not Tru Earth?
Compared to some more affordable eco-friendly detergents, Tru Earth is expensive. Earth Breeze, for example, costs only $0.20 per wash, compared with Tru Earth’s $0.45 per-wash price. Considering that the ingredients and performance of these two brands are similar, it’s not practical to choose Tru Earth over Earth Breeze.
Tru Earth’s special varieties appear to be no more than a marketing ploy. The “Baby” detergent has the exact same ingredients as the regular, and the “Platinum” option, which is supposed to have extra cleaning oomph, include the chemicals sodium c14-17 alkyl sec sulfonate, peg-20 glyceryl cocoate, and propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, all of which have unfavorable ratings from the Environmental Working Group. And as a clever consumer, you must ask yourself, why don’t Tru Earth’s regular strips work well enough to eliminate the need for a platinum version, and why does the platinum version need questionable chemicals to achieve this superior clean?
If you consider that these detergent sheets are expensive and may have dubious performance and ingredients, it’s no wonder that their customer service is reportedly out of its element? Online reviews complain of delays in delivery—and in some cases, no delivery at all—and unhelpful customer service staff. Since the brand isn’t sold in many stores, it’s near certain that you’ll have to purchase online. But you’ll have to pay to ship back your return if you’re unhappy with the product.
I’m not saying don’t try Tru Earth. It’s without doubt better than conventional detergents full of phosphates, parabens, dyes, bleaches, and myriad other toxic materials. But if you settle on Tru Earth, manage your expectations.
For a side-by-side comparison of Tru and Earth Breeze, read my article Tru Earth vs Earth Breeze. And if you’re still on the lookout for an eco-friendly detergent, read my article about the eight best detergent sheets.
My Tru Earth review
Cleaning power: 4.5/5
Tru Earth laundry products do a decent job of cleaning clothes, and you’ll end up with completely stain-free clothes after one wash cycle. Unlike a conventional liquid laundry soap or powder, it’s safe for sensitive skin, works in any washing machine, and can be used in hot or cold water.
The main reason I couldn’t give the laundry detergent any more points is some customer reviews claim it wasn’t as effective for them in front-loading, or HE, machines. They suggest that there were some stains and a bit of an odor left after a wash, with some even saying these were leftover after several washes.
But overall, despite being lightweight, Tru Earth Eco-Strips pack a punch, with the brand’s website claiming 3 grams of the products is equivalent to 40 grams of a powder or liquid laundry detergent. All this while not harming the environment.
Price: 3.2/5
Tru Earth Eco-Strips offer a decent value compared to most of the liquid detergents on the market because paraben free, phosphate free, and chlorine free, and is 94% more lightweight than a powder or liquid detergent. It doesn’t cause any mess or spillage, so you don’t need to worry about any waste when you’re cleaning your clothes. Consumers are willing to pay for this quality.
But while there’s value to the product, it’s not exactly the most affordable. Tru Earth laundry detergents aren’t only more expensive than most liquid and powder detergents, but also most other laundry sheets and brands. It’s almost double the price of Earth Breeze, for example, which comes in at $0.33 per load compared to Tru Earth’s $0.62.
While the brand offers a subscription discount that brings this down to $0.45, that’s still double the price of Earth Breeze, whose subscription offer brings it down to $0.20 per wash.
Product line: 4.9/5
Tru Earth offers a wider range of products, with the basic Eco-Strips laundry detergent sheet coming in two varieties. Then there’s the laundry sheets for babies, which are specifically designed for use on baby clothes.
Tru Earth also offers Eco-Strips Platinum laundry detergent sheets, which come in either a scented or fragrance-free version. These are designed to remove the toughest stains and odors, with the products shining with sports apparel and activewear.
Then there are the multiple other products Tru Earth offers, such as multi-surface cleaners, Swedish dishcloths, snack bags, beeswax food wraps, bamboo cutlery, and wool dryer balls. All of these are eco-friendly.
Tru Earth’s comprehensive line of eco-friendly products could outfit you well for a green lifestyle.
Customer service: 2.9/5
Customer service isn’t an area where Tru Earth shines, with multiple customer reviews calling the company out on this online. Customers have highlighted not being able to get a response from the brand, and some have even highlighted a product was marked as “delivered” despite not actually having been delivered.
Convenience: 5/5
Tru Earth strips are one of the easiest to use laundry detergents I could find. There isn’t any spillage, mess, or hassle to deal with when using them, so there won’t be any waste when you’re washing with them. All you’ll need to do is open the package, take out a strip, and toss it into your washing machine.
They get extra points since they can be used in multiple types of washing machines without any hassle.
Overall: 4.2/5
Each variety of Tru Earth strips passes the wash test with ease. The strips don’t lead to plastic waste, they reduce consumers’ carbon footprint, and they are easy to use. They’re admittedly one of the more expensive detergents to pick up, which could be an issue for anyone cleaning on a budget.
Aside from the price and a few customer service issues, Tru Earth laundry detergent is a great choice for eco-conscious consumers.
What others are saying about Tru Earth
I analyzed Tru Earth reviews across a number of review sites, including Google, Trustpilot, Facebook, the Better Business Bureau, and for the sake of balance, Tru Earth’s own website.
In general, Tru Earth’s customer service receives the brunt of online criticism. Deliveries have been late or not shown up at all, complaints have not been resolved, and refunds not always completed as promised. But while these complaints are cause for concern, they are accompanied by a great many positive reviews.
Tru Earth’s cleaning performance and eco-friendliness, in particular, are popular features of this detergent. Customers also seem to enjoy the compact packaging and plastic-free design.
The variety of products are also appreciated, and customers seem particularly fond of the fragrance-free option. This really isn’t surprising, considering many consumers looking for alternative laundry detergents do so because the harsh chemicals irritate their skin or asthma symptoms.
While the Tru Earth website reviews displayed no negative reviews, that’s not really a surprise. You can’t always trust a company to evaluate itself impartially, that’s why it’s important to consult third-party review sites. And despite some delivery and shipping issues, Tru Earth seems to be a pretty well-received brand.
Wrapping it up
Tru Earth is great for consumers looking for an eco-friendly alternative to powder detergent and liquid laundry soap, the packaging and ingredients of which can lead to environmental degradation. It’s perfect for people who want to reduce their carbon emissions and lower the amount of chemical and plastic waste they add to the environment.
The Eco-Strips are also an effective alternative to liquid laundry detergent for people with sensitive skin or allergies, as well as those who don’t have much space in their laundry room, and for anybody who wants to lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
You’ll need to avoid this eco-friendly laundry detergent brand if you’re budget conscious, though, as it’s more expensive than many other liquid detergents, powders, and sheets on the market.
In addition to being environmentally safe, it doesn’t set off allergic reactions or irritate sensitive skin. Vegan, free from harsh chemicals, and nontoxic, it’s as safe for human health as it is for the environment.
If you’re used to using a traditional powder or liquid laundry detergent, you’ll be surprised to learn that newer, more modern companies put a lot of effort into protecting the environment. Tru Earth does more than other detergents in this department and minimizes the impact it has on the ecosystems and the planet as a whole.
Frequently asked questions
Are the ingredients truly eco-friendly?
Yes. The complete formula Tru Earth’s Fragrance-Free laundry detergent sheets is cornstarch, polyvinyl alcohol, glycerin, sodium c14-16 olefin sulfonate, aqua, glyceryl cocoate, cocamidopropyl betaine, caprylyl/capryl glucoside, sodium gluconate, paraffinum liquidum, potassium sorbate, lauryl glucoside, c10-16 olefin, sodium chloride, and sodium sulfate. Find the ingredients for the other varieties here.
Are Tru Earth’s cleaning products vegan?
Yes, Tru Earth only uses plant-based or plant-derived ingredients.
Can I use these detergent sheets in an HE machine?
Yes. Tru Earth’s products work in all washing machines and will be as effective in a front-loading machine as they are in an HE washing machine.
How long will Eco-Strips last?
Three years.
Do I need more than one strip per load?
No. One strip is more than enough for heavy loads. For smaller loads, half a strip should be enough.
Are Tru Earth Eco-Strips made in China?
No. Tru Earth laundry strips and other products are manufactured in British Columbia, Canada. They’re made under strict health regulations, making sure they’re as safe as possible.
Can I reach out to Tru Earth’s customer service team?
Yes. You can contact Tru Earth at info@tru.earth or 1-888-536-4211 for any inquiries. You can also fill out a contact form on its website.
Does Tru Earth provide free shipping?
Yes. Shipping is free. Return shipping is not free, however.
What if I want to cancel my subscription?
Canceling a Tru Earth subscription is easy. Simply follow the steps found here: https://www.tru.earth/mysubscriptions.
Can I return the product if I don’t like it?
Yes. Every purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, but that doesn’t include return shipping. If you’re not happy with the purchase, ship it back and you’ll get a refund.