DAY 35 of trying to shop more sustainably FABRIC SOFTNER

@madegooduk

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Wilton

The best smelling botanical fabric care range, formulated with eco-friendly, plant-based and vegan friendly ingredients. Designed by perfumers and blended with natural essential oils for a lasting scent. B-Corp, Carbon Neutral Business.

2 videos2 creators

Why it worked

The video addresses a common household product with a sustainability angle, providing practical alternatives and actionable advice. The creator's personal experience and clear explanations of the 'why' behind the recommendations, combined with a call to action and a promise of further information in the caption, encourage engagement and sharing.

Summary

This video discusses the environmental and functional downsides of conventional fabric softeners, which often use animal fat or palm oil and can reduce absorbency and flame resistance. It suggests alternatives like using less softener, opting for brands like Ecover or Wilton that use plant-based ingredients and sustainable packaging, or using diluted white vinegar as a natural alternative. The creator provides tips for choosing more sustainable fabric care options.

Structure

1Introduction to the sustainability challenge and focus on fabric softener.
2Explanation of how fabric softener works and its common ingredients (animal fat/palm oil).

Original caption

More from @madegooduk

On-screen text

DAY 35 of trying to shop more sustainably FABRIC SOFTNER a thin layer of rendered animal a thin layer of rendered animal fat or palm Welcome to day 35 Welcome to day 35 of making a big sustainability impact And today, we're talking fabric softener Nearly everyone's got promise softer clothes, kind fabric protection But the thing is, But the thing is, you probably don't Fabric softener works by coating a thin layer of fat a thin layer of fat to make them feel But the catch is what that fat's made from Most mainstream is rendered is rendered animal fat, or palm So that bottle So that bottle promising gentle care is basically animal fat animal fat or palm oil with a with a synthetic fragrance And that fat can actively work actively work On towels, On towels, it'll stop them absorbing water, so fluffy new towels just end up pushing Turn over a bottle of Fairy out Liquid Liquid fabric softener can increase fabric flammability. Do not use on children's sleepwear, flame-resistant fabrics, or terry cloth It literally tells you It literally tells you to keep kids' pyjamas and your towels because increases flammability and ruins It's the same story with gym kit Breathable sportswear relies on tiny to pull sweat to pull sweat away from your skin Softener clogs those moisture moisture and locking bad smells Which currently leaves you wondering much it's worth So, Honestly, the simplest fix is using far less it, or just skipping it altogether. But if there are still things that that bit softer, like bedding, then couple of options And one home hack that First First is Ecover Their bottle is 100% recycled, leaping cruelty-free, and uses European rapeseed instead of animal instead of animal fat or palm oil Just keep in mind that Ecover Ecover is owned by Johnson, Johnson, so it's not an independent And our top pick on the shelf is wilton They're a British-made independent brand, and the only certified B Corp here, meaning the business is independently for for its environmental and social impact But if you want to go one step better only costs pennies per only costs pennies per wash, just use a splash of diluted white vinegar in your softener drawer. It strips out It strips out the mineral residue makes clothes stiff without leaving any smell behind So it won't leave you craving Just use it in moderation, not neat. So, here's our rules for First, First, ask if you actually need it because for most loads, you don't And if you do buy it, look for these three things: a 100% a 100% recycled bottle, plant plant oils animal fat or palm oil, and an independent and an independent badge you can verify, like a B Corp or leaping bunny. Hit those, and you're ahead Let us know if you've got your own fabric All the prices and a quick cheat sheet down in the caption So, save this video reckon

Transcript

Fabric softener works by coating your clothes in a thin layer of fat, and in most bottles that's either tallow (rendered animal fat) or palm oil, with a fragrance on top. And it quietly works against you. It kills the absorbency in your towels, it clogs the sweat-wicking in gym kit, and the Fairy bottle itself says don't use it on children's sleepwear because it can reduce flame resistance. So before you buy another big plastic bottle of what's mostly water, it's worth asking if you need it at all. Welcome to day 35 of making a big sustainability impact. And today, we're talking fabric softener in laundry aisles. Nearly everyone's got a bottle, and they all promise the same things: softer clothes, kind to sensitive skin, fabric protection. But the thing is, you probably don't need it at all. Fabric softener works by coating your clothes in a thin layer of fat to make them feel smooth. But the catch is what that fat's made from. Most mainstream brands use either tallow, is rendered animal fat, or palm oil, with a synthetic fragrance on top. And that fat can actively work against you. On towels, it'll stop them absorbing water, so fluffy new towels just end up pushing water around. Turn over a bottle of Fairy and it spells it out in black and white. Liquid fabric softener can increase fabric flammability. Do not use on children's sleepwear, flame-resistant fabrics, or terry cloth, which is what your towels are made of. It literally tells you to keep it off your kids' pyjamas and your towels because it increases flammability and ruins absorbency. It's the same story with gym kit. Breathable sportswear relies on tiny channels to pull sweat away from your skin. Softener clogs those channels, trapping moisture and locking bad smells right in, which currently leaves you wondering how much it's worth. So, honestly, the simplest fix is using far less of it, or just skipping it altogether. But if there are still things that you want that bit softer, like bedding, then here are a couple of options. And one home hack that beats them back. First is Ecover. Their bottle is 100% recycled, leaping bunny, cruelty-free, and uses European rapeseed oil instead of animal fat or palm oil. Just keep in mind that Ecover is owned by SC Johnson, so it's not an independent brand. And our top pick on the shelf is Wilton London. They're a British-made independent brand, and the only certified B Corp here, meaning the business is independently audited for its environmental and social impact. But if you want to go one step better, it only costs pennies per wash, just use a splash of diluted white vinegar in your softener drawer. It strips out the mineral residue that makes clothes stiff without leaving any smell behind. So it won't leave you craving a bag of chips. Just use it in moderation, not neat. So, here's our rules for fabric softener. First, ask if you actually need it, because for most loads, you don't. And if you do buy it, look for these three things: a 100% recycled bottle, plant oils instead of animal fat or palm oil, and an independent badge you can verify, like a B Corp or leaping bunny. Hit those, and you're ahead. Let us know if you've got your own fabric softener swap below. All the prices and a quick cheat sheet down in the caption. So, save this video for your next shop.