7 Eco-Friendly Hand Soap Brands For More Sustainable Suds (2024)

Ethique’s Eco-Friendly Liquid Hand Soap Powders

Vegan and cruelty-free, palm oil free, ethically sourced, living wages, charitable contributions, and zero plastic—what’s not to love about Ethique?

We’ve been using Ethique’s sustainable hand soap refills (including a heap of other Ethique products) for well over a year now and can confidently say they smell fantastic and keep us squeaky clean.

While they no longer offer powdered concentrates, you’ll find a large selection of soap bars in numerous delectable scents like Sweet Orange & Vanilla, Lavender & Peppermint, Lime & Ginger, and Matcha, Lime, & Lemongrass.

All orders are shipped in recyclable packaging that’s completely plastic-free.

About Ethique

This New Zealand-born Certified B Corp trades directly with local farmers, manufacturers, and suppliers to ensure the utmost ingredient traceability and transparency across their entire sustainable skincare and haircare line.

Ethique is climate-positive and offsets 120% of its carbon footprint through various organizations, like Ecology.

The New Zealand-based company also donates 2% of its total sales to charity, supporting organizations like Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors, Project Blue, and the Rainforest Trust.

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Blueland’s Zero Waste Foaming Hand Soap

Blueland has a crystal clear mission when it comes to sustainability—make it easy to be eco-friendly with innovative, reusable products that are convenient, effective, and affordable.

The eco-friendly hand soap tablets come in several scents, like Perrine Lemon, Honeysuckle Dew, Lavender Eucalyptus, Evergreen, and Wild Rose.

Opt for their glass Forever Bottle with your first order—unless you already have an eco-friendly hand soap dispenser—after which dissolvable refill tablets come in small, compostable paper packets and a recyclable shipping box.

None of the zero waste hand soap refills contain VOCs, parabens, ammonia, phthalates, or chlorine bleach—instead, they use naturally derived ingredients.

About Blueland

Blueland first caught our attention thanks to their unique tablets of refillable cleaning products, so we were thrilled to find out they also help clean the skin, too.

Not only are their sustainable hand soap tablets zero waste, but they’re also gluten-free, vegan, and cruelty-free with the Leaping Bunny seal of approval.

Blueland is a Certified B Corp and Climate Neutral Certified with numerous other certifications from Cradle to Cradle, EPA Safer Choice, MADE SAFE, USDA BioPreferred, and the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

They give back to countless organizations, including DIGDEEP, the ACLU, and Lonely Whale.

Our Personal Review of Blueland’s Hand Soap:

“We tested the Honeysuckle Dew and love it. Unlike many overpowering scented soaps derived from synthetic fragrances, their plant-based scent essences are clean and provide a super subtle floral aroma.

Despite its gentle scent, the liquid soap foams well and is plenty effective at scrubbing off tough grease and dirt, too.”

Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content

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Suds & Eco Zero Waste Hand Soaps

produces some of the best zero waste hand soap on the market—and we should know, seeing as we’ve tried them!

Their catalog of zero waste vegan hand soap is available in natural fragrances like Lavender Peppermint, Charcoal, Black Salt, Coconut Milk, Herbal, Sunshine, and our personal favorite, Calendula.

The latter’s light, crisp scent and skin-calming properties make it perfect for working hands that spend lots of time digging around in your sustainable garden.

All bar soaps are palm oil free and contain pure essential oils and plant-based ingredients—all shipped in compostable cardboard packaging.

About Suds & Eco

Suds & Eco are women-owned, plastic-free, vegan, and cruelty-free.

The earth-friendly hand soap is handmade in the United States. Suds & Eco is also a member of 1% for the Planet.

As a retail partner of ZeroWasteStore.com, all shipping is Climate Neutral and further supports the zero waste online store’s own 1% For the Planet membership.

Plaine Product’s Refillable Zero Waste Liquid Hand Soap

Plaine Products’ biodegradable liquid hand soap utilizes organic aloe extract as the main ingredient, giving the soap healing and moisturizing properties in addition to cleansing ones.

It’s combined with coconut and safflower seed oil, algae and Irish moss extracts, organic camellia, and other EWG-approved non-GMO ingredients.

It’s also silicone, palm oil, and sulfate-free hand soap.

Choose between two non-synthetic-derived scents: Rosemary, Mint, + Vanilla, and Citrus Lavender.

Like their zero waste shampoo and conditioner, it’s also entirely zero waste thanks to Plaines’ innovative and unique refill program.

Each sustainable liquid hand soap comes to you in an aluminum bottle with a BPA-free plastic pump.

Once empty, simply order a refill, and swap your pump over to the new bottle when it arrives. Then send the old one back to be cleaned and reused in the same custom-fit box your refill came in.

About Plaine Products

Sister-owned and certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, Plaine Products breaks the notion that liquid personal care products can’t be zero waste.

This Certified B Corp manufactures everything (down to the aluminum bottles) in the USA and personally tests all products on themselves—from eco-friendly refillable hand soap to body wash refills.

They’re also Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free and vegan, a member of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, and give back via their 1% for the Planet membership.

My Personal Review of Plaine Products’ Hand Wash

“After trying the Citrus Lavender scent, which has an interesting aromatic blend of soft and tangy that I quite like, I can safely say this refillable hand soap passes the SJ scent and effectiveness test with flying colors. It quickly removes both dirt and grease residue on hands and lathers really well.”

Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content

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Jungle Culture’s Eco-Friendly Hand Soap UK

Rich in organic essential oils, Jungle Culture offers some of the best sustainable hand soap bars that last far longer than traditional soaps.

Like slow fashion for soap, a slow, cold-pressed technique is used to preserve nutrients and reduce energy consumption.

They’re handmade by artisan soap makers in Vietnam and are suitable for sensitive skin.

Several scents are available: Lime & Sea Salt, Coconut Husk, Coffee Scrub, Ginger & Spice, Citrus, Activated Charcoal & Cracked Black Pepper.

We tested several of these scents, but we’re especially buzzing about the Coffee Scrub Bar. Not only do the coffee grounds give it a microbead-free texture, but the bathroom starts to smell like a subtle, fresh pot of coffee, in case you missed your morning cup-o-joe. The caffeine in it is also a powerful antioxidant, protecting skin from free radical damage among other benefits.

Each plastic-free vegan hand soap comes in recycled paper wrapping.

About Jungle Culture

Jungle Culture is the UK-based mecca for low-impact, ethically made goods and gifts.

They have all manner of things for the body and home, many of which are multi-purpose, like their plastic-free foaming hand soaps that also work as body soap and zero waste shaving cream.

Everything ships plastic free, and a portion of every sale is funneled to environmental organizations through their 1% for the Planet membership.

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Slow Botanicals’ Environmentally Friendly Hand Soaps

Slow Botanicals crafts some of the best organic, eco-friendly hand soaps using plant-based, organic ingredients in a short and sweet list.

Organic olive oil, organic coconut oil, lye, and distilled water are regular features, along with various minerals, flowers, and herbs.

The soap is vegan-friendly and available in scents like Wild Rose, Calendula, Rosemary, Lavender, and Wild Turkey Tail Mushroom.

Plus, they’re downright works of art, with accents that clearly display their key scent and ingredient infusion. Take the Himalayan Pink Sea Salt Bar: It’s not only naturally exfoliating but features a lovely live edge of salt crystals.

As for eco-friendly packaging, hand soap bars come wrapped in paper or dried flower (from her garden!) filled bamboo gift boxes.

About Slow Botanicals

Slow Botanicals is based out of Point Roberts, Washington.

The eco hand soap bar is made in small batches using naturally derived ingredients from the owner’s garden.

Because the “purpose of this natural soap is nourishment” they don’t contain unnecessary fillers, including chemical fragrances, essential oils, artificial or mineral-derived dyes.

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Savonnerie des Diligences’ Environment-Friendly Bar Soaps

With names like The Matchmaker, The Monster of the Lake, and Mrs. Butternut, the soaps from Savonnerie des Diligences are uniquely adorable—down to the hand-drawn logos on the recycled and recyclable paper wrapping.

These earth-friendly hand soaps come with a story about the legend who inspired it.

They’re made with organic and natural plant oils, essential oils, and other primarily plant-based ingredients.

Many contain beeswax, and some also contain honey, but you can shop their 100% vegan collection for those without.

While they’re all effective and skin safe, some are specially designed for those with sensitive skin, babies, or hands coated in dirt and grease—for that, don’t miss The Botanist and simple, soothing ingredients like organic coconut oil and magnolia cedar and wintergreen essential oils,

About Savonnerie des Diligences Soap

Savonnerie Des Diligences specializes in zero waste personal care, like environmentally friendly deodorant.

The shop was founded by a mother seeking soothing products for a child suffering from eczema. What began as a solo operation, grew into a fully staffed company.

Everything they make is natural, biodegradable, non-GMO, and mostly organic. Ingredients are sourced locally when possible and ethically when not, like their Shea butter that comes from a Fairtrade women-led business in Mali.

Only recyclable and compostable packaging is used, and like everything else from Etsy, is sent via carbon-neutral shipping and a renewable energy powered platform.

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