This is a post written by Green Virgin Products—an elephant partner. We’re honored to work with anyone who is this dedicated to conscious consumerism, protecting our environment, and making laundry into an enlightened experience. ~ Ed.

It’s time to transform your laundry experience. Economically. Environmentally. Experientially.

Green Virgin Products is a family-owned business that exclusively sells non-toxic, eco-friendly, healthy products that make good economic sense.

The first product we are introducing to Elephant Journal readers is Soap Nuts.

What are Soap Nuts, and what will they do, you ask? Soap Nuts will:

• Cut your laundry bill in half
• Eliminate a major source of toxic chemicals and carcinogens in your laundry room
• Make your clothes softer than you have ever felt them before
• Make laundry day easier and more pleasant
• Invite a new and unique method of mindfulness meditation
• Help nurture our planet

Ditch the Chemicals for Super Soft Clothes

Chemical based Laundry detergents like Tide don’t completely wash away—especially if too much is used, as it usually is. The residue left on your clothes acts like a stiffening agent. According to the Laundry Doctor, Jeff Gardner, an expert on all things laundry, “It binds the fabric together and holds it down. In the absence of residue, the fibers are loose and fluffy which creates that soft feeling you love.” But even if there is no residue left behind, synthetic detergents still make your clothes rougher by other means.

The Laundry Doctor goes on to explain,

“Synthetic detergents tend to be high pH. This is because using high pH is effective in removing soil from fabric. The problem with high pH is that it causes minerals in the water to precipitate out and bind onto fabrics, which lead to rougher and more abrasive clothes every time you wash them. Under a microscope, this will look like crystals clustering together on the cloth much like rock candy on a string.”

Sure you can use fabric softener, but that comes with its own problems. It works by coating cloth fibers with a thin, waxy layer of lubricating chemicals. Fabric softener makes towels and washcloths less absorbent, can cause allergic reactions, body acne, and can even stain your clothing. They also contain many toxic chemicals and known human carcinogens.

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Use coupon code: EJ20 to get 20% off your entire order

from Green Virgin Products.

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Imagine “Going Nuts” for your Laundry

The best product for cleaning and softening your clothes does not come from a grocery store—not even Whole Foods—but from Mother Nature. Soap Nuts are the fruit of the Chinese Soapberry Tree. The shell of the berry contains an abundance of natural soap called saponin, which is what makes soap nuts so valuable as a laundry detergent.

Saponin is a very powerful natural cleaner. Only a small amount (a few milliliters) is needed to wash a load of clothes. This is advantageous for two main reasons: clothes don’t gather detergent residue, and it does not affect the pH (a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution) of the water, which means no more mineral deposits on your clothes and towels! By using a near-neutral washing system, you will have eliminated the problem of rough clothes!

Soap nuts can be used in raw form or in liquid form, in which the saponin is extracted from the shells and bottled.

Conscious, Sustainable Consumerism

The many benefits of Soap Nuts include:

1. Soap Nuts save money. Depending on what size soap nuts you get and what kind of store bought detergent you were using before, you can save quite a bit of money—especially since you don’t have to buy fabric softener. Soap nuts are as low as 8 cents per load. This can save hundreds of dollars a year for large families!

2. Soap Nuts are great for the environment. Since they grow on trees, they have a net negative carbon footprint. In raw form, Soap Nuts are also fully compostable. And since they contain no toxic chemicals, they will not pollute our precious planet like other laundry detergent products.

3. Soap Nuts make for healthier homes and humans. Synthetic, petroleum-based detergents are like liquid cigarettes, filled with toxic chemicals, including known carcinogens and allergens. If you are conscious about your and your family’s health, Soap Nuts eliminate toxic chemicals and known human carcinogens from your life.

4. Soap Nuts save space. A single 8oz bottle of liquid Soap Nuts (smaller than a can of soda) can wash an incredible 120 loads!

5. Using Soap Nuts is easier and faster. The easy pump top on the Soap Nuts liquid bottle virtually eliminates sticky detergent messes and spills, and just 2-3 squirts gets the job done efficiently.

6. Support a small family business instead of giant corporations!

Let the Natural Feeling and Scent of your Clothes become the Object of your Attention

Usually, in mindfulness meditation, the object of attention is your own breath. But after washing your laundry with soap nuts and taking it out of the dryer, I recommend focusing your attention on your clothes.

Take out a soft shirt or towel and let it slide through your fingers. Focus on how it feels on the tips of your fingers. Notice the temperature. Notice the dampness or dryness of the material. Pay close attention to how the fibers of different materials feel.

Bring the object of your attention in close and brush it against your face. Focus your attention on the natural, clean scent of the material. Focus how the material feels on your cheeks compared to how it feels on your lips. If you notice your mind drifting, just gently bring it back to the object of attention.

Are you ready to make your laundry great again?

Seriously, soap nuts and soap nuts liquid are must have product for conscious consumers.

Use coupon code: EJ20 to get 20% off your entire order from Green Virgin Products.

This is good for all of our amazing products, not just soap nuts. But this offer will expire soon so act fast. Try it with no risk! We offer a 90-day money back guarantee and free shipping on orders over $50.00!

Photos: Green Virgin Products; Wikipedia

Editor: Emily Bartran

Fun bous! Test your environmental awareness knowledge:

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Use coupon code: EJ20 to get 20% off your entire order from Green Virgin Products.

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