There are many ways to live a sustainable lifestyle: refraining from using products like hand soap that come packaged in wasteful plastic. Although it may take some time to get used to the feel of buying hand soap in bulk and storing it at home, you can rest assured that this decision will save you money over time, even when taking into account the cost of purchasing soap dispensers.
Below is a list of 20 brands that produce sustainable hand soap, many vegan and cruelty-free. These brands also seek to eliminate waste by using recyclable packaging and making products that can be used up entirely before disposal.
We hope this list helps you find the best sustainable hand wash for your needs!
Table of Contents
1. Cleancult Liquid Hand Soap Refill
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Lactic Acid, Fragrance (Natural Essential Oils and Extracts), Citrus grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract.
Verdict: This recyclable and biodegradable soap comes in a plastic bottle, but it is refillable.
Description: Cleancult’s Liquid Hand Soap Refill formulated with a special fruit and seed oil blend to effectively clean hands without drying them out. It contains grapefruit seed extract that helps fight against harmful pathogens naturally while leaving your hands smelling fresh and citrusy. This soap is made from a minimum of 95% natural plant-based ingredients, including Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Coconut Oil Fatty Acids, Lactic Acid, Water, Glycerin, and Citrus Grandis Seed Extract. It’s enriched with Jojoba Oil to moisturize and soften your skin.
2. Ethique Hydrating Handwash Concentrate Bar
Ingredients: Saponified oils of*(Avocado, sustainable Palm, and Coconut), Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Xanthan gum.
Verdict: This soap is only partially packaged in plastic, and the unplasticized ingredients used to make this product can be recycled at home.
Description: Ethique is a New Zealand-based company that is eco-friendly and vegan. They produce all of their products in small batches, ensuring the best quality. Their Hydrating Handwash comes in a bar form that can be used up entirely without coming into contact with any plastic packaging. Just wet your hands, lather up the soap, rinse and pat dry.
This gentle soap is made with a base of saponified oils of avocado, sustainable palm, and coconut, along with Aqua (water), glycerin, and xantham gum. It has a very subtle scent that will leave your hands smelling clean and fresh.
Ethique also produces solid shampoo bars as well as face washes.
3. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Liquid Hand Soap
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Sodium Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Lauramine Oxide, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Coco-Betaine, Fragrance (Lavandula Hybrida Oil), Citric Acid.
Verdict: This cruelty-free soap is packaged in recyclable PET plastic, but it can be refilled with another bottle.
Description: Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Liquid Hand Soap has been formulated to effectively clean hands without drying them out or leaving behind residue that doesn’t rinse away. It is made from a minimum of 97% naturally derived ingredients, including lavender oil, plant-derived cleaning agents, and water. This soap comes in a recyclable PET plastic bottle with a pump for dispensing the product.
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day uses a concentrated Wash & Foam handwash formula that can be diluted with equal water to make 48 oz of handwash. This soap is made from a minimum of 97% naturally derived ingredients, including lavender oil, plant-derived cleaning agents, and water.
4. Tirtyl Smart Soap Single Kit
Ingredients: Coconut oil, olive oil, sodium hydroxide (lye), distilled water, avocado butter, coconut cream.
Verdict: This soap is packaged in recycled plastic bottles refilled or recycled at home.
Description: Tirtyl Smart Soap is a handmade soap produced by Tirtyl, a Canadian company that believes in sustainability. The products they make are vegan and cruelty-free with recyclable plastic packaging. This product uses recycled plastic bottles that can be refilled or recycled at home. In addition, the lye used to produce this soap is recovered from the effluent at a paper mill and then reused.
This soap has a concentrated formula that can be diluted to make 24 oz of handwash. It contains coconut oil, olive oil, sodium hydroxide (lye), distilled water, and avocado butter.
5. Foaming Hand Soap Refill Tablets
Ingredients: Citric Acid, Aqua (Water), Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Lauramide Oxide, Lysolecithin, Coconut Oil Fatty Acids.
Verdict: These tablets can be placed in a plastic dispenser, and the packaging can be recycled.
Description: Eco Buzz has been creating environmentally friendly products since 2010. Their Foaming Hand Soap Refill Tablets are made from 100% natural ingredients derived from plants, vegetables, and minerals. The tablets dissolve in water to create foam that lathers up to a rich lather that can be washed away without leaving a residue.
The tablets come in a recyclable plastic dispenser with a twist-and-pour top which can be reused or recycled at home. These tablets are made from 100% natural ingredients derived from plants, vegetables, and minerals to create foam for handwashing.
6. DAZZ Foaming Hand Soap Starter Kit
Ingredients: Saponified oils of coconut, palm, avocado, cocoa butter. Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Xanthum Gum.
Verdict: This soap contains recyclable plastic packaging in 16 oz or 32 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
Description: DAZZ Soap Company is a family-owned business founded in 2008. Their products are made from plant-derived, natural ingredients and ethically sourced African Black Soap. All products are vegan and cruelty-free, focusing on being recyclable and earth-friendly.
This soap has a concentrated formula that can be diluted with water to make 32 oz of handwash. The product comes packaged in recyclable PET plastic bottles that can be refilled or recycled at home.
DAZZ Foaming Hand Soap Starter Kit contains a reusable foaming bottle dispenser and two tablets that dissolve to create the soap. This kit has recyclable plastic packaging available in 16 oz or 32 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
7. JR Watkins Gel Hand Soap Refill Pouch
Ingredients: Purified Water, Glycerin (Palm Oil and Coconut and Palm Kernel Oils), Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (Derived from coconut oil), Decyl Glucoside (Plant-derived cleaning agent), Cocamide DEA (Surfactant derived from coconut oil), Xanthan Gum (Natural Thickener), EDTA (Chelating Agent), Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone (Preservative), Citric Acid.
Verdict: This soap contains recyclable plastic packaging in 25 oz or 50 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
Description: JR Watkins is a 100-year old company based in the United States. The products they make are free from parabens, phthalates, sulfate detergents, artificial colors, and petroleum-based ingredients. This product uses recyclable plastic packaging in 25 oz or 50 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
This product has a gel formula that creates foam for handwashing while gentle on the skin. It contains aloe, vitamin E, and glycerin to hydrate the skin. This soap is made from 100% pure vegetable-derived ingredients with no phthalates, parabens, sulfate detergents, artificial colors, or petroleum-based ingredients.
8. ATTITUDE Liquid Hand Soap
Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract*, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Coco-Glucoside (Plant Derived), Glycerin (Vegetable), Citrus sinensis (Sweet Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus aurantium bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Cymbopogon flexuosus oil*, Pelargonium graveolens Flower Oil*.
Verdict: This soap contains recyclable plastic packaging in 24 oz or 48 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
Description: ATTITUDE soap is a recyclable, plant-based product committed to a sustainable future by a Brooklyn company. This company uses recyclable plastic packaging in 24 oz or 48 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
This product contains a concentrated, all-purpose plant-based formula that can be diluted with water for handwashing. It is free from parabens, phthalates, sulfate detergents, artificial colors, and petroleum-based ingredients. The product label states that only essential oils are used to formulate this soap.
9. Gileooparl Foaming Hand Soap Refill Tablets
Ingredients: Purified Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (Derived from coconut oil), Decyl Glucoside (Plant-derived cleaning agent), Cocamide DEA (Surfactant derived from coconut oil), Xanthan Gum (Natural Thickener), EDTA (Chelating Agent), Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone (Preservative).
Verdict: This soap contains recyclable plastic packaging in 16 oz or 32 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
Description: GileoParf is a personal care company based in Montreal, Canada. The products they make are free from sulfate detergents, petrochemicals, parabens, silicones, and artificial colors. This product contains recyclable plastic packaging available in 16 oz or 32 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
This product has a gel formula that creates foam for handwashing while being gentle on the skin, containing aloe and glycerin to hydrate the skin. This soap is made from 100% pure vegetable-derived ingredients with no phthalates, parabens, sulfate detergents, artificial colors, or petroleum-based ingredients.
10. ECOS Hypoallergenic Hand Soap
Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Laureth-7, Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) Oil*, Cymbopogon flexuosus oil*, Pelargonium graveolens Flower Oil*, Mentha spicata (Spearmint) oil*, Linalool, Glyceryl Oleate, Citral, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid *Ingredients from Organic Farming
Verdict: This soap contains recyclable plastic packaging in 32 oz or 64 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
Description: This product contains recyclable plastic packaging in 32 oz or 64 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
This product is made in the U.S.A. and contains 97% naturally derived ingredients, is biodegradable, and does not contain harsh chemicals, artificial colors, or petrochemicals. The product contains 97% of naturally derived ingredients that are biodegradable and do not contain any harsh chemicals, artificial colors, or petrochemicals.
This soap is made from saponified organic oils of coconut, sunflower seed, olive oil-based cleansers, organic sugar, and aloe vera. The company also makes liquid hand soap, body wash, bar soaps, shampoo, conditioner bars, and baby products such as baby bath bombs, baby bubble baths, and baby lotion bars.
11. Foaming Hand Soap Eco-Refill
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride(Sea Salt)*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender Oil) *ingredients from organic farming
Verdict: This soap contains recyclable plastic packaging in 32 oz or 64 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
Description: This product is made in the U.S.A and contains 97% naturally derived ingredients, which are biodegradable and do not contain any harsh chemicals, artificial colors, or any petrochemicals. The soap is free from sulfate detergents, petrochemicals, parabens, silicones, and artificial colors.
This product contains recyclable plastic packaging in 32 oz or 64 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home. This soap is made from saponified organic oils of coconut, sunflower seed, olive oil-based cleansers, organic sugar, and aloe vera.
12. Nubune Foaming Hand Soap Tablets
Ingredients: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Aqua/Water/Eau, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender Oil)*, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil*, Mentha Piperita Oil*
Verdict: This soap contains recyclable plastic packaging in 32 oz or 64 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
Description: This product contains recyclable plastic packaging in 32 oz or 64 oz containers that can be refilled or recycled at home.
This soap is made from saponified organic oils of coconut, sunflower seed, olive oil-based cleansers, organic sugar, and aloe vera. The company also makes body wash, bar soaps, shampoo, conditioner bars, and baby products such as baby bath bombs, baby bubble baths, and baby lotion bars.
This product is made in the U.S.A and contains 97% naturally derived ingredients that are biodegradable and do not contain any harsh chemicals, artificial colors, or petrochemicals.
Conclusion
These 12 eco-friendly brands of sustainable hand soap are perfect for anyone who wants to make the switch. We’ve highlighted some of their best qualities and noted where they could be purchased online or in stores near you! Don’t forget, every purchase made is an investment in our future – so why not buy these products instead? Happy shopping!
