It isn’t easy to take on a goliath like Tide in the laundry aisle. But consumers are growing evermore mindful of sustainability and following suit with their pocketbooks. In 2021 there are new opportunities for indie home care brands that can launch online, especially as more shoppers have turned to the world of ecommerce for household care products. That’s the pathway that Ease, a startup, plans to take. 

The home cleaning brand has rolled out its first product in the North American market—Multi-Purpose Laundry Detergent Sheets.

The sheet products, which feature color-catcher properties, are made with nonwoven regenerative plant fiber in a hexagonal pattern that aids absorption. The sheets allow whites and colored clothes to be washed together while preventing color bleeds and extra fabric dyes from reaching the water source. 

“We aim to make your home cleaning the most effective and simple way,” said Founder William Teng.

Teng’s background is in environmental science and sustainability management.  He later worked in consulting and for a venture capital firm. 

“I specialized in fast moving consumer goods, waste and energy. I saw an opportunity to reduce waste by concentrating the detergent to the next step and adding functions that liquid detergent cannot achieve,” he told Happi. 

“Compared to other sheet detergent, most of them are soluble and they have to add a great portion of starch and that would decrease the effectiveness of cleaning ability. Ease detergent is concentrated to that solid gel form and attached on our sheet that will remain its cleaning effectiveness and rapidly dissolve when reaching water,” he said. 

Ease's sheets are said to capture chemicals like potassium dichromate, which is often found in bleach. The formulation’s enzymes are airbrushed onto the sheet, which is ultra-concentrated. One sheet can wash up to 20 shirts in a single load and one box of Ease detergent ($16) can wash 30 loads of laundry in total, according to the company.

The products are also minimally packaged. 

Teng contends Ease will help cull the amount of plastic that comes from the category; he noted that 700 million plastic detergent bottles are used each year. 

Further, Ease sheets can cut down on additional products in the laundry routine. Once out of the washer, the sheet can be used in the dryer to protect against static. 

Ease Laundry Detergent sheets are sold online at easenewyork.com.

“We will start as DTC e-commerce and hear the feedback carefully before starting the retail,” said Teng, who has plans to expand Ease’s offerings.
 
He told Happi that there are plans for cleaning products for bathroom and kitchen and personal care, too.

Want to learn how to formulate laundry detergent products? Click here.