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Plant Powered Cleaning Agents

We use the term “plant-powered cleaning agents” because our surfactants are derived from plants. Surfactants are the active agents that provide the cleaning power in our formulas. Our surfactants are made from plant sources such as coconuts, potatoes, palm, and beets.
Because these ingredients do not clean independently, they must undergo a molecular reaction to achieve that “cleaning power. With a chemical reaction, these ingredients can create things called fatty acids, fatty esters, fatty alcohols, Alkyl Polygycosides, or biosurfactants that are then used to make the final surfactants used in our products.
Using biobased feedstocks to create surfactants helps defossilize our supply chain with a reduced carbon footprint and associated environmental concerns, as compared to using petroleum-derived surfactants.
Our plant-powered representation applies only to specified cleaning ingredients and does not describe the composition or origin of all ingredients in the product.

Dermatologist Tested/Hypoallergenic. Individual sensitivities may occur.

The prefix “hypo” means “low”; this means hypo-allergenic products have low allergenic potential. At ECOS, this is verified by a repeat insult patch test, commonly called RIPT, in which human subjects are repeatedly exposed to our products and monitored for irritation, and to determine the irritation and sensitization potential of a test article on normal or sensitive skin with dermatologist evaluation. These results are then reviewed and approved by a dermatologist. It’s important to keep in mind that while our hypoallergenic products are less likely to cause an allergic reaction, because everyone is different, it’s still possible for some individuals to have a reaction based on their individual sensitivities.

Safer Clean

We’re committed to developing the safest cleaning products that perform well for you. That’s why we partner with the U.S. EPA’s Safer Choice program. Safer Choice certification means that every ingredient in the product is the safest in its class and that it has met high standards for performance.
Each chemical ingredient in a formulation has a function in making a product work. Safer Choice focuses its review of formulation ingredients on the key environmental and human health characteristics of concern within a functional class. This approach allows us to use those ingredients with the lowest hazard in their functional class, while still formulating high-performing products.
Please see our Safer Choice page for more information.

Bio-enzymes

Our enzymes are manufactured by the fermentation of microorganisms, where the organism may be improved by means of modern biotechnology. Microorganisms are engineered to create specific proteins called enzymes that are useful in cleaning applications. After fermentation, the enzyme protein is separated from the organism, purified and mixed with inert diluents for stabilization. Due to this separation process, no microbe is present in the final enzyme product.
During fermentation, nutrients are added for microbial growth. These components such as carbon sources, nitrogen or amino-acid sources, vitamins, and minerals are either consumed by the microorganisms during fermentation or removed during subsequent purification and filtration steps. All of the microorganisms used are biological. After use, these naturally derived proteins biodegrade, just as all proteins normally do.

Climate Positive

Our team tracks the carbon, water, and energy footprint it takes to make our products manufactured in our US facilities. After reducing our environmental footprints in carbon, water and energy, we offset our remaining impacts with investments in clean energy projects and water restoration programs. But we want to do more for the planet, so we offset 110% of our impacts.
Please see our Climate Positive video for further clarification on the meaning of Climate Positive.

Biobased

The term “biobased product” means a product determined by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to be a commercial or industrial product that is either composed, in whole or in significant part, of biological products, including renewable domestic agricultural materials, renewable chemicals, and forestry materials, or an intermediate ingredient or feedstock. Biobased Products are derived from raw materials such as plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials.
The USDA biobased score is the percentage of renewable biological material in a product that USDA has set for a specific product category under the BioPreferred Program.
Biobased content may be estimated using the ratio of “new” organic carbon (such as from agricultural materials) to total organic carbon (“new” + “old” or petroleum-based carbon). Water and inorganic carbon (such as carbonate) are excluded. The Program uses ASTM D6866 to quantify the biobased content of a product during the certification process.
It is important to remember that Biobased certifications do not mean that the finished product is entirely biological material, and only the percentage presented.

Bana-Tech

Our Musa Sapientum Banana preservative is a concentrated liquid plant extract obtained from Musa sapientum (banana plant). The raw material is produced from the trunk, stem, and leaves of the banana plant, transforming these agricultural byproducts into a preservative made from upcycled banana plant. By utilizing parts of the banana plant that are typically discarded, it supports sustainable ingredient sourcing and circular economy principles while delivering a plant-derived preservation solution.