Charlie’s Soap is naturally derived, efficient, and hypoallergenic, making it the best choice for cleaning your fabrics well. But what makes our soap safe, and what sets us apart from other “natural detergents” on the market? 

The story behind Charlie’s Soap

What makes Charlie’s Soap special? To tell our story properly, we have to go back to the beginning. In 1971, founder Charlie Sutherland, Sr. sold yarn lubricant to textile mills in North Carolina (in the very building where Charlie’s Soap resides today). In 1974, Charlie Jr. came on board to replace a disgruntled chemist and, boy, did things change. And, when the mills asked for a cleaner to help remove the lubricants from the textiles, Charlie Jr. invented one! 

Charlie’s background in chemistry helped him create a biodegradable, eco-friendly, naturally-derived hypoallergenic cleaner for their customers — making us “green” before it was popular. Since 1974, our carefully crafted formula has served as the basis for all our products, even when we expanded our line to include laundry powder, stain treaters, and much more. While other “natural” or “hypoallergenic” cleaning products claim to be the same, sometimes they can’t stand up to the task of truly getting fabrics clean. Charlie’s Soap does, and it rinses out completely, leaving no residues to boot. (The research backs us up.)   

Why Charlie’s Soap is safe all around

How does Charlie’s Soap clean fabrics so well, without irritating skin or harming the environment? It all boils down to the science. 

In general, laundry detergent helps loosen dirt and grime from fabrics so water can wash them away. To do that, a detergent needs a surfactant. Most detergents you’ll find in supermarkets or grocery stores contain overly harsh surfactants and/or unnecessary additives. They’re most often to blame if your skin reacts badly to laundry detergent. Fragrances, dyes, softeners, brighteners: these ingredients are the real culprits of rashes or hives, not the laundry detergent itself! 

Soap loosens and washes away dirt, and when its job is done, it should rinse out completely. That’s what Charlie’s Soap does, and that’s why we don’t mess around with additives. Our products are pure, fragrance-free, and 100% water-soluble. When they’re done cleaning your fabrics, they thoroughly rinse out. All that’s left is clean, soft, fresh fabrics.

We’re Safer Choice-certified

Charlie’s Soap products aren’t just great for sensitive skin. We’re Safer Choice-certified, too, meaning they’re environmentally friendly. Our Laundry Liquid, Kitchen & Bath Household Cleaner, Laundry Powder, and Laundry Pre-Spray meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice Standard. 

The EPA has strict conditions for the Safer Choice label; products have to meet specific criteria in areas like ingredients, resource conservation, packaging, product performance, and much more. Not every brand is deemed Safer Choice, and we’re proud to be certified as such by the EPA. 

Choosing laundry detergent that makes you feel safe (and clean)

When you buy laundry detergent, you expect it to clean your clothing and other fabrics. That is, after all, its job. When you notice laundry detergents leaving behind residue or causing allergic reactions, it can be frustrating. To avoid those issues, it’s important to make sure the laundry detergent you purchase is truly hypoallergenic and pure. 

At Charlie’s soap, safe and pure products are our mission. Our products have always stemmed from a need to use formulas that are gentle on skin and on the environment. Charlie’s Soap has been dedicated to providing natural, eco-friendly, hypoallergenic for families for over 40 years, and with our Safer Choice certification, we’re only getting better at it.