At ecostore, your health comes first.
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to learn a foreign language, reading the label on the back of any given cleaning product is probably a good place to start. Many mainstream laundry powders, dishwashing liquids, shampoos, soaps and even baby products are filled with synthetic chemicals with unrecognisable names that are tough on cutting through grime, but they could be tough on cutting through the health of your skin too.
Enter ecostore, your trusted knight in shining armour when it comes to green, high-quality, 100% organic, family-friendly cleaning and body care products that cut through the nasty stuff without compromising on quality. Because at ecostore, your health comes first.
We’ve put together the best ecostore products to buy for your kitchen, laundry and nursery, but first, let’s go back to where it all started.
Introducing: ecostore
Birthed in the basement of an average New Zealand home back in 1993, the ecostore company harnesses the cleaning power of Mother Nature. Founders Malcolm and Melanie Rands had already been using sustainable and organic practises on their eco-village for many years, but when they realised they were still being exposed to way too many toxic chemicals through their cleaning and body care products, they decided to do something about it. The Rands started sourcing healthier products with no toxic or unnecessary chemicals that promoted overall health as well as cleaning power. ecostore products needed to work just as well as common mainstream chemical-laden brands, so they invested in trusted expert help to develop green laundry and body care products that put health first.
Family-friendly
A proud family owned-and-operated New Zealand company, ecostore puts health first, which means your family will be healthier – and safer – by using safe, organic, sustainable, New Zealand-made cleaning, laundry and body care products. And it’s not just the ecostore company that thinks they’re pretty good either. Many loyal and happy ecostore customers have reported the improvement – and sometimes the complete disappearance – of common ailments like eczema, dermatitis, asthma and allergies.
ecostore also prides itself on transparency. While the full disclosure of ingredients is not mandatory on cleaning product labels in New Zealand or Australia, ecostore lists every ingredient out in full so every consumer can make a well-informed safe purchasing decision. ecostore also uses trusted international resourses including the EWG (Environmental Working Group) Cosmetic Database to help assess the health and safety impact of every ingredient they use. They also undergo ingredient assessments of every product against leading brands to ensure they achieve significantly safer ratings for people’s health.
Green and sustainable
When it comes to ecostore’s health and body care products, a little goes a long way. Yes, ecostore products might cost a few dollars more than regular mainstream products, however ecostore’s high concentrated goodness means you don’t need to use much, so they last longer and are far more sustainable than regular products.
The environmentally-friendliness doesn’t stop there though. In pursuit of 100% sustainability, ecostore decided to grow their own packaging. Yep, ecostore’s new Carbon Capture Pak is plastic packaging in sheep’s clothing. It’s made from sustainable sugarcane, and a whopping 92% of each bottle is made from sustainable renewable materials. Carbon Capture Paks also help to reduce your carbon footprint, because every 1kg of sugarcane plastic created captures and stores 2kg of CO2 from the atmosphere. While the plastic might be made differently, it’s still chemically identical to regular plastic, which means every bottle is 100% recyclable along with your regular plastic waste.
And you’d be forgiven for thinking that the cost of this fancy plastic production might filter down the line to you, the consumer. Well, it won’t. ecostore is absorbing the cost of switching its full line of products to this new technology, which means the price of your favourite products remain unchanged at check-out.
Animal-friendly
ecostore doesn’t just support a happier family and planet; they’re also proud to be a cruelty-free accredited company that only tests on human volunteers. Because every ecostore product minimises the effects of chemicals on humans, they’re developed in testing labs that are safe for humans too. While many leading cleaning product and body care companies use animal testing to reduce the impact of any harmful trial-and-error effects on people, ecostore knows that because their ingredients are 100% organic, natural and safe, people are the best testers.
ecostore shampoo and conditioner
So what are ecostore’s top-rated products, and why should you buy them? One of the most popular products is the ecostore shampoo and conditioner range. An organic plant-based shampoo with natural cleansing agents to gently cleanse and revive your hair without removing its natural protective oils, ecostore shampoo and conditioner comes in Normal, Volumising, Dry/Damaged/Coloured, Anti-Dandruff, Fragrance-Free and Gentle options, in 220ml, 1L and 5L sizes. Prices start at approximately NZD$10.95 per bottle.
ecostore laundry powder
ecostore’s top-rated laundry powder is kinder to your skin and a safer option for those with sensitive skin or allergies, because potentially unhealthy chemicals like optical whiteners, enzymes and artificial fragrances are left at the door. Independent tests have also proven that ecostore laundry powder has the lowest total alkalinity in waste water of any laundry powder in Australasia, which means the waste-water from your washing machine can safely be used in the garden. ecostore laundry powder comes in a range of natural scents and sizes, is suitable for both top and front loaders, is economically concentrated which means a 1kg pack can give more than 32 washes, and start from NZD$5.50 for 500g.
ecostore baby care products
Every new parent wants to do all they can for their children, so ecostore has created a full range of safe baby-friendly products that are tough on cleaning while maintaining minimal impact. ecostore baby shampoo, ecostore baby body wash, ecostore baby moisturiser and ecostore baby soap are some of the most popular products in the top-rated ecostore baby care range. Each is made with natural organic ingredients that moisturise, soften and condition your baby’s skin, protecting it from dryness and irritation.
ecostore dishwashing liquid
Formulated from the newest plant-based ingredients for fresh, clean, sparkling dishes, ecostore dishwashing liquid has been independently proven to work as well as – if not better than – the mainstream alternative. They use sustainably-sourced plant- and mineral-based ingredients wherever possible, and their top-rated dishwashing liquid is pH-balanced which means it’s kinder to your skin too. ecostore doesn’t just care about the fate of your hands though; the green organic recipe ensures your drains are looked after too. ecostore’s dishwashing liquid comes in fresh fragrances like grapefruit, and prices start from just NZD$4.50.
ecostore soap
Each ecostore soap is comprised of vegetable oils rather than the more commonly-used animal fat, or tallow. Their gentle plant- and mineral-based soaps cleanse and nourish your skin without removing the natural protective oils. Fresh and natural fragrances include Manuka honey & kelp, lemongrass, vanilla, coconut, goat’s milk, grapefruit & mint, and orange & cinnamon, and most bars of soap cost less than NZD$3.
ecostore auto dish powder
ecostore’s auto dish powder gives you sparkling clean dishes, without any nasty chemical residues. It contains biodegradable surfactants, is low in sodium compared to other brands, and is phosphate free. It’s economically-concentrated, offering more than 51 washes per 1kg pack, and comes in fresh and natural lemon and grapefruit fragrances. Prices start from NZD$9.95. ecostore auto dish tablets are also available.
So where can I buy ecostore products?
In 2002, the Rands set up a small ecostore retail store in Freemans Bay, Auckland. When demand increased, they expanded into New Zealand supermarkets in 2006, closely followed by Australia in 2008. In 2009, ecostore launched in the United States, and have just recently secured an export deal in South Korea. So next time you take a trip to New Zealand, save some room in your luggage for a few bottles of the good stuff.
