InterviewInterview With Earth Brand

Canada’s largest janitorial support company is bringing its innovative industrial secret to the kitchens and bathrooms of everyday Canadians through their revolutionary Green Seal Certified cleaning pods. Plastic is a problem and water is heavy – Earth Brand tackles these problems by reusing existing bottles and taking the ‘just add water’ approach to the at-home cleaning process.

To learn more, we conducted an interview with Earth Brand.

1. Can you tell us more about Earth Brand?

Earth brand is a line of cleaning products that make it easy to reduce single-use plastic in your home and save money while doing it. Similar to the laundry or dishwashing pods we are all familiar with, Earth Brand Pods are a cleaning solution contained in a film that completely dissolves once mixed with water. Each pod makes up to a liter of cleaning product and is designed to be a ‘refill’, allowing you to reuse a spray bottle in your home that would otherwise go to waste. 

2. What is Earth Brand’s mission?

To eliminate the need for single-use plastics in the cleaning routines of all Canadians. We believe Earth Brand can revolutionize the way we clean.

3. Why did the Government of Canada recently pass legislation that bans single-use plastics by the end of 2021

Our Earth is choking on plastic waste. We often take single-use plastics for granted, not knowing that less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled in Canada. Our landfills and waterways are overflowing with plastic and the only way to combat the problem is by reducing and reusing our plastic consumption.

4. What is the “just add water” approach? How can it tackle the plastic and water issues?

Water is heavy. Traditional cleaners contain mostly water. Shipping them across our country costs money and produces a lot of transport-related pollution.  Earth Brand pods help solve that issue by eliminating water from the equation and allowing the consumer to add it at home. It is an environmentally-friendly cleaning solution that can really make an impact on our earth.  

Additionally, for every pod you use, you save a single-use plastic bottle from being produced and ending up in a landfill. By adding water at home and reusing your spray bottle, you can save money, help reduce single-use plastic AND help reduce unnecessary pollution. 

5. How is Earth Brand transforming the way Canadians clean with their easy-to-use and sustainable cleaning solutions?

Earth Brand pods solve many of the issues Canadians face with their current cleaning routine: how to help the environment and how to save money. Using this product means Canadians are able to reduce their use of single-use plastics and eliminate transportation-related emissions. Additionally, the small pouch packaging allows Canadians to store up to a year’s worth of cleaning products in small space, maximizing storage and functionality in the home. 

6. How can your Green Seal Certified cleaning pods help in producing a powerful, earth-friendly cleaning solution?

Green Seal is a global leader in the assessment of product sustainability.  Having a Green Seal certification means that they have assessed every aspect of our product to ensure that we meet their strict criteria for sustainability, safety, and environmental conscientiousness.   

7. How do you ensure the negative plastic footprint when reusing a single-use plastic spray bottle?

If a consumer reuses a plastic spray bottle with Earth Brand pods, the system contributes no new plastic to the environment. The plastic used in the pouch packaging is 100% recyclable, one of the first of its kind in Canada. We have been diligent in ensuring this is the most earth-friendly way possible to package our product. 

8. What kind of products does Earth Brand produce?

Earth Brand Pods have a solution for your entire cleaning routine. We offer a Glass Cleaner, Kitchen Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner, and a Disinfectant Cleaner.

Each pouch contains three pods which will produce up to 3L or 3 spray bottles of cleaning solution. Reuse  your spray bottles and add your own water!

While we encourage everyone to reuse their spray bottles at home and purchase our 3-Pod pouches, we also offer Earth Brand spray bottles which are designed to be reused. We like to think of them as a stepping-stone towards more sustainable household cleaning.

9. Your innovative cleaning solution comes in at 75% of the cost of traditional, brand-name cleaning products. Can you elaborate on that?

The majority of the cost of a traditional ready-to-use cleaner is in the packaging and the cost to transport it from where it is manufactured to your home.

By using a pod refill, you are reducing the weight of transport by up to 99% when compared with traditional cleaners. Plus, the weight and cost of the bottle is also eliminated. 

We are able to pass on these savings to the consumer. Here is a real-life example:

A leading national brand glass cleaner will cost between $3.50 and $6 at a store. Our three-pack of pods retails for $6.99, or $2.33 per pod/bottle.  

10. Why do you think that dissolvable cleaning pods are the future when it comes to household cleaning?

Our environment is precious. The use of traditional cleaners produces a lot of unnecessary waste and pollution to our planet.  Earth Brand products are a smart, economical and easy way to help reduce your impact.

11. Where do you see Earth Brand in the next 5-years?

There are not many opportunities where you can make a choice that actively reduces your impact on Mother Earth. Earth Brand is a simple way for Canadians to make a difference and save money along the way. 

In the next 5 years, we hope to see pod-based cleaning become the normal approach in Canada – limiting plastic waste and significantly reducing transport-related pollution.

In five years, we hope to see some truly fantastic spray bottles that last lifetimes, plastic or not. We dream of #noboringbottles and a difficult decision whenever you choose to discard a perfectly functional plastic bottle.