I am always interested in using natural 'Green' products whenever I can. I was fortunate to recently come in contact with a wonderful, family owned business, launching a sustainable natural detergent & fabric softener called 'Soap Nuts'. Soap nuts are a natural, biodegradable and petroleum-free laundry soap alternative. They grow on trees in Nepal and India, but they're not nuts; they're actually a fruit.  The flesh of the berry is harvested & sun dried. When they dry in the sun they become quite hard & therefore resemble a nut. The tree itself is from the genus Sapindus. Soap nuts contain large amounts of saponins in their shells, which are a natural surfactant. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid penetrating the fibres of your clothing, lifting stains from the fabric & leaving dirt suspended in the water that is rinsed away and so can be used as detergents or foaming agents. Soap Nuts are effective & economical, hypoallergenic, antibacterial, antifungal...and completely natural! 

DO something different & actually try these out...think of how many laundry detergent bottles you throw out per year. 

Check out GAIA NATURAL PRODUCTS to order their Soap Nuts. You can visit their website www.gaianaturalproducts.com to shop online or contact them at info@gaianaturalproducts.com to find out if they are at a local retail store.