I recently vowed to be more eco conscious, cut down my waste and make as many green switches as possible, for example, swap fast fashion for sustainable brands or second-hand clothes, tote bags over plastic, and now, eco-friendly washing tablets. I have to say I never thought I would be excited by such a mundane product, but there we go.

My initial draw to Smol was the promise that the brand is totally waste-free. The laundry capsules dissolve in the wash (of course) and are housed in a cardboard box that’s recyclable, unlike your usual plastic-heavy, bulky washing tablet box. This slim vessel is designed perfectly so it can slide through a letterbox with ease.

Another thing I value about Smol is that it forces you to be conscious of your plastic consumption. All of its products are cruelty-free, and are free from any animal-derived ingredients – Smol vows to only test its products on towels – so its products are suitable for vegans too.

Smol has found a way to reduce chemical use per wash without compromising on cleaning performance. And, for someone who is fairly spillage prone, red wine and black coffee being serial offenders, this was a huge plus for me. Read on for everything you need to know about this game-changer, including the all-important question: how did our clothes look and feel when they came out of the washing machine?

How we tested

In order to work out whether these eco-friendly pods work, I replaced my usual detergent with the Smol laundry capsules for a month. I assessed how well my dirty clothes came out after a wash and how they smelt, but also considered the price of the subscription and the packaging. Read on to find out the verdict.

Smol laundry capsules

Why we love it

Affordable

Lovely scent

Packaging can be recycled

I always seem to forget washing tablets in my weekly shop but Smol is a subscription service, so I now don’t get stuck out with dirty washing. Plus, it’s easy to pause or cancel the subscription online.

Often sustainable products are better for the planet yet worse for your wallet, but not with Smol; a box of 24 tablets will only set you back £5.80. Better still, the brand is currently offering a free trial, which gives you nine free washes, so you can see for yourself just how good the capsules are.

Now obviously a crucial component of a good wash day is the smell of fresh laundry, and Smol has knocked it out of the park. I now get compliments about how nice I smell even without a single spritz of perfume on and my sheets smell daisy fresh for days. I never thought I’d be encouraged to do any washing, but here we are. Welcome to adulthood.

I’m so won over by Smol that I have now subscribed to its fabric softener too, another grown-up thing that I now find so much joy in. The fabric softener is much the same philosophy as the washing tablets; a cruelty-free formula with fewer harmful chemicals. Also in keeping up with my sustainable switches, the bottles are made entirely of post-consumer waste and are returnable for a refill or can be recycled. Not only is it a green choice, but the fabric softener has also breathed a new lease of life into my scratchy jumpers that I had retired to the back of my wardrobe.

It’s a slow process, but these sustainable switches are important to my transition to being a conscious consumer. Finding ingenious and thoughtful companies like this is always a plus, but one’s that make mundane chores like doing your washing exciting, or make you feel that you are helping the world in some small way, are a real treasure. After experiencing how good the laundry capsules are, I’ve decided to give the dishwasher tablets a try using the free trial – I’ll report back.

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The verdict: Smol laundry capsules

If you’re searching for an eco-friendly way to wash your laundry, look no further than Smol laundry capsules. I am so impressed with how well they clean my clothes. If you don’t trust my opinion, you can currently get a free trial of the laundry capsules, but I’m sure you’ll want to sign-up for the subscription after just one wash.