17 Apr 2026
Carbon comparison cheat sheet:
- smol products create significantly lower carbon emissions than big brands
- Independent Life Cycle Analyses (LCAs) back this up
- Big brands ship water, air and plastic again and again (smol doesn’t)
- Concentration + refills + cartons = less weight, less transport, less carbon
- Some smol products cut carbon by up to 90%+ compared to single-use big brand alternatives
Most big cleaning brands aren’t designed to help you cut carbon.
They are made for:
- Supermarket shelves
- Plastic neon single-use bottles
- Long supply chains
- Bulky formulas built around water
We built smol differently: with direct delivery, refills, concentrated formulas and fewer materials.
So when you compare the two using a Life Cycle Analysis (a way to measure carbon across a product’s entire life) the difference really starts to show.
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA).
An LCA measures carbon emissions across every stage of a product’s life.
It shows:
- What materials are used
- How heavy products are to ship
- How often packaging is remade
- What happens when products are used at home
- What gets thrown away at the end
That’s why we use LCAs at smol. Because you see the whole story (not just the marketing bit).
Laundry detergent carbon comparison.
Laundry is one of the biggest everyday carbon hotspots in the home — and detergents play a bigger role than most people realise.
Big brands rely on | smol relies on |
Larger doses | Smaller doses |
Heavier, bulkier products | Concentrated formulas |
Single-use plastic bottles and tubs | Cardboard packs, cartons and bottles-for-life |
Long supply chains shipping mostly water | Direct delivery |
Which all adds up.
In fact, whether you’re enjoying smol laundry capsules or smol laundry liquid, independent Life Cycle Analyses show your detergent has 35% LOWER carbon than big brand capsules and liquids before you use it in your machine.
Interestingly, most (around 70%) laundry carbon comes from heating the wash water, which is why we’ve also designed our capsules to work on a cold wash! Lovely.
Fabric conditioner carbon comparison.
Don’t be fooled by its comforting fragrance and soft vibes… fabric conditioner is one of the worst carbon offenders in the laundry sector.
Big brands | smol fabric conditioner |
Ship GIANT plastic bottles | Bottles-for-life and carton refills |
Up to 95% water content¹ | Highly concentrated (just 4 pumps/wash) |
Buy repeat bottles again and again | Refill the same bottle for ever |
The result?
smol fabric conditioner creates 76% lower carbon emissions than a rival branded fabric conditioner.
Carbon comparisons around the home.
Across home cleaning, the biggest drivers are usually:
- Packaging manufacture
- Shipping weight
- How often products are replaced
smol product | Carbon comparison vs big brands |
91% less carbon | |
91% less carbon | |
91% less carbon | |
89% less carbon |
Why such a dramatic drop? Because:
- The bottle is reused
- Refill tablets are tiny and lightweight
- Water isn’t shipped repeatedly - just use some from your tap
- When you stop remaking bottles every time, carbon falls fast.
Now that’s what we call heavy on dirt, lighter on the planet.
Carbon comparison FAQs.
What is a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)?
An LCA measures carbon emissions across a product’s entire life — from raw materials to disposal.
Why do you focus on production and delivery carbon?
Because that’s the part brands like us can control. Home energy use is largely the same regardless of the product and is left up to the consumer.
Do smol products clean as well as big brands?
Yes. Independent testing shows smol matches or beats big brands on performance.
Why do refills matter so much for carbon?
Because manufacturing and shipping packaging create high levels of carbon. Reuse cuts both down by a lot.
Are cartons really better than recycled plastic?
Yes. LCAs show cartons create 43% less carbon during production than recycled plastic bottles.
¹ Data EPO 2021 Proctor and Gamble
Nay Gulsan, Regulatory & Compliance Manager
Nay is smol’s Regulatory Expert, specialising in regulations, safety, formulation and detergent science. She started her journey as a formulation chemist and has since conquered the technical field from toiletries, detergents and home fragrance. A nerdy know-it-all, passionate about doing the right thing, Nay is the expert in this space.
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