11 Aug 2026
- 61% lower carbon emissions than a big-brand rival¹
- 88% of its footprint comes from using your washing machine
- Washing cooler can make a big difference
- Super-concentrated: just 8ml per wash
- Refillable plastic or aluminium bottles-for-life
- Refill cartons go in your household recycling
- Choose The Outdoorsy One or Sensitive Peach & Jasmine
Soft laundry is lovely. But a big carbon footprint is not.
That’s why we use Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to look at the impact of our products from beginning to end. From how ingredients and packaging are made through to how the empty packaging can be disposed of.
And when we put smol Fabric Conditioner under the microscope, there was good news.
First things first. What’s an LCA?
A Life Cycle Analysis looks at the environmental impact created through a product’s life. Things like:
- Ingredients
- Packaging
- Manufacturing
- Transport
- Delivery
- Using it at home
- Wastewater
- Packaging disposal
So, where does the carbon come from?
Here’s what our LCA found:
Part of the Fab Con life cycle | Share of carbon emissions |
|---|---|
Using it at home | 88% |
Waste water | 6.1% |
Producing the ingredients | 1% |
Other stages combined | 4.9% |
The biggest surprise?
Almost 90% of its carbon footprint comes from using it in the washing machine at home because of the energy needed to heat up water for the wash cycle.
Which means one of the biggest ways to cut the carbon footprint is by turning down the temperature on your wash. Dropping from a 30°C wash to 20°C can use nearly 40% less energy² and smol Fabric Conditioner works brilliantly at lower temperatures.
And how does smol compare?
Pretty FAB-ly.
Our Life Cycle Analysis found that smol Fabric Conditioner has 61% LOWER carbon emissions than a big-brand rival.¹
It’s all thanks to it being a concentrated product, its efficient production and transport, its refill cartons and its bottle-for-life that’s designed to be kept rather than thrown away.
Refill, not landfill.
Your first smol Fabric Conditioner comes with a bottle-for-life. Choose either:
- 100% recycled plastic. It’s lightweight, practical and designed to refill again and again.
- 100% recycled aluminium. Intensely good-looking and here to stay with you for life.
Once you have your bottle, there’s no need to replace it every time your conditioner runs out. Just top it up from our compact refill cartons.
And when the carton is empty simply recycle it with your household recycling.
Super concentration.
You need just 4 pumps (8ml) per standard wash, compared with up to 35ml for some big brands.
Which means less unnecessary liquid, smaller packaging and less weight being shipped around.
And our improved formula now delivers double the softness after three washes³ compared with our previous Fabric Conditioner.
Two FAB ways to soften.
Our smol Fabric Conditioner now comes in two options:
- The Outdoorsy One: It’s easy-breezy with apple & orange blossom.
- Peach & Jasmine (Sensitive): Everything’s just peachy (and jasmine-y). Exceptionally gentle, dermatologically tested and accredited by the Skin Health Alliance.
But the biggest lesson from our LCA is that how we wash matters just as much as what we wash with.
- Choose a concentrated refill.
- Keep your bottle-for-life.
- Recycle the carton.
- Turn the temperature down when you can.
Together, these steps really add up.
Fabric Conditioner carbon FAQs
¹ Life Cycle Analysis, eLoop Sustainability experts.
² Which? Switching from 40°C to 30°C saves 38% energy and from 40°C to 20°C saves 62%; equivalent to approximately 38.7% from 30°C to 20°C.
³ After 3 washes, based on panel testing vs previous smol Fabric Conditioner.
Catherine Green, Cleaning Expert
Catherine has been on a mission to revolutionise the way we tackle chores since the dawn of smol and is an advocate for making more sustainable living accessible to all, with a strong focus in cleaning that’s heavy on dirt, lighter on the planet and gentle on the skin. Catherine has tested hundreds of hacks to make tackling chores easier, safer, and better for the planet and our homes.
ABOUT OUR AUTHORS