When shopping for laundry detergent and household cleaning products, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by labels promising natural ingredients, clean formulas, and eco-friendly solutions. But what do those descriptions actually mean? Here are 3 Reasons Why EWG VERIFIED® Matters.
For families trying to make more informed choices about the products they bring into their homes, understanding what’s inside a cleaning product is just as important as how well it works.
That’s where EWG VERIFIED® comes in.
At Butterfly & Bee, we believe cleaning products should be made with thoughtfully selected ingredients, clearly disclosed formulas, and less unnecessary packaging. It’s the philosophy behind our motto: Simple Ingredients. Less Plastic.
We’re proud that our Fragrance Free Laundry Powder has earned the EWG VERIFIED® mark, a recognition that reflects our commitment to ingredient transparency and meeting rigorous product standards.
But what exactly is EWG, and why does its verification matter when choosing laundry and cleaning products?
What Is EWG (Environmental Working Group)?
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people make informed choices about their health and the environment.
Founded in 1993, EWG researches issues involving ingredients found in everyday products, including household cleaners, personal care products, food, and drinking water.
Through its research, consumer guides, and product verification programs, EWG works to increase ingredient transparency and raise awareness about potentially concerning chemicals.
Its EWG VERIFIED® program goes a step further by evaluating eligible products against established standards for ingredient safety and transparency.
When you see the EWG VERIFIED® mark on a product, it means that specific product has met the organization’s verification requirements.
For consumers, it’s a helpful way to identify products that have undergone additional scrutiny beyond ordinary marketing claims.
Now, let’s explore three reasons why this verification matters.
1. EWG VERIFIED® Promotes Ingredient Transparency
Have you ever picked up a bottle of cleaning solution and wondered what all those ingredients actually are?
You’re not alone.
Many household products contain complex formulations, and understanding ingredient labels can be difficult. Some labels use broad descriptions that tell consumers very little about the individual substances in a product.
EWG VERIFIED® encourages greater transparency by requiring manufacturers to disclose ingredients and provide detailed formulation information.
For cleaning products, EWG evaluates ingredient disclosure and requires companies to provide information about their formulations, including ingredients that may not be obvious from ordinary marketing descriptions.
This matters because transparency gives shoppers the information they need to make decisions that reflect their preferences and priorities.
For example, some customers prefer fragrance-free laundry products. Others want to avoid particular ingredients or simply understand the purpose of everything included in their detergent.
Clear ingredient information makes those decisions easier.
Simple Ingredients, Clearly Explained
At Butterfly & Bee, we believe customers shouldn’t have to guess what’s inside their laundry products.
Our EWG VERIFIED® Fragrance Free Laundry Powder contains just three straightforward ingredients:
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Washing soda: Helps support cleaning by increasing alkalinity and softening water.
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Baking soda: Contributes to the overall cleaning formulation.
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Sodium cocoate soap flakes: Provide soap-based cleaning action.
Each ingredient serves a purpose.
We chose a simple formulation because we believe effective laundry care doesn’t have to involve an unnecessarily long ingredient list.
Why it matters: Ingredient transparency empowers consumers to understand what they’re purchasing instead of relying entirely on marketing language.
2. EWG VERIFIED® Goes Beyond Claims Like “Natural” and “Clean”
Walk down almost any cleaning aisle, and you’ll find products described as natural, green, gentle, or environmentally friendly.
These descriptions can be helpful, but they don’t necessarily tell you whether a product has undergone an independent evaluation.
A product can be marketed as natural without earning a third-party certification.
That’s one reason the EWG VERIFIED® mark is meaningful.
EWG VERIFIED® is based on established criteria rather than a manufacturer’s marketing claims alone.
If you are looking for rigorous third party safety certifications you look for cleaning products that must meet requirements relating to ingredient concerns, transparency, and other aspects of product formulation and manufacturing.
EWG’s standards include avoiding ingredients on its unacceptable list, addressing restrictions on certain other substances, and providing supporting information about the product.
Its cleaning-product criteria also address matters such as air quality, product performance, and manufacturing practices, with requirements varying according to the product and applicable standards.
EWG reviews its criteria periodically to reflect developments in scientific understanding.
This provides an additional level of scrutiny beyond a company simply describing its own product as clean.
Of course, certification does not mean a cleaning product is completely risk-free or appropriate for every individual. All cleaning products should still be used according to their directions, and personal sensitivities can vary.
However, third-party verification gives shoppers a more specific basis for evaluating product claims.
Why This Matters for Small Businesses
For a small, family-owned company like Butterfly & Bee, earning EWG VERIFIED® status is especially meaningful.
We don’t have the advertising budgets of major household cleaning brands.
Instead, we focus on carefully selecting ingredients, creating practical products, and building customer trust.
Submitting a product for evaluation means opening our formulation to outside review and demonstrating that it meets the program’s requirements.
That process reflects our belief that transparency should be part of how cleaning products are made and sold.
Why it matters: EWG VERIFIED® helps consumers distinguish between general marketing language and products that have met defined verification standards.
3. EWG VERIFIED® Helps Families Make More Informed Everyday Choices
Laundry detergent is one of those household essentials we purchase repeatedly.
We use it to wash everyday clothing, bedding, towels, children’s clothes, and many other fabrics that are part of daily life.
Because laundry care is such a regular household routine, many people want to understand the products they use.
For some, that means choosing a fragrance-free detergent.
For others, it means looking for straightforward ingredients, avoiding certain additives, or choosing brands that provide more detailed information about their formulations.
EWG VERIFIED® helps simplify that research.
Instead of relying exclusively on a product’s packaging or advertising, shoppers can look for a recognized mark indicating that the specific product has met EWG’s verification criteria.
This can be particularly helpful when comparing products that make similar claims.
Why Fragrance-Free Laundry Products Matter
Fragrance is a common feature of laundry detergents, fabric softeners, and scent boosters.
Many people enjoy scented laundry, but others prefer to avoid added fragrance because of personal preferences or sensitivities.
A fragrance-free product offers an alternative without an intentionally added fragrance blend.
Our Butterfly & Bee Fragrance Free Laundry Powder was developed for customers who prefer a straightforward, unscented laundry option.
It contains no added fragrance, optical brighteners, or enzymes.
Rather than trying to create a lingering perfume on freshly washed clothing, the goal is simply to clean laundry using our carefully selected ingredients.
For shoppers looking to simplify their laundry routine, that approach can be appealing.
Small Choices Can Support Bigger Changes
Making more informed product choices isn’t necessarily about replacing everything in your home overnight.
It can start with one everyday essential.
Reading ingredient lists, understanding certifications, and choosing refillable or lower-plastic packaging are all practical ways to become more intentional about household purchases.
At Butterfly & Bee, reducing unnecessary plastic is another important part of our mission.
We offer laundry products in thoughtfully selected packaging and bulk options that can help customers reduce the number of small containers they purchase.
EWG verification focuses on defined product standards; it is not a certification of plastic-free packaging or overall sustainability. We see ingredient transparency and packaging reduction as two separate commitments that work together in our business.
Why it matters: EWG VERIFIED® provides another useful tool for choosing everyday household products with greater confidence and understanding.
Our Commitment at Butterfly & Bee
Butterfly & Bee began with a simple idea: everyday household products could be made with thoughtfully chosen ingredients while reducing unnecessary plastic.
Inspired by our family’s desire to reduce exposure to unnecessary chemicals and create a more thoughtful approach to everyday living, we set out to develop cleaning products that reflected those values.
As a small, woman-owned family business in Massachusetts, we take pride in developing our cleaning products in small batches.
Our mission isn’t to make cleaning more complicated.
It’s to make ingredient information easier to understand and provide practical alternatives for everyday household routines.
Earning EWG VERIFIED® status for our Fragrance Free Laundry Powder represents an important milestone for our business.
It recognizes one of the principles we’ve believed in from the beginning:
Customers deserve to know what’s in the products they bring into their homes.
We’re proud of this achievement, and we’ll continue working toward greater transparency, thoughtful formulation, and packaging that supports our less-plastic mission.
Looking for EWG VERIFIED® Laundry Detergent?
If you’re searching for an EWG VERIFIED® laundry powder with a short ingredient list and no added fragrance, we’d love to introduce you to Butterfly & Bee.
Our Fragrance Free Laundry Powder combines washing soda, baking soda, and sodium cocoate soap flakes in a simple, soap-based formula.
Discover a simpler approach to laundry care.
Proudly EWG VERIFIED®
Our Butterfly & Bee Fragrance Free Laundry Powder has earned the EWG VERIFIED® mark from the Environmental Working Group.
This independent verification means our laundry powder meets EWG’s standards for ingredient transparency and health-related ingredient criteria.
Made with just three simple ingredients—washing soda, baking soda, and sodium cocoate soap flakes—our fragrance-free formula contains no added fragrance, optical brighteners, or enzymes.
View Our Official EWG VERIFIED® Listing
Simple Ingredients. Less Plastic.
To learn more about the Environmental Working Group and its product verification standards, visit EWG’s official website.