Wondering which eco-friendly soap brands clean up in terms of ethics and sustainability? Don’t get in a lather! Here is my handy guide to the best ethical and sustainable soap bars around.

Soap is a household essential, and something that I hope we all reach for multiple times a day. After all, it’s one of the very best ways to avoid spreading germs. However, not all soap brands are equal. Palm oil, undesirable chemicals, synthetic fragrances, animal ingredients, and animal testing can all creep into our soap.

And that’s just what’s in our soap. Another key sustainability challenge is plastic packaging. Many liquid soaps and handwashes come in single-use plastic bottles, which often end up clogging landfills, polluting waterways, or are incinerated rather than recycled – causing greater greenhouse gas emissions.

The good news is there are some great sustainable and eco-friendly soap brands out there that are helping to keep both you and the planet squeaky clean.

The Eco-Friendly & Sustainable Soap Brands To Know

Not sure where to start? Here are my favourite brands that all clean up in terms of sustainable ingredients, minimal packaging, and ethical practices.

In a hurry? Use the quick links to jump to a specific brand, or keep scrolling for the full guide.

Friendly Soap

Friendly Soap (available at Ethical Superstore from £2.95 a bar) is a great way to keep clean whilst avoiding unnecessary plastic. All of its UK-made soaps are proudly plastic-free, packaged in recycled and recyclable cardboard.

Friendly Soap hasn’t just stopped at the packaging. All of its soaps are cruelty-free, vegan, palm oil-free, and made with gentle, naturally biodegradable ingredients like olive oil and coconut oil. It also uses an ancient cold-press method, pouring, cutting, and stamping the soaps by hand. This helps Friendly Soap to maintain a small carbon footprint.

You can find a whole host of solid soap bars – from scented to unscented options – as well as a handy range of travel soaps, shave, shampoo, and conditioner bars.

Bio-d

Bio-d (available at Ethical Superstore from £2.93 a bar) is another sustainable brand that’s made in the UK. Fully plastic-free, it comes in a recyclable cardboard box for zero-waste.

Made from 100% naturally derived ingredients – more than half of which are certified organic – its soaps are free from synthetic fragrances, and harsh chemicals, such as parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), mineral oils, phthalates, phosphates and triclosan.

Bio-D’s soaps are also vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. This makes it gentle on your skin and the environment. And while some products contain palm oil derivatives, Bio-D is actively reducing its use and uses only Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)-accredited supplies.

If you prefer to use a liquid handwash, then Bio-D also sells this in bulk bottles to help you reduce plastic waste. It is also widely available through refillable hand wash stations in zero-waste shops up and down the country.

ALTER/NATIVE By Suma

ALTER/NATIVE (available at Ethical Superstore from £3.15 a bar) is the own-brand sustainable soap line from whole food collective Suma. It’s definitely a brand worth knowing about.

These beautifully scented bars – available in a host of different scents – are all handmade in the UK using 100% natural ingredients and scented with essential oils. This ensures they are free from synthetic chemicals and harsh additives.

There’s also more to love. All of its bars are vegan and cruelty-free, and free from palm oil. Meanwhile, they are packaged in fully recyclable, plastic-free materials. I’ve been using these bars all around my home for years – from washing my hands to making my own laundry detergent – and haven’t found a downside.

Soap Folk

Soap Folk (from £5.95 at Natural Collection) is a great choice if you’re looking to gift someone some lovely soap, or want to treat yourself to something special.

Handmade in the UK using a blend of natural plant oils and butters using a traditional cold process method, these small-batch soaps are completely biodegradable.

Soap Folk uses 100% ethically sourced ingredients to ensure every bar is vegan, vegetarian-friendly, cruelty-free and completely free from palm oil. It also avoids the use of preservatives, artificial fragrances, and other harsh chemicals such as SLS, phosphates, and parabens.

The pretty botanical printed wrappers are plastic-free and are made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper. This means the wood pulp that was used to make the paper came from sustainably managed forests. They’re also printed with eco-friendly vegetable inks to further reduce their impact. The wrappers are fully recyclable or you can reuse them in craft projects.

Kleen Soap

If you hate bars of soap because they sit in pools of water in your soap dish going gunky, then check out Kleen Soap (£10.50 at Green Tulip). This soap-on-a-rope can be hung up so it doesn’t go mushy, meaning it lasts much longer.

As well as being long-lasting, each bar is handmade in the UK with natural plant-based ingredients and botanical essential oils using the traditional cold process method. And as it’s made from natural, vegan-friendly and cruelty-free ingredients, it’s free from palm oil, sulphates, artificial fragrances and other nasties.

The packaging is also entirely plastic-free and fully recyclable. Choose from five different scents.

Other Top Sustainable Tips

If these sustainable and eco-friendly soap brands aren’t easily available to you then don’t worry. Here are some top tips for things you can look for in some of the more widely available brands.

Plastics

Microplastics have been banned in soap in the UK since 2018. However, companies can still use non-degradable liquid plastic polymers and petroleum-based chemicals. I recommend using the free Beat The Bead app so you can see if a product is likely to contain plastic.

Plastic packaging is also a big problem, especially when it comes to liquid handwash and non-recyclable pumps. If you can, opt for bars of soap over liquid handwash. Bars work just as well and come in a fraction of the packaging (mostly paper) and some with none at all.

Alternatively, you can make liquid hand soap from bar soap. This is particularly handy if you want to reduce your plastic waste, but don’t like using bar soap.

Animal Products

Although plant-based ingredients are just as effective as animal-derived products, some manufacturers continue to use substances like sodium tallowate and stearic acid. Glycerine may also be animal-derived. The good news is that there are loads of vegan brands out there, many from purely vegan companies. Look out for the Vegan Society logo to ensure your soap doesn’t contain any animal ingredients.

Another top tip is to look out for the Leaping Bunny logowhich endorses cruelty-free soaps. Some brands carry this label across their entire product range. This shows a strong commitment to avoiding any ingredient that has been tested on animals.

Palm Oil

Although many companies source palm oil sustainably, and many are members of groups such as the RSPO, there are issues. These accreditations have been criticised for not doing enough to break links with deforestation. Whether to buy or boycott palm oil remains a controversial subject. You can find out more about the issues in my full palm oil explainer.

Fairtrade Certification

Many ethical brands choose locally sourced ingredients to cut their carbon footprint. For those who use ingredients such as coconut, cocoa, or soy, you can look for the Fairtrade logo to be sure that the farmers are getting a fair price for their crops.

More Soap- Based Guides

I’ve got lots more soap-based guides for you. From my guide to homemade hand sanitiser to my guide to sustainable shower gel. And if you have ever wondered if there are other ways to use soap beyond just washing your hands, then you’re in luck! I’ve had this thought too, so here are some clever alternative household uses for soap!