Nobody thinks of detergent as an animal product. But a few cleaning ingredients can come from animals, and labels don't always say.

Quick answer: check for tallow, animal glycerin, stearates, lanolin and musk, look for an independent vegan logo and ask the brand where its glycerin and enzymes come from. Vegan and cruelty-free are two different things.

Vegan vs cruelty-free

A product can be one without the other. Look for both (read it).

Ingredients that can come from animals

• Tallow or sodium tallowate: animal fat, common in old-school soaps.
• Glycerin: plant oil or animal fat. Labels rarely say which.
• Stearic acid and stearates: can go either way.
• Lanolin: wax from sheep's wool, found in some wool washes.
• Some enzymes: most are made by fermentation, but ask.
• Musk-type scents: usually synthetic now, but many vegans skip them.

Glycerin is the shapeshifter of the ingredient list. The name won't tell you where it came from.

Logos that help

• Vegan marks from groups like The Vegan Society or Vegan Action.
• Cruelty-free marks like Leaping Bunny (read it).
• Self-claims can be accurate, but you're taking the brand's word.

Many brands, including Earth Breeze, describe their formulas as vegan and cruelty-free. That's a good sign. Still worth checking glycerin and enzymes yourself.

Check any detergent in three steps

1. Read the full list for the names above.
2. Look for an independent logo, not just a claim.
3. Ask the brand where its glycerin and enzymes come from. No answer is an answer.

How we do it

• Plant glycerin, not animal.^†
• Decyl and lauryl glucoside, sugar-based cleaners.
• Sodium citrate and sodium carbonate, simple salts.
• Pullulan film made from fermented starch.^†
• No musk, no fragrance.
• No animal testing of ingredients or finished sheets.^†

Just 9 adds protease and amylase made by fermentation, plus GLDA.^†

FAQ

Is laundry detergent vegan? Many are, not all. Tallow, animal glycerin and some stearates come from animals.

Is glycerin vegan? It can be either. Plant glycerin is vegan. Ask if the label doesn't say.

Are detergent enzymes vegan? Most are made by fermentation, which is generally considered vegan. Ask to be sure.

Is Just 7 vegan and cruelty-free? Nothing in it comes from animals and we don't test on animals. We're gathering supplier statements and plan to certify.^†