Ecover

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

Belgian cleaning product manufacturer

title: "Ecover" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["belgian-companies-established-in-1979", "cleaning-products", "companies-based-in-antwerp-province", "malle"] description: "Belgian cleaning product manufacturer" topic_path: "general/belgian-companies-established-in-1979" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecover" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Belgian cleaning product manufacturer ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

FieldValue
nameEcover
logoEcover logo.png
typePrivate
parentS. C. Johnson & Son
foundation1979
location_cityMalle
location_countryBelgium
key_peopleManaging Director: Philip Malmberg
industryConsumer products
productsCleaning products
homepage
::

| name = Ecover | logo = Ecover logo.png | type = Private | parent = S. C. Johnson & Son | foundation = 1979 | location_city = Malle | location_country = Belgium | key_people = Managing Director: Philip Malmberg | industry = Consumer products | products = Cleaning products | homepage =

Ecover is an American-owned Belgian company that manufactures ecologically sound cleaning products (made from plant-based and mineral ingredients), owned by S. C. Johnson & Son since 2017.

History

The company was founded in 1979 by Frans Bogaerts to create phosphate-free cleaning products to reduce the environmental impact of cleaning agents. Following expansion to support sales through supermarkets, it ran into financial difficulties during the early 1990s. The business was sold to Bogaerts' son with guidance from Gunter Pauli, a member of the company's board since 1990. Pauli, in turn, enlisted in 1992 the financial clout of now-deceased Danish investor, Jørgen Philip-Sørensen, through the private investment company Skagen. The company's relaunch commenced with the construction of an "ecological factory", followed by investments into research projects for the purpose of developing appropriate plant-based and renewable raw materials for cleaning products.

Ecover is part of the Skagen Conscience Capital, a global organisation. Aquaver and the Change Initiatives are other companies of Skagen Conscience Capital.

In 2012 Ecover bought Method Products, a San Francisco, United States, headquartered manufacturer of biodegradable natural cleaning supplies with a focus on minimalist product design, to assist its entry of the North American market. The new group had annual revenues of $200 million at that time and were the world's largest green cleaning products company by sales. Method had been founded in 2001 by Eric Ryan, a designer and marketer, and Adam Lowry, a chemical engineer.{{cite news | url = https://www.slate.com/id/2299212/| author = White, Martha C.| date = 18 July 2011| title = Eric Ryan, Co-Founder of Method: How he's getting consumers to buy green cleaning products by marrying high-end design with environmental science| website = Slate.com }} Method opened a factory in the Pullman neighborhood of Chicago in 2015.

In 2017 S. C. Johnson & Son purchased the Ecover and Method brands on undisclosed terms.

Products

Ecover comprises the following brands:

  • Ecover: domestic detergents, cleansing agents and personal care products.
  • Held: domestic detergents and cleansing agents.
  • Techno Green: professional detergents and cleansing agents.
  • Ecover Professional: professional cleansing agents.
  • Wellments: personal care products

A number of Ecover products - washing up detergent (domestic and professional), fabric conditioner, laundry detergent and multi-surface cleaner - are available from a container refill service (customers reuse the products original container) to reduce the overall environmental impact of distributing the product. Ecover refill locations have previously been limited to independent health food stores and small local cooperative schemes, with the company having stated that it will expand its reach in this regard.

Factories

Ecover built the world's first "ecological factory" in Malle, Belgium, with a green roof extending over more than 6000 sqm. The factory opened in 1992 and was featured on television news programs that allowed the company to feature the recycled and recyclable materials that make up most of the structure. In 2007, Ecover opened another factory based on the same "ecological" premise in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Northern France, and also secured ownership of a factory in Steffisburg, Switzerland, through the acquisition of the private Held AG company (manufacturer and distributor of ecological washing agents) in 2003.

Awards

In 1993, UNEP awarded the "Global 500 Roll of Honour" to Ecover for "outstanding achievements in the protection and improvement of the environment". In 2008, Time magazine honored Ecover CEO, Mick Bremans, with the title Hero of the Environment together with 29 other eco-pioneers working for a green future. In 2010, Ecover earned a finalist nomination from the European Business Awards for the Environment for a pioneering project in green innovation in the process category. In 2018, Method was recognized as one of "the 50 most sustainable companies in the world" at the SEAL Business Sustainability Awards. For the company's national and international experience in sustainable development, and eco-friendly products, the A.A. Environment Possibility Award conferred the "Award of Green-Trend Leader" to Ecover in 2020.

Controversy

In 2007, the Vegan Society withdrew their Vegan Trademark registration from Ecover products due to the company's use of daphnia (water fleas) to test the effects of its products on aquatic life, plus rabbit blood to test stain removal. Daphnia are not vertebrates and therefore are not classified as "animals" according to EU animal-testing rules. However, the Vegan Society's definition incorporates the entire animal kingdom, which is inclusive of invertebrates, as part of its Vegan Trademark registration criteria. Ecover continues to use the Daphtox acute toxicity test that observes daphnia behaviour to calculate the EC50 values of their products, so it can assess the environmental quality of its products.

In 2010, a Which? study of 14 household products, including laundry tablets, toilet cleaners and nappies, reported that Ecover was among a number of companies where each was believed to have exaggerated at least one "green claim" or was not proven by the manufacturer's evidence. The panel of experts found, for instance, no convincing evidence to show the chemicals found in standard toilet cleaner and market-leading laundry tablets would have a significantly worse impact on aquatic life than their "eco" equals. Which? said: "When companies make clear green claims it helps consumers make eco choices with confidence. But our experts concluded that many of the companies did not provide enough evidence to back up their claims and thought that some were exaggerated. This makes it hard for people to choose." Ecover responded several days later.

Ecover had previously been criticized for not subscribing to the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection's "Humane Household Products Standard", which requires a "fixed cut-off date" on animal-tested ingredients. Ecover stated that "a fixed cut-off date [means] that we wouldn't be able to improve our products on what we have today. We do not believe that it is necessary to carry the 'Humane Household Products Standard' to uphold our core values of transparency, honesty and integrity." However, in October 2012 Ecover's products were certified into the Cruelty Free International (formerly BUAV) "The Leaping Bunny Program" and awarded the internationally-recognised Leaping Bunny logo for products certified free from animal testing and which comply with the comprehensive criteria of the Humane Household Products Standard. Ecover CEO Philip Malmberg said "Being accepted into this program is an absolute privilege for Ecover and a great way to show the world that we care. Ecover has been animal friendly since the day it was founded in 1979. The decision to align with Leaping Bunny and provide our customers with household cleaning and laundry products that are certified as safe and cruelty-free was an obvious next step."

In 2014, Ecover confirmed that it was trialling oil derived from algae. In response, 23 environmental, consumer and farmers groups called on Ecover to drop the algae. Some of the groups launched a petition and web site, declaring that "Synthetic is not Natural", in reference to Ecover's marketing, which relies heavily on words like "natural" and "eco-friendly". The petition collected thousands of signatures calling on Ecover to stop using synthetic algae, citing a lack of regulation and knowledge about synthetic organisms, and effects on farmers. Ecover claimed that the algal oil it is using employs the natural mutation process of algae and standard industrial fermentation and would be less destructive than the palm kernel oil it currently uses, a claim disputed by some of the opposing groups because the algae was fed sugarcane which is also associated with biodiversity destruction.

Due to the open refusal of owner SC Johnson to abandon its use of animal testing, the Naturewatch Foundation revoked Ecover and Method's Compassionate Shopping Guide accreditations.

In January 2021 the company issued a product recall on its Ecover Zero % Non-Bio Laundry Liquid, as it had been discovered that the liquid contained hazardous levels of potassium hydroxide.

Sponsorship

Ecover sponsored yachtsman Mike Golding. Golding skippered the Ecover Sailing Team in the 2009 iShares cup, a selection of races all over Europe, sailing catamarans in competitive races against world-leaders in the sport. The races took place in Venice, Hyères, Cowes, Kiel, Amsterdam and Almeria.{{cite web |url=http://www.ecoversailingteam.com/ |publisher=Ecover Sailing Team |title=Ecover Extreme 40 Sailing Team |date=30 July 2009 |access-date=30 July 2009 |archive-date=27 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727043033/http://www.ecoversailingteam.com/ |url-status=dead

References

References

  1. (26 October 2009). "Meet the world's most well-known brand of sustainable household products". Naturens dag.
  2. "A trip down memory lane".
  3. Hilary Osborne. (17 November 2006). "Spick'n'span ethics". The Guardian.
  4. (3 February 2010}}{{Dead link). "Rich List 2010 6 (10) Jorgen Philip-Sorensen £620m (£630m)". Birmingham Post.
  5. Philip Blenkinsop. (11 June 2013). "Eco-Friendly Soaps Method vs. Ecover: Which Brand Is Greener?". Huffington Post.
  6. [http://www.ecover.com/US/EN/Corporate/ecover-international.html Ecover Group] {{webarchive. link. (22 January 2013)
  7. [http://www.aquaver.com Aquaver] {{webarchive. link. (19 March 2014)
  8. [https://www.thechangeinitiative.com/ The Change Initiative]
  9. Jennifer Thompson. (4 September 2012). "Ecover cleans up with US acquisition". [[Financial Times]].
  10. Walker, Rob. (29 February 2004). "Consumed: Method". [[New York Times Magazine]].
  11. "Method Factory".
  12. (8 January 2016). "Method's Saskia van Gendt on honing operations | Greenbiz".
  13. Dye, Jessica. (14 September 2017). "SC Johnson scoops up Method, Ecover cleaning-product brands". Financial Times.
  14. "Ecover United Kingdom - The Ecover Group UK".
  15. [http://www.ecover.com/gb/en/Products/Dishes/Refill.htm Ecover United Kingdom – Refill] {{webarchive. link. (11 October 2009)
  16. [http://www.ecover.com/gb/en/WhereToBuy/ Ecover United Kingdom – Reiniging] {{webarchive. link. (7 May 2006)
  17. (23 July 2013). "Home". Ecover.
  18. "Bienvenue sur Ecover! - Ecover". Ecover.fr.
  19. (17 April 2003). "Zusammenschluss von Held und Ecover". Held AG.
  20. (24 September 2008). "Heroes of the Environment 2008".
  21. "European Commission - Environment - European Business Awards for the Environment". Ec.europa.eu.
  22. (13 November 2018). "Most Sustainable Companies Honored At 2018 SEAL Awards".
  23. "Bio Laundry Liquid won the 2020 Award of Green-Trend Leader".
  24. (11 August 2007). "Ecover loses green backing over 'animal tests' on a 0.2mm flea". Evening Standard.
  25. Neil Jaques. (12 October 2009). "The big interview: Mick Bremans, Ecover - Cleaner cleaning". Ethical Corporation.
  26. "Frequently Asked Questions - Aquatic Toxicity". Ecover.
  27. (29 April 2010). "Tesco, Sainsbury's and Ecover products 'lack evidence' for green claims: Which?". The Guardian.
  28. (28 April 2010). "The greenwashing files - Green cleaning products". Which.
  29. (4 May 2010). "Ecover hits back at greenwash allegations".
  30. Simon Birch. (Sep–Oct 2008). "Ecover". Ethical Consumer.
  31. (October 2012). "Ecover boosts commitment towards cruelty-free cleaning with Leaping Bunny trademark.". ECEAE (The European coalition to end animal experiments).
  32. Stephanie Strom. (30 May 2014). "Companies Quietly Apply Biofuel Tools to Household Products". [[The New York Times]].
  33. (June 2014). "Open Letter to Ecover / Method re: decision to use ingredients derived from Synthetically Modified Organisms".
  34. "Synthetic is Not Natural: Keep extreme genetic engineering out of "natural" products".
  35. "The genetic modification process used by the supplier of our algal oil employs the natural mutation process of algae and standard industrial fermentation".
  36. "Algal Oil - the alternative to Palm Oil". Ecover.
  37. "Synthetic Algae Doesn't Solve Palm Oil Problems".
  38. (June 2018). "Profits from Ecover and Method now go to animal testers…". [[Naturewatch Foundation]].
  39. (27 January 2021). "Product recall: Ecover Zero % Non Bio Laundry Liquid recalled due to safety issue".
  40. (2 February 2021). "Eco-friendly detergent recalled over 'hazardous' chemicals". [[The Irish Times]].
  41. (4 December 2006). "Golding to retire from Velux 5 Oceans race". Sail-World.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

belgian-companies-established-in-1979cleaning-productscompanies-based-in-antwerp-provincemalle