Environmental consciousness is one of the leading trends of the post-recession 21st century that’s changing consumer behavior in every industry. One such industry is household cleaning products known for their harmful chemical use and non-biodegradable plastic packaging. The packaging industry alone produces 46% of waste globally, becoming the most significant plastic pollution contributor, while the toxic chemicals in cleaning products also harm the environment.
Despite the changing consumer behavior, there still weren’t many options available for individuals to choose from the household cleaning products that were eco-friendly and sustainable until Blueland. The company, founded by Harvard grad Sarah Paiji Yoo, is the first ever cleaning products company to offer reduced packaging solutions with its dissolvable cleaning tablets. The tablets come with forever reusable plastic bottles, ensuring reduced plastic waste.
Sarah came up with the idea for Blueland as a first-time mom who was petrified of feeding her baby the same water that contained numerous microplastics thanks to all the plastic dumped in the water each year. She wanted to contribute to improving the environment for her child’s sake and other people’s but found no solution to the problem. So, instead of giving up her goal, she created Blueland alongside University of Pittsburgh grad Syed Naqvi, a Pakistani immigrant and a certified chemist.
The duo appeared together on Shark Tank seeking an investment of $270K in exchange for 2% equity in their company. They started the pitch for Blueland with an exciting commercial-like demonstration, explaining the process and usage of cleaning tablets. Syed then handed out the samples to the sharks for an up-close look at the product to assess its quality.
The business was one month into its launch, making $200K in sales when the duo appeared on Shark Tank. Blueland also had impressive profit margins to keep the business going. However, the investment needed was to ensure the supply chain process is streamlined and they can find more ways of delivering products to the consumers instead of just their e-commerce platform.
The sharks had some excellent advice for the young entrepreneurs, while Lori pointed out the tablet must appear in a pack instead of an individual packet. Guest shark Daniel Lubetzky related Syed’s immigrant story and offered a million dollars for a 25% equity split with Lori. Lori called Daniel for a discussion while Kevin offered $270K in exchange for 5% equity and 1% advisor’s share.
Robert didn’t believe the product would change consumer behavior, whereas Mark claimed the duo was there for commercial and not an investment; they were out. Lori changes Daniel’s initial offer to $270K for 8% equity, 4% each. The duo counters Kevin’s offer initially only with 3% equity, then adds a 0.50 cents royalty per unit sold until he returns his investment.
Kevin accepts the offer, and the deal is sealed between the shark and Blueland’s founders.
Our Review of Blueland
Blueland has turned out to be a profitable business, building its community in a short period. The firm has attracted numerous new customers owing to the one-of-a-kind solution in the household cleaning products sector. The company had started at a 13.5 million valuation but has now hit a mark of 20 million dollars.
Besides that, Blueland has diversified its products from laundry items to personal care. The business is still true to its reduced packaging waste strategy and continues manufacturing human and planet-friendly cleaning products. Blueland’s sustainable cleaning solutions are available on its e-commerce platform and on Amazon to reach a vast geographical area across the US.
Pros of Blueland
In a short time, Blueland has found its way into the cleaning products industry. The business has impressed its customers with its sustainable and certified products. Here are some things customers love about the company:
- Blueland cleaning kits are one-of-a-kind products designed to provide sustainable cleaning solutions.
- The cleaning kits come with forever reusable bottles and tablets formulated to pack the cleaning formula.
- Blueland’s cleaning products are packaged in eco-friendly packaging to reduce plastic waste.
- Blueland’s cleaning tablets reduce the dollars wasted on water-filled cleaning products.
- The cleaning tablets are easy to use and effectively perform their task.
- Blueland kits are available for a wide range of cleaning purposes, from laundry to dishes to personal care.
- Blueland’s products are certified by major corporations for their human and eco-friendly chemicals.
- Blueland’s ecommerce platform provides an easy and efficient solution for ordering a cleaning kit.
- Blueland’s Amazon store has made cleaning kits readily available to people nationwide.
- Some of the Blueland cleaning kits are available at a discounted rate.
- The cruelty-free chemicals used for formulating cleaning tablets are kid and pet-friendly.
- Blueland’s cleaning products are more affordable than traditional cleaning products owing to the tablet refills.
- Blueland has an engaging social media presence and a bunch of online video-form content to educate or guide customers about using several different Blueland products.
- The award-worthy customer service has kept the customers coming back.
Cons of Blueland
Despite having a loyal customer base and an incredible service with a unique product, some things haven’t worked in favor of Blueland:
- Numerous customers didn’t enjoy the quality and effectiveness of the Glass and Mirror formula from Blueland.
- Despite Blueland’s e-commerce platform and Amazon store, various customers have found the traditional cleaning products more accessible than Blueland’s tablets.
- Blueland’s reusable wool dryer balls, designed to reduce wrinkles, can get stuck in the machine’s intricate parts and pollute the clothes with wooly shreds.
Who Is Blueland For?
Blueland products are for all the environment-conscious individuals who are determined to make a change to their lifestyle choices that are leading to environmental pollution. Since Blueland promotes the “Refills, not Landfills” concept, any individual who shares the same mentality would love the company’s eco-friendly tablets and reusable bottles. Whether you’re looking for cleaning products or hand washes, human and planet-friendly tablets are available for all your cleaning needs.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Grove Collaborative is another widely recognized name in the household cleaning products market. The sustainable and plastic-free approach of Grove makes it similar to Blueland. Both businesses offer a wide range of personal care products to bring non-toxic formulas to every area of life.
However, the cleaning formulas sold at Grove aren’t designed as small tablets but rather as concentrated chemicals. In contrast, Blueland is famous for its cleaning tablets that ensure customers aren’t sold plain water in a bottle of cleaning products.
Our Final Thoughts
Blueland has come a long way since its launch with its profits and products. Additionally, The company has diversified its products, ensuring toxic-free and plastic-free solutions in all aspects of life. Blueland is determined to make the household cleaning industry plastic-free due to the adverse effects of the material on the planet and humans.
In the years to come, Blueland won’t just be a profitable business; it’ll be a household name in the cleaning products market of America.
