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New Product Ideas?

Posted March 7th, 2008 by anne

Wishing there were a natural version of a (dirty) product you use all the time? Let us know!



Comments
Clothespins
Posted by deepelemgirl | Sun, Mar. 9, 2008

After looking long & far, I couldn't find anything to hang up my clothes with but wood or plastic. Some heavy-duty recycled plastic clothespins would really be great to have so I wouldn't have to replace broken ones with virgin wood products or new plastics. I love saving energy by hanging up my laundry, but hate that it can't be completely eco-friendly!

I completely agree!
Posted by ckpowell | Mon, Mar. 24, 2008

I have a family of four and a 40 foot three lined clothes line and I love it. And in the course of one summer you can go through alot of clothes pins. I hang out my clothes to be eco-friendly and it would be nice to have clothes pins to go with it. Great idea.

clotheslines
Posted by kflaws | Thu, Mar. 27, 2008

What about a gigantic amish-type drying rack that can be used outdoors-possibly construct some "weighted" fabric strips to hold the clothes in place. You could use organic cotton fabric with pebbles inside or those natural magnetic stones. Just a thought!

Dishwashing pods!
Posted by katclark | Mon, Mar. 31, 2008

Dishwashing pods are those little pre-measured pods that go in your dishwasher and have both liquid and dry detergent in them for an extra sparkly clean. I also have noticed they prevent etching because I have the hardest water EVER. I LOVE them and can't do without them. I use less water if I don't have to rinse, and I love that they disolve and make my dishes very very very clean. Please consider making a biodegradable version. If you used dissolvable non-toxic materials I think you could do it!

p.s. Perhaps make hard-water versions of your products. My water is soooo hard and makes a mess of my dishes.

Resealable Bags
Posted by viola227 | Tue, Apr. 1, 2008

I was wondering if 7Gen thought about resealable recycled plastic bags, like freezer bags and sandwich bags. I buy a lot of organic things and then freeze them so they don't go bad too fast, and just having an environmentally friendly option would be great.

Dryer Sheets & Softer TP
Posted by sands | Wed, Apr. 2, 2008

I would love dryer sheets that are either recyclable or made from recycled material.

I've also bought 7G toilet paper a few times however it was much too rough and ended up buying a much softer TP. It would be great if 7G came out with a soft TP.

I also ditto the Resealable Bags.

Bamboo clothespins?
Posted by tamsue13087 | Wed, Apr. 2, 2008

Is there an economical way to produce bamboo clothespins? A renewable resource, but can it withstand the weather and the wear and tear?

"Diaper Doublers"
Posted by greenbug | Fri, Apr. 4, 2008

Green disposable "diaper doublers" would be a great addition to the 7th Gen diapering line: there are a lot of disposable doublers on the market but they aren't green, and there are a lot of green ones on the market but they aren't disposable. Alternatively, one of your maxi pad products would probably work for this purpose, but wings would be a problem. And they all seem to have wings. The diaper doublers don't need to have adhesive, but if they did - e.g. a wing free maxi pad - that would be fine.

Interesting market niche here, too - there are sites on line where moms are in chat rooms trying to find the one brand of diaper doubler (goes by the same name) online and can't - in places like Brooklyn NY, etc. - that is inexpensive, seems pretty innocuous in terms of material, etc.

And if they were sold on Amazon.com or drugstore.com, it would be wonderful.

I too ditto the resealable bags.

diaper doublers / liners
Posted by ummadam | Sun, Apr. 6, 2008

yes yes yes :) please!

Floor Cleaner
Posted by tree-hugger | Sun, Apr. 6, 2008

I would like to see a floor cleaner invented. When I mop, I know that I will have to eventually throw the cleaner down the drain. i also know that cleaner does contain harmful chemicals and could poison water supply. if a product like this is invented, I would greatly appreciate it.

Floor cleaner
Posted by mpjacob | Mon, Apr. 7, 2008

I hate using chemicals on my kitchen floor that I know my kids and pets shouldn't touch.

Swiffer Style Laminate Floor Cleaner Mops
Posted by melephant | Tue, Apr. 8, 2008

Recycled Paper or Cloth floor cleaning pads pre-moistened with non-toxic cleaner. Just like Swiffer mops only green.

Dishwashing pods-- yes!
Posted by starcrossedlady | Wed, Apr. 9, 2008

Another consideration for these is that the detergent is pre-measured. My older daughter is in charge of the dishwasher, and if I buy the boxed/bottled dishwashing detergent, invariably she will overfill the container. With the pods, she can just pop one in and not worry about the amount used. Maybe the film could be glycerin-based?

I would buy EVERY one of these products!
Posted by aglor2 | Wed, Apr. 9, 2008

Especially the sandwich/freezer bags and the softer TP/facial tissue.

Paper plates
Posted by aglor2 | Wed, Apr. 9, 2008

How about paper plates made from recycled paper?
For that matter, why not paper cups too?
I'd love to throw a "green" cookout!
I'd also love to send my daughter to school with green paper lunch bags.

softer tp
Posted by Robbiem_901 | Sun, Apr. 13, 2008

i totally agree, if the TP was softer...i would buy it everytime i purchased tp, as well with facial tissues and paper towels!

Hand sanitizer
Posted by Cj bomar | Sun, Apr. 13, 2008

We use hand sanitizers but are always turned off by the list of chemicals. Ditto on the tp, ( we tried 7th generation but went to the Office Depot brand) recycled but much softer and seems to be more on a roll. Also ditto on the clothes pins, I like the bamboo idea...they would probably hold up.

This saves gallons of water
Posted by kelli roberts | Mon, Apr. 14, 2008

I have to haul water to my house when it doesn't rain so I'm pretty stingy with water. I use a product to shave my legs that is a creme that I rub into my DRY skin. Then I WET my razor in a cup of water and shave away, rinsing the razor in the cup. Sometimes, sitting on my back porch if its a nice day and I never give myself a calf mohawk or draw a drop of blood! I know for a fact it works great on men because its a men's line of product that I use AND the blades don't get dull for so long that I've actually had the plastic part break from over use while the razor was still sharp! How about whipping a little of that stuff up in a girly scent?

floor cleaner
Posted by appleimac | Tue, Apr. 15, 2008

I have used Watkins organic cleaner for floors and car washing, wall washing, for years - it is coconut oil based, and though expensive, a gallon lasts me for a few years! I buy the dispenser pump, and use a pump or two in water, or just a smidge in a small bit of water for small jobs. I was using the Pergo floor cleaner, as my floor is now all Pergo, but that got too expensive, as it is only sold in small bottles, and I have a very elderly dog and 2 elderly cats, with constant messes. I also used to use the organic cleaner on a laundry room floor which was in bad shape - it did as well as the very expensive Armstrong cleaner did, and the Armstrong cleaner just killed my lungs. Now perhaps if the floor had been in good shape, the Armstrong cleaner would have performed better, but who knows.

The Watkins organic (available online or through your local Watkins rep) - also gave paneling and things a great shine, my mom used it on paneling, and discovered that waxing was no longer necessary, the cleaner alone did just about as well.

Perhaps Seventh Generation should make a concentrated cleaner such as this. I have Psoriasis and have always had Asthma, so I love gentle products!

floor cleaner
Posted by happy2beamom | Tue, Apr. 15, 2008

i just wanted to respond to all looking for floor cleaner. i have a bottle of the free and clear all purpose cleaner by 7th gen and the back of it says to use 2 to 4 oz of it per gallon of cool water. That is what I use and it seems to work quite well.

School Paper Products
Posted by amflorek | Wed, Apr. 16, 2008

I was wondering if you would ever consider (or if it would even be possible)making computer print paper, and lined paper products. I am young and I have the environment in mind and I cannot find any binder paper or spiral notebooks that have as high of a Post Consumer content as your company. I plan on being a regular customer with your bath tissue and baby detergent and would love it if you ever came out with school items as well.

(why doesn't the private email question form work??? ahh)

Swiffer Type Mop
Posted by mcampiz57 | Sun, Apr. 20, 2008

Method makes one that is eco- friendly.

Car Wash
Posted by josowiecki64 | Mon, Apr. 21, 2008

I have been looking for an environmentally friendly car wash detergent and have not been able to find one yet. In Ocoee,Florida we are not allowed to wash our cars in our driveways because the "waste" water goes directly into our ponds and lakes. It would be great if there was one that I could use and let the city know so we can wash our own cars again!

Personal Care Products
Posted by seludovici | Sun, Apr. 27, 2008

A great opportunity for Seventh Gen would be an expansion into personal care products. This could include deodorant, perfume, cologne, shampoo, hair conditioner, shaving cream, bar soap, body wash, anti-dandruff products, toothpaste, dental floss... the list goes on, all keeping up with the company's policies.

Green Picnics
Posted by jheald | Sun, Apr. 27, 2008

I bought about 2 dozen plastic plates, cups and bowls to reuse for summer picnics. They go through the dishwasher easily, and are light enough to carry to the site. I also use fabric napkins which are easily added to the next laundry load. A couple of my neighbors have begun borrowing my "picnic" supplies" for their use so it gets double/triple use! This has the added advantage of teaching others the importance of recycle/reuse :-)

Car Wash
Posted by chezaaz | Wed, Apr. 30, 2008

Hey josowiecki64 - how about using Castile Soap like Dr. Bronners(all veggie based)? I haven't tried it yet (no place to wash a car) but I've read that it works well. I use Castile soap for several uses around the house. Simple Green has a lot of automotive cleaning products, too.

I'm looking for an environmentally friendly windshield wash for the reservoir of my car.(I've contacted Simple Green, but they don't offer one). All the ones at the automotive store have scary sounding chemicals to remove bugs and make the rain roll off - I live in the desert so I'm not too concerned with the rain issue. I'm thinking about just using vinegar and water. Anyone have other suggestions?

windshield wash for our cars
Posted by chefdebbie | Wed, Apr. 30, 2008

I have been using vinegar and water for a very long time and find that it works great! I live out in the middle of nowhere and can tell you that it does work on the bugs. If you find you have a few bugs that don't want to go away, 7th gen. paper towel and a little elbow grease, and vin/water work well. Sometimes the elbow grease does the best job. it only takes a few mins. I put a spray bottle of vin/water and paper towels, or use the sgweegee at the gas pump, and there you are done, while pumping your gas. I feel if we do this maybe the grocers will put vinegar in their water too!!! (If we dont use their water at the pump.)I find if you talk to your manager at your grocerystore, they are willing to listen and take action. I know the Brookshires I shop at does!

Windshield Wash for cars.
Posted by chefdebbie | Wed, Apr. 30, 2008

Its really cheap too! I can get a bottle of vinegar for 88 cents. Mix with water and done!!!

Paper plates
Posted by BoredOfBoredum13 | Wed, Apr. 30, 2008

They could be made from 100% recycled materials

Green Cookout
Posted by chezaaz | Thu, May. 1, 2008

For your "green" cookout, cups, plates and utensils made of a biodegradeble and renewable source like potato pulp,corn and sugar cane fiber are great. They are even compostable! It would be awesome if we could get our schools to use these type of products for their food service trays and containers. Anyone in the resturant business could switch out there styrofoam "to go" boxes for one of the clamshells made of corn or sugar cane fiber and make a big impact as well.

teen tampons
Posted by MotherSunshine | Fri, May. 2, 2008

Aloha,
I would like to strongly suggest that Seventh Generation make a teen-sized applicator tampon. My daughter will begin her moon cycles within the next couple of years and I would LOVE to be able to offer her a petite-sized organic cotton tampon (for when she's in sports) that is not Tampax.

Compostable/Flushable diaper liner
Posted by rastevens | Thu, May. 8, 2008

I have been using gdiapers. The only flushable, compostable diaperliners I can find. They don't have any adhesive but fit in their "pants".

Please make a competitor, that I can get in my local grocery, are fee of chlorine and will work with a cloth diaper cover.

Toothpaste?
Posted by jboerum | Tue, May. 13, 2008

I was hoping for a 7G toothpaste. Out of all the things I use, I would love a non toxic toothpaste, especially because some may be swallowed. Also, deoderant. Nearly all deoderants contain small amounts of mercury. There are organic brands, but I would much rather purchase from 7G because I love the products. Kudos to the dryer sheets as well! As for the floor cleaning, Corox Green works has a supposedly all natural Dilutable Cleaner which is perfect for floors. Not sure the safeness of it, but they did work with the Sierra Club to help produce safe natural products.

Dryer sheets with no animal products!
Posted by terriedwards | Wed, May. 14, 2008

I would love lavender dryer sheets!

Green Diaper Genie
Posted by npsawyer@hotmail.com | Wed, May. 14, 2008

I use Seventh Generation Diapers for my baby, but I dispose of them using a "diaper genie". I would like to use a system, and bags, that are more environmentally friendly.

Plastic Bags Please!!!
Posted by 4mybabies | Fri, May. 16, 2008

I agree with all of these ideas! I would especially LOVE env. friendly resealable plastic bags! Also, dishwasher pods would be great since i am having a very difficult time converting my husband to using the liquid! He loves the pods.