As consumers become increasingly aware of the harmful effects of toxic chemicals in everyday items, the demand for safer, more sustainable alternatives continues to grow. From non-toxic laundry detergents to clean beauty and air purification solutions, today’s shoppers are more informed and intentional than ever.

According to NielsenIQ, the non-toxic product market has seen impressive momentum in recent years, with the green cleaning category alone projected to reach nearly $400 billion by 2027, a number that continues to climb.

One brand that’s been ahead of the curve is Charlie’s Soap. Founded in 1976 by Charlie Sutherland Jr., who originally created a cleaning solution for machinery in his family’s textile factory, the company has since evolved into a trusted name in eco-friendly household care. Now led by his son and company president, Taylor Sutherland, Charlie’s Soap can be found on the shelves at Target, Whole Foods, Walmart, Home Depot, Kroger, and many more.

We caught up with Taylor to learn more about the brand’s journey, its mission, and what it truly means to clean with purpose.

Charlie’s Soap has been around for nearly 50 years, how do you honor the original vision while continuing to innovate for today’s consumers?

As rules, regulations, and market expectations change over the decades, we pivot and adapt, while always staying true to the original message which is “Clean it right the first time”. The original Charlie's Soap has actually been re-released and rebranded as Charlie's Soap 1001, Water-Based Degreaser, but it’s still super safe, super effective and still great on everything from False-Teeth to Diesel Engines. (Seriously!)

What’s one lesson you’ve learned from the first two generations of your family that still guides the company today?

Two things that are related, really. "With patience and perseverance, you will prevail" - Ciremba Amick (Charlie, Jr's father-in-law) and "What difference does it make?!" - Charlie Sutherland, Sr. You had to know him. I take from this whole experience that we are truly blessed to have the opportunity to stand on the shoulders of giants, but you can't take anything for granted. You must fight every day for what you want. But in the end, you're only given one life, so don't squander it worrying yourself to death. Take what you know how to do, do it well, and try to make the world a better place with it.

How has the meaning of “green” or “sustainable” changed since the early days of Charlie’s Soap?

In the old days, it meant simply don't kill the fish when you flush it down the river. Then it became synonymous with fewer so-called synthetic chemicals. And some days, it gets to the point of "everything is poisonous" and ironically that can be a toxic environment with people afraid of all products. Each retailer, each manufacturer, and each consumer seem to have their own definition of what green means to them. It can be a free-for-all, and it's easy to get lost in the chaos.

We take a holistic approach, at least to what green means for cleaning. 1) Clean it right the first time. 2) Use the purest ingredients that biodegrade quickly or are natural minerals–ingredients that do not cause any harm to the environment even in accidental exposure. 3) Understand that cleaner things like laundry and washing machines last longer, so make sure that your superior cleaner made with the best ingredients is keeping the things you're cleaning out of the landfills longer. 4) Do your best to make each part of your manufacturing process more sustainable; you'll fail, but keep trying.

You’ve been president for over 20 years, what have been the most pivotal moments for the brand under your leadership?

Keep in mind that it has been a joint effort between my brothers (and now sister) and I along with the old guard of Charlie, Jr. But there have been a number of pivotal moments. First was the idea of delegation and elevation to get us out of the small-business mentality with a bunch of guys doing whatever they wanted to do. . . to a structure — each of us with a specific role. I would focus on sales and new ideas, Morgan would focus on administration, and James would focus on operations. Then it was the idea to offer more than just one product:

First it was a Powder (which Dad and Morgan came up with before I joined the team).
Second, we offered a Laundry Liquid (which we were already making but weren't branding).
Lastly were all of the support products, each of which would open a new door for us.

From here, it was less a bold decision, and more of a bold determination, to “fish where the fish were biting”. We had to start working with distributors and brokers and all the compliance that comes with. It was tough, and still is tough, but our company has taken up the challenge and pushed into uncharted (at least for us) territory without fear. Next on the agenda is to find a way to shout about our product even louder than word-of-mouth has afforded us heretofore.

When you took the reins, what was your biggest priority for expanding Charlie’s Soap’s reach?

(Let's call it, "when I came on board" as there are three of us siblings handling the company.)

When I came onboard, in 2002, there was an Apple IIe running the software we used for inventory control and billing. A 20-year-old computer with a big sign on it saying "do not unplug" was the only thing holding our books together. My biggest goal and accomplishment was to drag us (kicking and screaming) into the 21st century. The second, which could have only been accomplished by fixing the first problem, was to get us online, and help feed the word-of-mouth that I had at the time believed to be stronger than any love for Dad himself.

I was proven right when my very first internet order came through the fax machine from Tujunga, CA with the caption "I love your soap!!". At that moment, I knew we had a tiger by the tail and we had better get a hold to it, or else it would kill us. Three years of blood, sweat and tears later, we had a new brand, a new product lineup, a functioning website, and active sales at Whole Foods.

Charlie’s Soap was eco-friendly before it was trendy. How do you stay authentic while the market is now flooded with “green” products?

We pick one thing and do it better. Charlie's Soap is not so "green" that you can spread it on your morning toast. But it's not so "chemically" that the 2-year-old will be harmed should they get their hands on it. You can't pick Charlie's Soap off a tree, but it will go right back to nature in a month leaving nothing behind. Other green brands chase trends: They take out surfactants, they use natural oils to make laundry smell pretty, they put it in a box, or they put it on a sheet. But they all have one thing in common. They don't clean worth a d*** [actual Amazon quote about a competitor]. We make a superior product better than the big-name brands you might have heard of with a maximum of five ingredients, all of which biodegrade or go right back to nature in the same form they came out as. We make sure that your total energy footprint is lower. Smaller dose. Fewer ingredients. A formula that actually works the first time so you don't have to rewash your clothes three times. A formula that works so well that you don't have to buy scent beads, and dryer sheets, and machine cleaners just to be able to wear your clothes without their stinking.

We make a cleaner that keeps your clothes like-new for, well, until you flat wear a hole in them—they stay out of the landfill. We make a product so clean rinsing that your washing machine spends more time working than breaking down and stays out of the landfill for much, much longer. And on top of it all, we don't upset city sewers or septic tanks or leach fields or delicate waterways.

“We stay relevant by staying better. “ — Taylor Sutherland

Many shoppers want natural products but still worry about performance. How do you strike the balance between being effective and being gentle on the planet?

We ARE the balance between a traditional detergent buyer looking for a product that is better for them and better for the environment where they don't have to give up effectiveness, and the buyer who wants nothing more than to save the planet but is tired of their clothes smelling like old feet. Each wants better without having to give up what they already have. That's where Charlie's Soap fits in. We're better than the market leader in efficacy, and just as biodegradable as the market leader in green.

How do you see the future of sustainable cleaning solutions evolving in the next decade?

I hope to branch our product listings out a little more. But I also hope to delve a little more into industrial cleaning where a lot of the pollutants go unnoticed. I think we can clean up the Clean-Up business with our remarkable technology. It just takes a lot of door-knocking and a lot of leg-work.

Are there any new products or initiatives on the horizon that you’re excited about?

We are actively working on marketing our laundry powder to the new-mother market. Same technology, but with a message that resonates with them. Perhaps we'll tweak the formula a little, but that remains to be seen. As I mentioned above, pushing the industrial market is one thing we're trying to do. We are seeing some success in the sewer cleanup business. We're optimizing our approach, to see what comes of that. If it works, we can solve a lot of stinky problems in a lot of cities around the country with little effort on their part...cheaper, greener, better. That's the plan.

What’s the legacy you hope to leave as the third-generation leader of Charlie’s Soap?

I was here. You can't take it with you, but hopefully some will know we passed by. We are actively working on scenarios for what happens next; when we're gone. Does Charlie's Soap live on after us? I hope so. I truly do. We're helping too many people out there to stop itching for the first time in their lives to let it die with us. That's in God's hands, but we'll keep pushing.

Dad left his mark in the most common of places. And it was enough. This is a picture of a plague left at Bob’s Restaurant in Madison commemorating Dad (Butch) and his friend (Buster). I hope Charlie's Soap and I are remembered as fondly.

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Yvon Lux is the editor of her Apple News channel covering lifestyle news and current events. Her “blogazine” celebrates sisterhood and empowers women by focusing on women’s health, travel, lifestyle, and entrepreneurial news while also sharing the most coveted beauty news and style stories.

When she’s not busy writing about impactful brands, standout products, and lifestyle news, she and her husband can usually be found snuggling with their emotionally needy, perpetually sleepy golden retriever, or she’s chipping away at her Juris Doctor. Connect with her on Instagram and subscribe to her Apple News channel.