Get to Know Greenscents: Organic Cleaning with Founder Christina Hawkes

Our founder, Christina Hawkes, has recently taken part in a warm and honest Q&A with England, Naturally – a much-loved platform that celebrates thoughtful British brands, sustainable living, and products made with real care.

It is a wonderful chance to get to know the person and principles behind Greenscents, and to understand why so many customers are choosing to make the switch to organic homecare.

Question 1

You're one of the few companies that avoid plastic to produce cleaning and laundry products in glass bottles that people can reuse and send back for washing and refilling. This is obviously a great idea. It would be interesting to know what your take is on the stalled deposit return scheme.

Apparently the English government has delayed it, saying that glass should not be included, while other countries want to include it, as has happened for decades abroad.

As experts in reusable glass, why do you think glass is not being included for England, and what is your take on this?

We’ve always believed that reuse is the gold standard — not recycling.

Glass is one of the few materials that can be reused repeatedly without degrading. That’s why we chose it, despite the higher cost and complexity. Our customers already operate a simple version of a return system — reusing bottles at home and refilling them with our larger containers.

The hesitation around including glass in England’s deposit return scheme is largely about cost, weight and logistics. Glass is heavier to transport and more complex to handle at scale. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done — many countries have successfully included glass for decades.

From our perspective, the UK risks being overly cautious and short-term in its thinking. If we are serious about reducing waste, we need to prioritise systems that support reuse, not just recycling. Glass has a clear and proven role to play in that.

Question 2

Again, you're one of the only certified organic cleaning and laundry brands in England. How come conventional brands don't have to list the ingredients like say beauty brands? And give us your take on why you avoid palm oil completely, rather than using the so-called 'sustainable palm oil', used in many brands?

It’s a gap that very few people are aware of. Unlike cosmetics, cleaning products are not required to fully disclose their ingredients, which allows brands to hide behind terms like “fragrance” — a label that can represent dozens of undisclosed chemicals. We don’t believe that’s acceptable. These products are used every day, on clothes, surfaces, and around families. Transparency should not be optional.

Our Soil Association certification goes further and requires full ingredient disclosure. Every ingredient must be clearly listed — no vague terms, no hidden elements.

On palm oil, we are certified palm oil free by POFCAP (Palm Oil Free Certification Accreditation Programme). While “sustainable” palm oil is often presented as the answer, certification schemes do not fully eliminate the risks of deforestation and habitat loss. By being completely palm oil free — and independently certified — we remove that ambiguity entirely.

For us, it’s not about doing less harm — it’s about avoiding the problem altogether.

Question 3

You make your products in Somerset with Exmoor water. Tell us a few fun facts about your beautiful county, and why people should visit aside from enjoying a pint of scrumpy!

Greenscents is based on the edge of Exmoor, one of the most unspoilt landscapes in the UK.

• Exmoor is an official Dark Sky Reserve, with some of the clearest night skies in Europe
• It is home to the native Exmoor pony, one of the oldest horse breeds in the world
• The nearby coastline includes some of the highest sea cliffs in England
• In 2020, a family of beavers was released into the River Aller on the Holnicote Estate to restore landscapes and manage water naturally

Somerset itself has a long tradition of independent producers and craftsmanship. It’s not just about scenery — it’s about doing things more carefully and with greater integrity. That ethos feeds directly into how we formulate and manufacture our products.

But if you fancy a drink there is always Woods in Dulverton or the newly reopened White Hart in Wiveliscombe.

Question 4

You have a wonderful Nonscents collection. This is ideal for pregnancy, nursing, allergies, babies and pets. Tell us more about this, so people who can't use scents can enjoy eco-friendly cleaning and laundry products.

You say on your social media that some laundry detergents can weaken the skin barrier. Can you please expand more on this, as so many people these days have sensitive skin and eczema.

Nonscents is the heart of the Greenscents range — and always has been.

Fragrance is one of the most common triggers for sensitivity, yet it remains a default ingredient in most cleaning and laundry products. It is often listed simply as “parfum”, which can represent a complex, undisclosed blend of ingredients. Nonscents removes the fragrance variable entirely.

Laundry detergents often leave residues such as fragrances, optical brighteners, and enzymes on fabrics. Clothing sits in continuous contact with the skin, which can lead to repeated exposure.

For individuals with eczema or sensitive skin, this may contribute to irritation. The Greenscents approach focuses on effective cleaning without unnecessary residues.

Question 5

Some people believe that eco cleaning and laundry products cost more. But presumably as your service is refillable, they end up costing less. Can you give a little maths, to persuade people to switch over?!

And also give details for zero waste and other indie shops, on how they could order wholesale for you, and can they offer refill stations?

There’s a perception that eco products should always be cheaper, but that depends on what sits behind them.

Our products are highly concentrated, so the meaningful comparison is cost per use rather than cost per bottle. For example, a 5L refill of our laundry liquid delivers approximately 220 washes. When viewed this way, the cost per wash is highly competitive.

Refilling reduces long-term cost and waste. Customers are not just buying a product — they are choosing ingredient integrity, environmental responsibility, and a more considered way of living.

For independent and zero-waste retailers, we offer a straightforward wholesale model with retail-ready glass bottles and refill formats. Many partners also operate refill stations.

We’re particularly keen to work with retailers who want to offer something genuinely different — not just “eco” in name, but in substance.