Earth Choice Brand Manager, Annabel Rafferty chatted with Emma Martin of Wellbeing Magazine about everything from plant-based formulas to responsible Australian manufacturing.
It can get pretty busy at Earth Choice HQ, so when we sat down with Wellbeing Magazine for our latest feature interview, it gave us a moment to pause and reflect on an impressive milestone: 45 years of keeping Australian homes clean without costing the earth. As a publication dedicated to conscious living, Wellbeing Magazine felt like the perfect place to reflect on our journey, the philosophy that has guided us for four decades, and the growing movement towards more conscious and sustainable choices.
When a brand can claim a 45-year history of eco-conscious manufacturing, it means they were doing this long before green chemistry was cool, profitable, or expected. In the 1980s, choosing plant-based formulas wasn't a savvy marketing play; it was a counter-cultural risk.
As an Australian-made, family-owned brand, Earth Choice has always stood for something bigger than cleaning products. Our story began in 1981, at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, when our founder, Terry Dowel, set out to create a healthier and more sustainable world by giving Australians better alternatives to the traditional cleaning products available at the time.
Terry understood that if we could make safer, more environmentally conscious choices accessible to everyday Australians, then collectively, those small choices could add up to something much bigger. That belief still sits at the heart of Earth Choice today.
“What is a small choice you can make in your daily life to make a collective difference?”
Working as a chemist’s assistant, Terry drew on his knowledge of green chemistry to develop formulations using renewable and plant-based ingredients that were readily biodegradable and safer for people to use. It was about challenging the idea that cleaning products had to rely on harsh chemicals to be effective and proving that powerful cleaning and environmental responsibility could go hand in hand.
Forty-five years later, that same philosophy continues to shape who we are.
Being part of Earth Choice means knowing that sustainability isn’t something we’ve simply added to our brand in response to changing consumer expectations. It has been part of our DNA from the beginning. It’s a commitment that extends beyond what goes into our bottles and considers the entire product lifecycle. From the ingredients we use, to the packaging we produce, to the way we manufacture our products.
From being the first to produce recyclable bottles made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic in 2005, to installing 5,000 solar panels at our factory in 2019, Earth Choice has continually found ways to reduce our environmental impact and make sustainability part of everything we do.
And that’s what makes being part of the Earth Choice team so rewarding: our ongoing commitment to challenging the status quo, continuously seeking ways to improve, innovate, and deliver more sustainable solutions for our customers.
We believe sustainable living shouldn’t feel exclusive, complicated or expensive. It should be something that can happen in the everyday moments of life; when you’re washing the dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the bathroom or tackling a greasy stovetop.
Our recently launched Earth Choice Power Degreaser Multipurpose is a great example of that philosophy. It’s designed to tackle tough kitchen grease and oil on surfaces such as stovetops, splash backs and even air fryers, while avoiding a number of harsh petrochemicals commonly found in traditional degreasers. Instead, it uses plant-based ingredients to deliver the cleaning power people expect, while offering a more considered choice for people and the planet.
What began as Terry Dowel’s vision has grown into a pioneering Australian movement, helping make sustainable cleaning an everyday choice for households across the country. There’s a real sense of pride in knowing that when Australians choose Earth Choice, they’re supporting an Australian family-owned brand that has spent decades challenging the status quo, investing in responsible manufacturing and making sustainable alternatives more accessible.
After 45 years of keeping Australian homes clean, our purpose remains simple: to help keep homes clean without costing the earth.
Dive Into the Full Wellbeing Feature
Want to read the rest of our chat on responsible Aussie manufacturing, circular packaging, and practical tips for everyday eco-living?
Read our full feature spotlight in Wellbeing Magazine
Ready to make the swap? You can find Earth Choice at your local Coles, Woolworths, Chemist Warehouse, or independent supermarket.