EcoCal® Laundry Detergent

"Pipupi" is a brand dedicated to the development of healthy, safe, and additive-free household cleaning products. In 2022, we released our first product "Ecocal® Laundry Detergent", with a focus on water resource protection and waste utilization; from then on, we successively launched cleaning products with the natural disinfectant "Shell Calcium" as the main ingredient, including stain remover, dishwashing detergent, and more.

If a large amount of shells are recycled and manufactured into shell calcium, will there still be enough shells left for the hermit crabs to shelter in?

Don't worry! The shells recycled are discarded golden clam shells from Li Chuan Aquafarm in Hualien, Taiwan, which are then processed into shell calcium powder through high-temperature calcination. Our sourcing location is completely differnt from the places that the hermit crabs inhabit.

Why can shell calcium sterilize other items?

In general, treated oyster shells and shell calcium would have similar properties and functions. The main difference lies in the raw material source of our products. The golden clam shells we use are raised in clean, antibiotic-free, and drug residue-free freshwater farms of Li Chuan Aquafarm in Hualien, Taiwan. After being calcine to temperatures exceeding 1,000°C, undergoing three rounds of filtration, and airflow grading to control the quality by removing heavy metals and microbes, "EcoCal®" is sure to be refined.

Because laundered clothes would come into contact with the wearer's skin, we rigorously select the clean golden clam shells to produce "EcoCal®", which is then used as an ingredient in laundry detergent. Other oyster shells are not considered for the concerns about heavy metals.

"EcoCal®" sterilization powder is exclusively patented to be added to laundry detergent. When mixed with water, the shell calcium releases active oxygen, causing bacterial cell membranes to rupture, thus effectively sterilizing, adsorbing impurities, and removing odors. According to SGS testing, the sterilization rate is over 99%.

Shellfish in Taiwan are likely to be polluted with heavy metals. Has your company evaluated the conditions of your raw materials?

We do not use shellfish shells from the coast. We only use the shells of golden clams raised in freshwater farms of Li Chuan Aquafarm in Hualien, Taiwan. The shells there are clean, antibiotic-free, and free from drug residues. These gold clams would be processed into clam essence first, then the shells are collected and refined into "EcoCal®" powder through high-temperature calcination above 1,000°C, three times of filtration, and air-flow grading to control the quality of heavy metals, microorganisms, and more. There is no need to have concerns about heavy metals. EcoCal® is our exclusive patented formula that added to the laundry detergent. Please feel free to use it!

What is the manufacturing origin of EcoCal® laundry detergent? Have the ingredients been verified through inspection?

EcoCal® laundry detergent is 100% manufactured in Taiwan, from the sourcing of materials to production. All ingredients have been confirmed through SGS testing and ECOCERT natural certification, so you can use it with confidence!

Sterilization rate of over 99%
Biodegradability more than 97%
Negative response to fluorescent whitening agent
Formaldehyde-free
Total phosphorus below 0.001, being undetectable
ECOCERT 100% natural certification

Would EcoCal® powder accelerate the damage to fabric or to the bearing of washing machine? Would EcoCal® powder precipitate at low flow rates?

EcoCal® laundry detergent utilizes patented technology to dissolve shell calcium in the detergent, so there is no problem with precipitation or calcium powder settling! In order to protect the efforts and dedication of the development of the team, a patent application was filed in 2021 for the invention patent "Cleaning agent formula with bio-shell calcium oxide component and its preparation method" (patent number I742838).

Technically, EcoCal® laundry detergent has finally overcome the concerns of powder precipitation, and will not cause pipeline blockage. At the same time, the pH value is adjusted to be weakly alkaline between 8-9 through formula proportioning.

Is there any animal testing conducted during the development of the products?

We conduct all testing in our laboratory, and the final product is adjusted by our internal researchers through garment washing tests. The finished laundry detergent is also sampled and sent to SGS laboratory for testing. We assure you that our products are made with no animal testing involved.

Pets at home may chew fabrics. Is this product friendly and safe for them?

The proportion of organic sweet orange essential oil added to EcoCal® Laundry Detergent is very low, and it also contains calcined shell calcium. When shell calcium comes into contact with water, it produces ROS calcium oxide, which can damage bacterial cell membranes. In addition to its sterilizing properties, it also has a grease-degrading effect, so only a faint fragrance of the essential oil would remain. You'll notice that after using our laundry detergent, there is less residual odor compared to regular detergents.

However, if you intend to use detergent to wash your pet's clothing, we recommend using "EcoCal® Pet Laundry Detergent," which is unscented and specially formulated for pet fabric products.

Is laundry detergent low-foaming? Is it suitable for front-loading washing machines? How long could the detergent be preserved?

The EcoCal® Laundry Detergent is a concentrated formula and is not low-foaming. For 30L of water, use 1/3 cup of the bottle cap (about 15c.c.) to wash clothes. During the development stage, we tested the foam and cleaning power of the detergent using a drum-type washing machine, and there were no issues! However, it is essential to follow our recommended usage amount to avoid excessive foam that may cause overflow or blockage! (Many consumers tend to apply the amount of laundry detergent based on their experiences, and often that means too much of the detergent is used. That could be such a waste and left too much detergent remained on clothes).

If the laundry detergent is stored in a cool dry place, it can be kept for over 3 years. But we recommend using it up within 3 years to prevent it from spoiling.

Compared with other brands of laundry detergent, how effective is your laundry detergent?

The strength of EcoCal® Laundry Detergent lies in its zero-waste approach from all aspects. It is made from recycled golden clam shells from Hualien Li Chuan Aquafarm, which are then calcined in high temperature into shell calcium powder. This natural disinfectant converts to calcium oxide when it encounters water, breaking down the cell membrane of bacteria and achieving a sterilizing effect. Tested by SGS, it has been proven to achieve a sterilization rate of 99% against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans!

Laundry detergent is not only about the substances removed but also about the substances added. We strive to minimize additives, excluding fluorescent agents, preservatives, bleaching agents, formaldehyde, and phosphate-free non-nonylphenol (all proven by SGS testing). We could not have the same cleaning effect of laundry detergents on the market that emphasize ultra-strong cleaning power, and that is because they usually contain additives to achieve this.

In addition, the washing process and method also contribute to different cleaning effects. What we would like to say is that different ingredients would have their own strengths, so we don't compare our product to others. Last but not least, due to the oil-removing properties of calcined shell calcium, our internal experiments have shown a significantly better effect on removing oil stains compared to some other brands.

How to fulfil the cradle-to-cradle sustainability concept in used laundry wastewater?

Usually, domestic wastewater is collected by the sewage collection system (sewer network) and transported to water resource recovery centers (wastewater treatment plants).

The treatment process at a typical wastewater treatment plant includes preliminary treatment, secondary treatment, tertiary treatment, and sludge treatment. Part of the discharged water is further purified for use in equipment cleaning on site, or even applied to the irrigation of plants and flowers. Some of it is discharged into the ocean through marine outfall stations after chlorinated for disinfection. (The process is complex; here, we provide a simplified explanation. For detailed information, please search for wastewater treatment plants.)

During secondary treatment (also known as biological treatment) at the wastewater treatment plant, various methods such as activated sludge, biological membrane, and biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal processes are employed to remove environmental hormones. However, we believe that addressing production and manufacturing at the source is crucial.

EcoCal® Laundry Detergent has been tested by SGS and proven to have a biodegradability rate of over 97%, phosphate-free, non-nonylphenol-producing, and free from formaldehyde, preservatives, bleaching agents, and fluorescent agents. Our fragrance is also derived from natural organic sweet orange essential oil. Pure shell calcium water is alkaline and helps balance acidic substances in the environment. When water seeps into the soil, it is absorbed by plants, and any excess water eventually flows into the ocean, becoming a new source of nutrition for shellfish.