Method helped make eco-cleaning mainstream with its plant-based formulas and design-forward bottles. But ownership has changed, and most of its packaging is still plastic, so how sustainable is it really today? greener than conventional, with strings attached.
- Plant-based, biodegradable formulas
- Pioneered bottles made from recycled and ocean-bound plastic
- Refillable aluminum hand wash; refill tubs use ~50% recycled plastic
- Widely available and affordable, a low-friction switch from conventional cleaners
- Helped normalize eco-cleaning at scale
- Owned by SC Johnson since 2017, no longer an independent, mission-led B Corp
- Most packaging is still plastic (recycled, but plastic)
- Many products are fragranced
- Corporate-scale sustainability vs the original founder mission
Related: compare laundry options in our guide to the best PVA-free laundry detergents.
What Is Method?
Method is a San Francisco-born home and personal-care brand known for plant-based cleaners in distinctive bottles. It was acquired (with Ecover) and is now part of the SC Johnson group, one of the largest cleaning-product companies in the world.
Ingredients and Packaging
Method’s formulas are plant-based and biodegradable, and the brand was an early leader in using recycled and even ocean-bound plastic for its bottles. Its refillable aluminum hand wash, refilled from tubs with around 50% recycled content, is its most circular offering. Still, the majority of Method packaging remains single-use plastic.
The SC Johnson Ownership Question
This is the crux for many shoppers. Method built its reputation as an independent, mission-driven company; under SC Johnson it benefits from scale and the company’s long-running Greenlist ingredient program, but it’s no longer independently certified the way it once was. Whether that’s a dealbreaker depends on whether you value corporate scale or independent mission more.
What SC Johnson changed, and what it didn’t
Method’s 2017 sale to SC Johnson (as part of the People Against Dirty group, alongside Ecover) is the reason its B Corp certification lapsed, and it is the main thing separating today’s Method from the scrappy design brand founded in a San Francisco apartment in 2000.
What survived the acquisition matters too. The bottles are still made from recycled plastic, the formulas remain plant-forward and biodegradable, and the Chicago factory that produces much of the line is LEED Platinum certified with a greenhouse on the roof. The brand’s soul is intact; its independent accountability is not.
The plastic math
Method’s bottles use post-consumer recycled plastic, which beats virgin plastic by a wide margin. But it is still a buy-a-bottle, toss-a-bottle model. Refill pouches reduce that somewhat, at the cost of using flexible film that most curbside programs cannot recycle.
If packaging is your main concern, tablet and concentrate systems like Blueland eliminate the repeat bottle entirely, and our cleaning products roundup ranks the strongest options. Method’s edge is availability and price: it is the green-leaning choice you can grab in any grocery store.
The Verdict: Is Method Sustainable?
Method makes greener cleaning products, plant-based formulas and recycled, refillable packaging, but its acquisition by SC Johnson means it’s no longer the independent, mission-led company it started as, which matters to some buyers.
Related: our best non-toxic cleaning products ranks the brands we trust most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Method?
Method is owned by SC Johnson, which acquired it along with Ecover in 2017. It now operates as part of one of the world’s largest cleaning-product companies rather than as an independent brand.
Is Method non-toxic?
Method’s formulas are plant-based and biodegradable and avoid many harsh chemicals, though most products are fragranced. If you’re sensitive to fragrance, look to its fragrance-free options or a brand like Branch Basics.
Is Method packaging recyclable?
Yes. Method bottles are recyclable and made with recycled (and historically ocean-bound) plastic, and the refillable aluminum hand wash reduces plastic further. But most of the range is still single-use plastic.
Is Method still a B Corp?
No. Method does not carry independent B Corp certification as it did in its early independent days; it now sits within SC Johnson’s corporate sustainability programs.
Is Method cruelty-free?
Yes. Method has been a cruelty-free brand since its founding and does not test on animals, a stance that continued after the SC Johnson acquisition.
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Sources & Further Reading
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