Defunkify

Defunkify makes laundry detergent that gets the odor out of activewear, using green chemistry rather than the harsh surfactants that usually do this job. Over 90% of people say odor is their worst laundry problem and most are unhappy with what they're using, which is a strange thing to be true of a product category this old. Activewear is the fastest-growing segment of apparel, and synthetic fabric holds smell in a way cotton never did.

The environmental version of a household product usually asks the buyer to accept less: less clean, less white, less convenient, in exchange for feeling better. Defunkify's argument is that it works better first, and the chemistry is safer second. That order matters. A greener product that underperforms gets bought once, and the aggregate impact of a detergent is decided by how many people keep buying it.