Dropps: What Entrepreneurs Can Learn from this DTC Laundry Brand 

Dropps, the DTC laundry brand, has revolutionized the cleaning industry. As entrepreneurs, we can glean valuable lessons from their sustainable and customer-centric approach. Learn how Dropps grew from a small startup to a multi-billion dollar valuation, and explore their innovative strategies for product development, packaging, and transparency. 

Join us on a quest for entrepreneurial success and discover the secrets that propelled Dropps to the forefront of the eco-friendly cleaning movement.

Plus, find out how we can help YOUR brand start getting 100 sales a day.

What is Dropps? 

Dropps is an American laundry and cleaner product company created by Jonathan Propper in 2006. It is a subsidiary of the detergent franchise Cot’n Wash owned by Jonathan and his mother, Lenore Propper Schwartz. The Dropps brand came from an idea by Propper to develop small, compact products that are customer-friendly and environmentally sustainable. Sales of the laundry pods increased as users found the goods’ size and measured contents a convenience. The franchise received internal funding from its parent company and, in 2020, received external capital from the Craftory worth $16 million. 

The cleaning product business started with laundry pods, and its product list grew to include household items with recyclable packaging. The company produced eco-friendly goods and implemented sustainability goals to reassure its customers of its standards, drawing environmental conservationists to its cause. Dropps has multiple items, including detergents, fabric softeners, hand soaps, brushes, and scented pods. The socio-environmental enterprise B Corporation certified the Dropps establishment for producing and advocating green and lean detergent commodities. The company also received the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice Partner of the Year award in 2017 for its environmentally safe products and sustainability pursuits.

Who founded Dropps? 

Jonathan Propper launched the laundry detergent pod enterprise in 2008 to develop cleaning products gentle on clothing and customers’ skin. Propper is an American entrepreneur with a  Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College. He was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for several organizations, including Conshohocken Cotton Company, Standard Cousa, and Compro Technologies. Propper founded Dropps after deciding to bring eco-friendly cleaning to the detergent market while promoting social and environmental sustainability. He also advanced the Dropps brand using online marketing with a Youtube video dubbed “The Naked Truth About Laundry.

What is this brand's origin story? 

Jonathan Propper established Dropps as a subsidiary of Cot’n Wash, a product of an apparel company owned by Propper’s mother, Lenore Propper Schwartz, called Conshohocken Cotton Co. His mother noticed how detergents were harsh on cotton clothing, and Propper sought to address the issues by creating the Cot'n Wash detergent, soft on fabric. After producing the biodegradable laundry product, Propper ventured into creating smaller-sized items and developed dissolvable pods for customers’ use and convenience. He established sustainability policies for the Dropps wares to mitigate waste, encourage lean production, and protect users and the resources used in production. 

How was the brand funded? 

The biodegradable detergent brand received creative support from its parent body Cot’n Wash and $16 million in 2020 from the investment firm The Craftory.

What made Dropps grow? 

Dropps expanded as a company from its disruptive approach to creating cleaning products. The brand’s goal is to produce biodegradable, skin-friendly detergent pods in an industry saturated with harsh cleaning chemicals, and it continues to pursue its sustainability objectives. These endeavors gained the interest of prominent environmentalists, impressed by Dropps’s business and impact. 

Another aspect contributing to the franchise’s growth is its affiliate and ambassador programs which serve as an income source for members and increased media awareness for Dropps. The company’s product extension, from laundry products to household cleaning items, significantly fostered the brand’s advancement. 

What is its valuation? 

In 2020, Dropps received funding from The Craftory investment establishment worth $16 million. The brand also accrued a $17.4 billion valuation from its ventures in the laundry and detergent industry.

Lessons entrepreneurs can learn from Dropps. 

The Dropps brand story provides insight into the success of its business operations. The following are experience points business owners can learn from the detergent company.

Determine Your Product's Sustainability Benchmark 

The detergent enterprise’s standard for sustainability is creating lean, eco-friendly, and skin-safe branded pods for clean, environmentally safe, and efficient laundry.

Identify Your Product's Sustainability Profile 

The Dropps provides profiled attributes of its branded products as part of its transparency to its customers. Its items are concentrated yet skin-sensitive dirt removers.

Invest In Sustainable Packaging 

Dropps uses recyclable cardboard boxes to house its goods and reduce waste from recycling plastics.

Make Available Ingredient Disclosure & Transparency 

Dropps aims for complete transparency about the items used in its detergents to assure customers that its products are safe to use. Its use of plant-based ingredients earned Dropps recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency in 2017.

Identify Potential Environmental, Social & Health Hazards 

The laundry pod establishment collaborates with its users and like-minded individuals to impact society by advocating for a cleaner environment and identifying areas for improvement.

Make Efforts to Minimize Chemical & Material Inputs 

A notable feature of Dropps’s products is their size and package composition. These detergents are minimalist and conservative in design to avoid wasteful fabrication.

Consider a Product Extension 

The Dropps franchise started as a subset of the parent company Cot’n Wash. Dropps became prominent as a product after the development of the detergent pods and expanded to household cleaning utensils.

Commit to Sustainability in Business Practices 

The brand is a detergent enterprise built on the premise of user-friendly cleaning goods. Dropps takes a step further to renovate its productive processes into environmentally safe procedures as a guarantee to its customers.

Educate Your Customers About Your Products' Sustainability 

The Dropps online shopping platform provides its users with knowledge of its sustainability practices, highlighting its goals for eco-friendly production.

Use Social Media to Communicate Your Brand's Commitment to Sustainability 

Dropps has extensive coverage across social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, and Tiktok. They use these media and their ambassador program to promote their sustainability goals.

FAQ 

What is Dropps’ sustainability policy? 

The detergent enterprise believes in sustainability and advocates the following principles:

• Non-use of toxic chemicals
• Avoid waste of resources
• Reduce pollution and carbon emission
• Treat the natural resources used with care

What types of products do Dropps offer? 

Dropps has a variety of products, which fall into two categories: Laundry and Household items. These goods include the following:

• Laundry
  • Oxi Booster
  • Detergent
  • Fabric Softener
  • Fabric Refresher
  • Dryer
• Household
  • Dishwasher Detergent
  • Hand Soap
  • Dish Spray
  • Air Freshener
  • Swedish Dishcloths

The brand’s products  also have the option of purchasing by scent, including:

• Unscented
• Clean & Crisp
• Fresh Start
• Lemon
• Lemon Verbena
• Orange Blossom
• Lavender Eucalyptus
• Lavender Chamomile
• Rose Energy
• Fresh Air
• Forest Air

What is Dropps’ subscription model? 

Dropps’s subscription model is a multi-level marketing program. The franchise offers affiliate and ambassador memberships with rewards for the number of new customers added to Dropps’s clientele. This benefits system also applies to the publicity garnered for the company.

Takeaway

The Dropps franchise provides its customers with natural, eco-friendly detergents that are safe for clothing and skin contact. The enterprise establishes a non-toxic brand that promotes environmental sustainability by protecting its product users and the raw resources used in its commodities.

Now that you've seen the incredible achievements of Dropps and the valuable lessons they offer, it's time to take your own e-commerce business to new heights. 

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