Alpaca Dryer Balls For Earth Month
This Earth Month, we’re celebrating one of our simplest yet most impactful household swaps: Alpaca Dryer Balls!
A reusable, plastic-free alternative to conventional dryer sheets that offers an eco-friendly solution to a common household item, while also upholding artisan craftsmanship. By switching from disposable dryer sheets for dryer balls, you are supporting a more sustainable home and upholding a sustainable practice.
Shop Pokoloko's Alpaca Dryer Balls here >
The Problem with Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets are a laundry staple many of us don’t think twice about, but beneath their fresh scent they’re really just another single-use plastic in disguise.
Dryer sheets are typically made from synthetic polyester and coated in chemical fragrances. Over time, the toxins and micro plastics from these sheets can end up lingering in our waterways, potentially harming aquatic life, and contributing to micro-plastic pollution.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average household typically discards around 400 dryer sheets per year. That’s a lot of unnecessary waste - but threat not, there’s a simple solution!
How to Make the Switch
Switching to Alpaca Dryer Balls replaces more than just dryer sheets and you only need 3-6 to get started! Here's how dryer balls impact your laundry routine:
Replace fabric softeners:
Alpaca Dryer Balls naturally soften fabrics by gently lifting and separating clothes as they tumble
Replace Chemical Fragrances:
Add 2–3 drops of essential oils (like lavender or eucalyptus) to each ball before washing, for a fresh, toxin-free scent.
Replace Endless Shopping Trips:
Just 3 balls handle a medium load (or up to 6 for larger loads), lasting 500+ cycles you'll need fewer trips to the store!
Alpaca Dryer Balls: One Step Toward Systemic Change
Ditching the sheets for the balls is a simple change that extends far beyond your laundry room. Here are all the ways your purchase helps a sustainable cause:
Fights Micro-plastic Pollution
Compared to synthetic dryer sheets, Alpaca Dryer Balls consist of entirely natural materials. Even under the heat of a dryer, these fibres are harmless if they shed - protecting oceans and aquatic life long term.
Supports Regenerative Agriculture
Alpacas graze gently, only taking the top of the grass blades, allowing immediate regeneration, while their manure enriches the soil. By sourcing ethically, we help sustain traditional herding practices that do not compromise the ecosystem.
Challenges Disposable Culture
Dryer Balls are designed to withstand being tossed around and are made to last. Choosing high quality reusable household staples, reduces demand for single-use items, pushing industries toward circular solutions.
Amplifies Ethical Practices
Sustainability isn’t just about materials, it’s also about respecting the hands that shape them. Our dryer balls are hand-felted by a cooperative of female artisans in Peru, who source alpaca fibre directly from local herders (also known as Alpaqueros).
Every purchase directly supports the Peruvian artisans and herders behind every ball, proving that sustainability and social impact can go hand in hand.
Each dryer ball is rolled by hand, using ancestral techniques that ensure durability. Through supporting small-scale farming and fair wages, every Alpaca Dryer Ball purchase contributes to uplifting entire communities.
Learn more about how how we make our Alpaca Dryer Balls here >
Think of your journey towards a sustainable home as a mindful practice towards - from creation, to purchase, to use and disposal, the key is ensuring each of those steps offer minimal impact. Our Alpaca Dryer Balls are an easy first step to help us rewire how we consume!