Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation is a Vermont-based natural cleaning products and personal care brand known for plant-based, non-toxic formulations and transparent ingredient disclosure — producing laundry detergent, dish soap, household cleaners, baby products, and feminine care products that avoid synthetic fragrances, dyes, and petroleum-derived chemicals. Founded in 1988 by Jeffrey Hollender and Alan Newman in Burlington, Vermont, Seventh Generation was acquired by Unilever in 2016 for approximately $600 million, bringing the brand into Unilever's sustainable living brand portfolio alongside Ben & Jerry's and The Body Shop.\n\nSeventh Generation's product philosophy centers on transparency ("Comes Clean" ingredient disclosure, listing all ingredients on packaging), plant-based formulations, and environmental footprint reduction (products made with recycled content packaging, concentrated formulas to reduce shipping weight). The brand's name is inspired by the Great Law of the Iroquois, which encourages considering the impact of decisions on the seventh generation ahead — embedding environmental philosophy into brand identity.\n\nIn 2025, Seventh Generation operates within Unilever's Health and Wellbeing division, competing with Method (SC Johnson), Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day (SC Johnson), Ecover, and Eco Nuts for the natural cleaning products market. The natural cleaning segment has grown as mainstream consumers shift away from conventional cleaners with synthetic ingredients, and as the natural products category has moved from specialty health food stores to mainstream supermarkets. The brand competes for shelf space at Target, Whole Foods, and online against Seventh Generation's siblings in Unilever's portfolio. The 2025 strategy focuses on expanding plant-based formulation innovation, growing online direct sales, and deepening the brand's environmental activism credentials to differentiate from conventional brands adding "green" claims.