Advice please traveling to france, ref: washing powers

[daisychainXX]

Hi there Im looking for some advice on buying supplys in france.
My little boy, partner and I are due to go to france in June 2009 to see family.
Due to cheep flights we can only take hand lugage for the 2 adult seats, so space will be short and washing clothes at my nans when we are out there will be a must-do for all of us.
This was not to much of a problem till tonight when my little boy ended up in A&E with a purple rash (very scary but he seems ok now) It turns out that he has allergy to washing powder (same as I do) but more violent. (A friend has washed his top in a different washing powder to what I use)
I dont want to go though that again in france, so does any body know if the ECOVER washing liquide for clothes (or simular plant based washing liquide)can be brought easly in France .
I would ask the family out there to look for me but they only us the little local shops rather then the supermarkets.
I think they think Im just being silly and worring over nothing.

Please does any one have any ideas if you can buy Ecover or simular PLANT BASED washing stuff for clothes in France?

Think it could be called 'Lessive bébé' made by 'my sweet bio' in france??? (as long that is a plant based, sorry my is very rusty now) Im not quite sure.

Thanks for your time reading this long post

I'm not sure about plant-based detergent but I've always found it incredibly difficult (verging on impossible, but I have found it once or twice) to find anything that's non-bio in France. Everything seems to contain enzymes, which I imagine you're trying to avoid.

Hopefully, one of our French correspondents will be along soon.

I don't know but wanted to respond to your post because your thread title actually says "washing powers" so caught my attention. Not making fun of you, it's just eye-catching.

LOL.. I didnt think to spellcheck it!
sorry about that.

No worries, I hope you find something suitable!

Monoprix does a plant-based one though I personally haven't tried it. Think it's called "maison verte"...? (it's pale green, you can't miss it in the aisle). I can usually get away with the "sans phosphates" or "peau sensible". Leader price do a "sans phosphates" but not plant-based. You could also try going to a "bio" (organic) shop such as Biocoop and look for "savon de marseilles" soap flakes.
HTH. I guess you might have to try them out on yourself first...

You can get 'savon de marseille' soap flakes in the hypermarkets in the Le Chat brand.

I personally don't like the Monop plant based one. The washing up liquid is pretty good but the detergent doesn't really work that well and doesn't touch heavy stains.

"Savon de marseilles" is probably your best bet.

You can get Ecover in organic shops and can order it online, from sites like this:
here
or here

You'd find it more easily in a little, local organic shop than a supermarket, TBH.

Ecover is sold here, and also, from next month, at Parashop

Great thank you so much, that is great news I will make a note of the names so am I right in think 'Monoprix' is the plant based one....but is 'Savon de marseilles' plant based too? sorry just to get it clear in my head.

Thank you so much for help.

Savon de Marseille is traditionally plant based (olive oil).
I expect the industrially made soaps differ a bit but they are still recommended for people with allergies to the composants of traditional washing powder.

Thank you very much for all the help.

Just looked at my box of Le Chat Sensitive, and it's made from savon de Marseille - I never knew that it was plant based, thanks Otherside

I know from experience that ds (2) can only use this brand of washing powder as he comes out in rashes with other types and it makes his eczema worse...

Would it be any use you trying it before coming over so you know if it's okay or not? If it helps I can send you a bit to use...

Hi 'monkeybumsmum' Thank you so much for your very kind offer it would be so good to try some before we go, it would be such a help.
I dont know how to tell you where I live with out telling the world to.

umm...ok
If I put my email on this message ([email protected]) then could you send me a message to that, so I can send you my address back to your email. I hope that make sense.

Thank you so much.
Daisychain

Hi daisychain! Just sent you a message so let me know if you get it okay!

I'm a bit late to this, but I've just bought a large bottle of Lessive Liquide Au Savon Vegetal Ecologique from Francprix, from the L'Arbre Vert range. Haven't tried it yet, but it claims to be "Sans Allergenes", "Hypoallergenique" and "Teste sur Peaux Sensibles". Sorry for the lack of appropriate accents, haven't worked out how to do them on my new keyboard yet. Hope you have a lovely trip!

If you're going to stay with family, why not just post a small pack of Ecover or enough tablets to last while you're away, then no need to faff around looking for something suitable?

we get all our eCover shipped from the UK but recently moved to a french brand called L'Arbre Vert (someone already mentioned this).they have an english site you can read about it here. www.the-greentree.com/AV.htm