Travelers on week-long trips and more know the struggle of finding a reliable way to do laundry while on the go. Despite the clean beauty movement revolutionizing many industries, laundry detergents have been stuck in the past—until now. Enter Mozi Wash, who can help at home and on-the-go.
Founder Matt Cook embodies the essence of California cool. Raised in Oceanside, San Diego, he’s spent his life outdoors—whether surfing, dirt biking, or simply exploring nature. Always drawn to side hustles, Cook’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through in everything he does. “I like to be in control of my own fate.”
With a massive following on TikTok, Cook grew Mozi Wash with a great product showcased by creating visually captivating videos. His most notable video caught Gen Z’s eye. In this, Cook did laundry at a picturesque Southern California laundromat by the beach. Cook frequently engages with his audience, taking feedback from the comment section about new fragrances and product ideas. The mantra “the customer comes first” is central to Mozi Wash’s ethos.
The brand’s six signature detergent scents—Vanilla Moon, Desert Poppy, Alpine Woods, Central Coast, Sugar Dew, and Cozy Cashmere—are inspired by luxury fragrances. And let’s not forget—these names are as charming as they smell.
From sustainably-minded packaging to clean ingredients, Mozi Wash is not just a pretty can—it’s an eco-friendly solution for those who care about both the environment and their laundry. With the launch of travel-sized packs (perfect for life on the go), Cook shares how this detergent is changing the way we think about laundry. Read on for more.
What inspired you to create Mozi Wash?
“I noticed that the laundry industry hadn’t changed at all, especially when compared to other industries. There are legacy brands that people have been buying and using for generations, but these companies haven’t evolved much in terms of design or environmental advancements. It was just the same old, big, bulky, single-use plastic jugs with too much water and irritating ingredients that smelled like cheap perfume. These were the three key areas I observed, and they made me think about how I could make a change in this industry—with scent being the most significant factor in founding Mozi Wash.”
Can you walk us through the product development process and explain how you incorporate eco-friendly packaging into it?
“At first, I had to research the detergent industry and figure out what chemicals other large companies were using to develop their products. Initially, I started with plastic bottles and small homemade batches, just trying to sell the product before Mozi Wash even officially began. When I had 200 plastic bottles shipped to my house, I started feeling guilty knowing these containers would eventually end up somewhere—and as someone who’s traveled a bit, I kept thinking about my time in Central America, where so many beaches are littered with plastic garbage. That really stuck with me. From then on, I switched to metal cans. The metal we use is infinitely recyclable, making it an environmentally friendly part of the packaging.”
Tell us about the sample/travel packs and how you envision customers using them while traveling.
“People have been asking for these sample packs for a long time. Most people use them to figure out which scents they love best, but I’ve really loved seeing how consumers are using them for travel as well. It’s a dual-purpose feature of the packs.
I recently traveled and, of course, I forgot my Mozi Wash travel packs. I ended up using the typical store-bought detergent, and it caused my eczema to flare up. That’s just another reason why Mozi Wash is so great for your health—it doesn’t have all those irritating chemicals like sulfates, brighteners, preservatives, and fragrance allergens that are rough on your skin.”
You’re passionate about travel—have any destinations specifically influenced your fragrances?
“While the fragrances are also based on popular perfumes or colognes in the scent industry, the tones of each fragrance remind me of specific destinations. For example, ‘Central Coast’ is very clean, airy, and sandalwood-infused, which reminds me of California’s Central Coast. ‘Alpine Woods’ evokes a forest-inspired scent with notes of pine trees, giving off an overall masculine vibe that many customers say reminds them of what a ‘sexy lumberjack’ would smell like. As for ‘Sugar Dew,’ I drew inspiration from my travels to Central America and other tropical places—this scent is meant to evoke the feeling of walking by a tropical fruit stand you might find there.”
– As told to by Britney Eschelman
