Guadalajara, Mexico – A group of young Mexican entrepreneurs have created a clean, biodegradable laundry detergent that does not require rinsing, allowing users to save half of the water needed to wash clothes and diminish the use of electricity.

Ulises Navarro, one of the entrepreneurs, told EFE on Friday that their goal was making an "environmentally friendly" liquid detergent.

The detergent's components, Navarro said, biodegrade in 21 days, they do not produce lather, and they do not contain colorants, fixatives or water softeners, which are generally added into commercial detergents and fabric softeners.

"We were looking for a formula to make a detergent that would wash clothes just as well, or even better, than commercial detergents, while having a smaller environmental impact, producing less residues and requiring less resources," Navarro said.

After three years of experimenting, the group of entrepreneurs – made up of a chemical engineer, a marketing expert and an administrator – created a pH-neutral detergent named "Newen," which saves water, time and money, Humberto Ramos, one of the group's members, said.

According to Ramos, "Newen" could save between 25-80 liters (6.6-21.1 gallons) of water per wash, depending on the capacity of the washing machine.

Navarro said that the detergent is very efficient, as only "10 to 30 milliliters (0.3-1 oz) are needed per wash, as opposed to 100 milliliters of traditional detergent, plus a similar amount of fabric softener, representing 75% less chemicals poured into the environment."

The three young men, who live in Guadalajara, the capital the western state of Jalisco, started developing the detergent in 2013 and selling it in local organic markets and shops one year later.

"Newen" is now sold online and in small markets and shops across Mexico, and the young entrepreneurs plan on expanding by selling their product to hotels and restaurants.