Cosmetic certificates and certification companies

WHAT ORGANISATIONS DOMINATE THE MARKET FOR NATURAL AND ORGANIC RAW MATERIALS ?

The market for natural and organic personal care products has grown globally in recent years. This boom in cosmetics has quite naturally led to the emergence of organisations which, in the form of certain norms and standards, cover the assessment of the quality level of raw materials aimed at the production of natural cosmetics, as well as certain restrictions and limitations on use and dosage. In addition to the standards issued by the European Union, other private organisations have gradually emerged in Europe and around the world.

You may have noticed that certain products in our e-shop also have a logo, and we have also indicated that they are certified by various companies for several raw materials.

We will gradually introduce you to the most well-known ones.

ECOCERT

Perhaps the best known certification company in Europe is the French ECOCERT, which was founded in 1991 and today operates in more than 80 countries, certifying more than 70% of organic producers in its native France.

Owners of this organic certification are raw material producers, manufacturers, brands and other "players" in the cosmetics industry.

Ecocert provides two types of trademarks called COSMOS (COSMetic Organic and natural Standard), which are subject to strict criteria:

1 Ecocert Organic Cosmetic

- at least 95% of all ingredients are of natural origin

- at least 95% of all ingredients are of vegetable origin

- at least 10% of all ingredients are from organic farms

2 Ecocert Natural Cosmetic

- at least 95% of all ingredients are of natural origin

- at least 50% of all ingredients are of vegetable origin

- at least 5% of all ingredients are from organic farms

But that's far from all when it comes to the rigour of the quality assessment.

In addition, products certified by this company must meet other requirements:

- environmentally friendly, both production and processing processes that also respect human health

- the development of green chemicals

- responsible use of natural resources

- respect for biodiversity

- absence of petrochemical additives (except for permitted preservatives), parabens, phenoxyethanol, perfumes and synthetic dyes

- absence of genetically modified raw materials

- recyclable packaging + clarity of information on the label for the consumer

Ecocert thus covers the quality of the raw material from its cultivation to its delivery, guaranteeing the consumer safety and a real guarantee of quality.

ORGANIC SOIL ASSOCIATION certification company

Another major European certification company is the Organic Soil Association.

Founded back in 1946 with the original aim of promoting the protection of the planet through the promotion of organic farming and the organic processing of raw materials, it is a not-for-profit organisation. It is the only charity in Britain that deals comprehensively with human health, the environment as well as animal welfare, because, as it claims, it is aware that these areas cannot be addressed separately as there is a close link between them.

The products that bear their logo meet demanding criteria, the most important of which is an organic content above 70%. The percentage of content must be indicated on the label. If this is not the case, and the product bears the logo, this means that the content of organically certified ingredients is higher than 95%.

Like Ecocert, the company also checks and evaluates the processing, storage and packaging of the products. It does not allow parabens, GMOs, sulphates, petroleum derivatives and animal testing is also prohibited.

In addition, the organisation makes a significant contribution through its activities:

- it also works for change in the political arena, where it publicly expresses its views against harmful agricultural laws,

- proactively, through various programmes, promotes innovative solutions to ensure a future of healthy and sustainable food,

- providing healthy food to thousands of British schoolchildren, in hospitals and homes,

- supports the organic market by providing technical advice and marketing support to organic businesses,

- protects forests - through over 2,000 clients, it protects around 15 hectares of forests around the world, as well as the people, plants and animals that live in them.

We will conclude the topic of certification companies with a brief overview of other brands that can be found on raw materials or directly on natural cosmetics products, guaranteeing quality and value.

Other certification companies

From around the world, let us mention the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), which is the US national certification society. Like the European institutions mentioned above, it certifies organic farming products. It requires compliance with an ingredient content of 95% organically grown, as well as storage and packaging controls. GMOs, artificial fertilisers, pesticides and other synthetic and chemical substances are prohibited.

In Europe, national certification is also in place in many countries. This is particularly the case in countries with developed controlled organic farming.

In France you can still come across the AB - Agriculture Biologique label, in Germany the BDIH label, on products labelled as "Conctrolled Natural Cosmetics". In the Czech Republic, the BIO zebra brand is present. And in Italy, for example, it is the ICEA (Institute for Ethical Certification) that certifies Bio Eco Cosmesi.

With the development of natural cosmetics and the control of organic and environmentally friendly growing, processing and handling practices, there is also a need to protect other areas related to the cosmetics industry:

CRUELTY FREE is a PETA certification that assures the consumer that the product has not been tested on animals. The company operates in the USA.

LEAPING BUNNY is the only international certificate confirming that it is not tested on animals. The organization provides comprehensive control and does not allow animal testing of products or its individual ingredients in all product phases.

FAIR TRADE, which translates as Fair/Fair Trade, is the company that first addressed the problem of labour abuses in developing countries back in the 1940s. Then in 1989, the company known today as WFTO (World Fair Trade Organisation) was founded.

The issue of palm oil production has also become a sensitive topic, which led to the creation of the RSPO. The main criterion is that palm oil producers cannot clear or burn forests or endanger areas with precious ecosystems. The company also supports domestic growers and maintains price ceilings.

Last but not least, the philosophy and modern lifestyle of veganism, which has also earned itself an umbrella. This is the non-profit Vegan Society, which uses its logo to denote products that are free of animal fats and are also not tested on animals.

Let us be kinder to nature and choose producers who also care about nature.

Article written for you by

Martina Oboňová