What do Organic Certifications Actually Mean?

Certification schemes give you the confidence that a brand is sticking to a strict set of standards. As it’s Organic September, we thought we’d shed a bit of light on what those organic packaging labels actually mean.

The Soil Association

The Soil Association certifies a whopping 80% of organic products in the UK, from bananas to body lotions. It’s also one of the strictest, and gives customers reassurance on a range of ethical concerns, from animal testing to labelling. For example, for a product to be certified by The Soil Association, it must be:

• Produced in line with the Soil Association’s ethical trading standards. 

• Give clear and accurate information on the label.

 Brands certified by The Soil Association include:

• Nourish, a British brand which focuses on high quality products at affordable prices. Popular products include the Nourish Balance Nutritious Peptide Serum, which one of our customers described as feeling like ‘a luxury brand serum’.

• Bentley Organic, which offers a range of health & beauty and household products, all made in Leeds. Our customers rave about the Bentley Organic Natural Soaps and the Hand Sanitiser.

ECOCERT

ECOCERT is one of the largest organic certification organisations in the world. For a product to be certified, it needs to have a minimum percentage of organic ingredients, be at least 95% natural and not contain any harsh chemicals, such as phenoxyethanol. More than 400 of the products we sell are certified by Ecocert, from deodorants to moisturisers. Brands certified by ECOCERT include:

• Alva, one of Europe’s leading natural cosmetics brands. All of Alva’s products are free from petroleum derivatives, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), parabens and other ‘nasties’ commonly used in the cosmetics industry.
• Organic Surge, another affordable British brand, whose products are made from at least 96% naturally derived ingredients. Our customers particularly love the Refreshing Face Wash and Overnight Sensation Night Cream.

Organic Food Federation

Organic Food Federation standards are based on EU law, and include such requirements as ensuring that ingredients sourced from the wild must be from habitats which are not commercially exploited on a regular basis. Brands certified by the Organic Food Federation include:

• Green People, probably one of the best known organic companies in the UK. Green People offers a range of products for both children and adults, including the ever popular natural Aloe Vera Roll-on Deodorant and SLS-free Children’s Mandarin Toothpaste.

USDA Organic

USDA Organic standards are set by The United States Department of Agriculture. To become certified, products must be produced without the use of synthetic preservatives, petrochemicals, ionizing radiation or pesticides. Brands certified by USDA Organic include:

• Dr Bronner’s, which is also certified cruelty free and fairtrade. Our customers particularly love the liquid soaps, which are formulated with natural ingredients such as coconut oil and jojoba oil.
• Badger, which, again, is cruelty-free and fairtrade. Badger’s LipBalm Sticks are one of our bestselling products and made with around 99% organic ingredients.

Organic standards don’t always cover animal testing and labour standards, so if these issues are important to you, you may want to check for other certifications too, such as Cruelty-Free International’s Leaping Bunny logo and fair trade labels.

Looking for organic products? Find our full range here. There’s more than 800 to choose from!