Meaning of Organic Label

10 Eco-Minded Labels to Know

April 14, 2012

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It's already difficult enough to shop responsibly, given how widely words like "organic" and "natural" are misused. To make things even more complicated, though, there are also tons of ecological certifications products can get. They're designed to tell consumers that a product is more ecologically friendly, but not all certifications are the same, and some are much more strict than others.

We've rounded up 10 common logos and broken down what each of them means. So to get a simple and straightforward look at what the labels are telling you, just keep reading.

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by Miriam Lacey 3

We've rounded up 10 common logos and broken down what each of them means. So to get a simple and straightforward look at what the labels are telling you, just keep reading.

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3 Comments

figandsage 2 years 19 weeks

Opps! Forgot to include the source: http://www.ecocert.com/en/natural-and-organic-cometics :)

figandsage 2 years 19 weeks

Many kudos to BellaSugar for putting together these concise and easy to understanding definitions! There are some important distinctions that should be made clear so that consumers are aware:The ECOCERT definition is slightly vague and a little unclear. It's important for consumers to be aware that there are two difference cosmetic certifications from ECOCERT:1). "Natural Cosmetic" certification: Requires that only 50% of the total ingredients are of natural origin or plant-based, which are usually entirely different from being a natural food grade ingredient (i.e. cocomidopropyl betain is "derived from coconuts" but it is synthetically treated and altered which doesn't make it "natural" anymore IMHO). Only 5% organic content is required for this cert. 2). "Organic Cosmetic" Certification: Requires that 95% of the total ingredients are of natural origin or plant-based (not necessarily "natural"), and ONLY 10% organic content is required. BTW: 10% organic content for any product is hardly enough to call it "organic". Stepping off of soapbox now...Hope this helps :)

figandsage 2 years 19 weeks

Many kudos to BellaSugar for putting together these concise and easy to understanding definitions! There are some important distinctions that should be made clear so that consumers are aware: The ECOCERT definition is slightly vague and a little unclear. It's important for consumers to be aware that there are two difference cosmetic certifications from ECOCERT: 1). "Natural Cosmetic" certification: Requires that only 50% of the total ingredients are of natural origin or plant-based, which are usually entirely different from being a natural food grade ingredient (i.e. cocomidopropyl betain is "derived from coconuts" but it is synthetically treated and altered which doesn't make it "natural" anymore IMHO). Only 5% organic content is required for this cert. 2). "Organic Cosmetic" Certification: Requires that 95% of the total ingredients are of natural origin or plant-based (not necessarily "natural"), and ONLY 10% organic content is required. BTW: 10% organic content for any product is hardly enough to call it "organic". Stepping off of soapbox now... Hope this helps :)