Beyond the market hype for all things “green”, choosing innovative beauty products that are ethically crafted using the finest quality ingredients should simply be the new normal. The key, of course, is to critically navigate this ever broadening eco-conscious marketplace. Thankfully, not only are there well-intentioned producers, but there are also equally well-intentioned certification organizations that make it their goal to set, enforce, and constantly update the highest eco-technology standards by which products are measured.
Art. 27 is committed to continually evolving its collection of modern, innovative and effective certified Organic products. Of the products that are currently available at Article 27, these are the relevant certification organizations:
Cosmebio is the leading ecological and Organic cosmetics professional organization in Europe and their mission is to guarantee to customers that the labeled cosmetics comply with Organic and environmental standards.
Ecocert was the very first certification body to develop standards for "natural and Organic cosmetics". It is an affiliate inspection and certification body accredited to verify the conformity of Organic products against Organic regulations, with representation in over 70 countries in and outside the European Union.
Qualite France SAS is the most comprehensive certification organization in France and is recognized as one of the most advanced in the field.
The standards shared by the three organizations above are:
- Minimum 95% of product contents are natural, plant-based or derived from natural sources
- Minimum 10% of product contents are produced by Organic Farming
- Maximum 5% of product contents are approved synthetic ingredients (e.g., naturally derived, in mild concentrations and all non-irritants)
Nature & Progress is a federation of bio-dynamic Organic agriculture associations that was created jointly by farmers, processors, suppliers, distributors and consumers. The organization was always against GMOs and intense agriculture and for natural preservation and maintenance of life and biodiversity of our planet.
Their standards are:
- 100% Organic ingredients
- Minimum 70% Organics have to comply to their strict standards of regulation and origin (wild or biodynamic origin)
Swiss Guarantee COS is an association for the protection of the origin of Swiss cosmetics.
The values shared by all of the above organizations include:
Product Contents
- Finished products made with natural or naturally derived ingredients mainly produced by Organic farming
Compliance
- Products subject to strict quality control
- Identification and verification of the source and percentage of raw materials in product composition
- Inspections multiple times a year by independent auditors who are industry experts
Traceability
- Transparent manufacturing process from raw materials to the final product
- Increased vigilance of product sanitary quality
Environment
- Commitment to protect and promote healthy water, soil and air
- Organic farming to preserve biodiversity and the natural balance of the ecosystem
- Ingredients derived from renewable resources
- Biodegradable or recyclable packaging
Communication
- Guaranteed authenticity through formal communication on packaging
- Informing consumers in a clear and objective way
Ethics
- Work with fair trade organizations around the world
- Respect for the welfare of animals (no animal testing)
No Synthetics
- Exclusion of raw materials and preservatives whose use is controversial in terms of safety and ecological values
- Banning of raw materials likely to include chemical or polluting ingredients (pesticides, chemical fertilizers, GMOs...) which may, in the long-term, prove to be harmful for our health and the environment
- No parabens
- No phenoxyethanol
- No nanoparticles
- No synthetic colourants
- No synthetic perfumes
- No synthetic anti-oxidants
- No synthetic emollients
- No synthetic oils and fats
- No synthetic silicons
- No animal-derived ingredients (unless naturally produced by them: milk, honey, etc.)
- No ingredients issued from the petrochemical industry