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Guide ecolabels

What the label organic farming (AB)?

 

On the voluntary use, the AB brand allows professionals who desire and respect its rules for use specifically identify their products. Wholly owned by the French Ministry for Agriculture, which defines the rules for using the AB brand guarantees both:
- A product consisting of at least 95% of ingredients from organic production methods, implementing agricultural practices and livestock friendly balance of nature, the environment and animal welfare,
- Compliance with the regulations in force in France,
- A certification under the supervision of an authorized government agency, meeting the criteria of independence, impartiality, competence and effectiveness as defined by the European standard EN 45011.

Source: Official website of the French agency for the development and promotion of organic farming - Agence BIO (www.agencebio.org).

 

What the label HIDB?

 

In collaboration with manufacturers of natural cosmetics that are authoritative, the Federal Association HIDB has developed a guideline for natural cosmetics. Based on this directive, the products in the field of natural cosmetics are tested at their components by independent test institutes. Only products that meet the strict criteria of the directive are allowed to wear the brand HIDB control reserved for "natural cosmetics".
The 50 manufacturers of natural cosmetics are extremely demanding of time with natural substances and careful processing. The cautious dealings with active substances and plant care and consideration of the latest scientific knowledge is innovative natural cosmetics, caregivers, and particularly gentle on the skin.
Products with brand HIDB control using natural substances such as oils, vegetable fats and waxes, high quality herbal extracts, water flowers or essential oils and flavors whenever possible controlled biological cultivation or controlled wild collection.
In addition, the brand HIDB control excludes products based on synthetic organic dyes, synthetic aromatic substances, ethoxylated raw materials, silicon, paraffin and other petroleum products.

Source: official website HIDB (www.kontrollierte-naturkosmetik.de).

 

The label CTEO

 

Depending on the habitat (sunshine, climate, soil composition, altitude ...), a single plant can secrete biochemically very different species. These variations in biochemical composition of the essential oils create the concept of chemotype (CT). Two chemotypes of the essential oil present not only different, but also very different toxicities.
Example:
Thymus vulgaris CT thujanol:
Very safe to use, well tolerated by the skin.
Thymus vulgaris CT thymol:
Dermocaustic and hepatotoxic at high doses and prolonged.

 

Not knowing the distinction between different chemotypes and lack of precision in the identification of some essential oils leave the door open to incidents related to their toxicity and treatment failure.
The CTEO label guarantees:
distilled plant botanically certified
a part of the specified distilled plant
a defined chemotype
distillation of the essential oils to steam quality
The CTEO label ensures:
essential oils 100% NATURAL, non-denatured synthetic components, oils or mineral spirits
essential oils 100% PURE, uncut with other essential oils, fatty oils or alcohol
essential oils 100% TOTAL, not discolored, non peroxidized not deterpenated and uncorrected

 

The label Ecogarantie

 

Ecogarantie the Belgian brand is applicable to green products. If you choose merchandise bearing the label Ecogarantie, you choose quality and durability.
Ecogarantie has developed guidelines in cosmetics, personal care products, cleaning products as well as salt.
Consumers can beings that certain products that carry the label Ecogarantie meet the most stringent requirements for quality, safety and durability.
While Ecogarantie label is used for many green products, their raw materials are or are not from agriculture, products bearing the label Biogarantie are those whose raw materials come exclusively from organic farming.
Raw materials such as minerals and gas are subject to strict requirements. Products of animal origin are permitted only in limited quantities. Processes that can be used to transform the raw materials must be environmentally responsible.
Standards for the production of environmentally friendly products have been determined in collaboration with business and consumer groups in different sectors.
These standards are written into the specifications Ecogarantie. These standards are subject to change depending on the progress of research and development. A wide range of products are already controlled by independent inspection bodies.
http://www.ecogarantie.com/fr/index.html

 

The label NATURE & PROGRESS

 

A federation of consumer
NATURE & PROGRESS is an international federation of thirty departmental and regional associations in France, including overseas territories.
It is present in Spain, but also in Belgium, where it has about 20 local groups. Established in 1964 as an association "1901", it brings together farmers, processors, suppliers, distributors and consumers of products from organic farming and bio-ecology.
NATURE & PROGRESS is not only a guarantee to the consumer to find healthy and quality products, but also guarantees to help preserve and sustain our planet.
By signing the specifications Nature & Progress, professionals are committed to involving consumers in deciding and defining methods of food production organic quality with quality criteria respecting human health and that of Earth.
NATURE & PROGRESS is a common charter between professionals and consumers, to which all subscribe. Beyond the technical recommendations of specifications, environmental and social goals are included in the charter on which our members engage.
The Charter is a guide which, according to choice and opportunities for each of our members, the aménera improve year after year, their ecological, social and economic practices.
It is a social project that bears the charter Nature & Progress ... for our health and the health of the earth.
http://www.nature-and-progress-npdc.org/index.html

 

What the label Cosmébio?

 

Based on a specification that was submitted to the Ministry of Industry in 2002, the charter Cosmébio provide transparency as to the nature of the ingredients and manufacturing processes used in cosmetics.
Pursuant to the charter Cosmébio products with the logo or BIO ECO logo contain mainly natural ingredients of natural origin. The entire composition of a Bio is carefully controlled according to strict rules.
It must contain at least 95% natural ingredients or natural herbal ingredients which are primarily derived from organic agriculture.
The repository allows a low or negligible amount of synthetic products, which are still not available in natural form currently (these ingredients must meet the requirements of a very restrictive positive list excluding PEG, silicones, petrochemicals, ...):
- The plant raw materials, 95% minimum must be biological quality
- Without perfumes or synthetic dyes
- Total exclusion of synthetic preservatives like parabens or phenoxyethanol
- No petrochemicals (paraffin, silicone, PEG)
- No genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
- No ionizing treatments
Respect for nature is to be around (respect for natural balance, no testing on animals).
Methods for obtaining non pollutants.
The inner and outer packaging must be biodegradable or recyclable.
The consumer must be given a full and transparent information on the ingredients used and all manufacturing stages to the finished product. The percentage of natural ingredients and percent organic ingredients are clearly marked on all packaging of certified, branded BIO and ECO products.

A.

At least 95% natural ingredients or natural origin:
- Ingredients from organic farming: minimum 10% of the total ingredients
- Ingredients from organic agriculture: 95% minimum certifiable ingredients
B. Maximum 5% of synthetic ingredients

 

Cosmébio ECO:

 

A. At least 95% natural ingredients from natural origin or
- Ingredients from organic agriculture: At least 5% of the total ingredients
- Ingredients from organic agriculture: 50% minimum certifiable ingredients
B. Maximum 5% of synthetic ingredients

Source: Official website of the Professional Association of ecological and organic cosmetics Cosmébio (www.cosmebio.org).

 

What the Ecocert?

 

Ecocert is an inspection and certification to:
- Ensure compliance with specifications, announced by annual visits and visits by potential survey at any time to inspect the facilities, plots, buildings, manufacturing methods, ingredients, accounting, packaging, transportation, etc.
- To issue, if these standards are met, a license to the operator, it attests to his commitment to a regulatory body, and its authorization to refer to organic production
- Deliver after checking a certificate showing for each product or service's compliance with the standard to organic production. The validity of the certificate varies from 12 to 24 months.

Source: official website of the regulator and Ecocert (www.ecocert.fr) certification.

 

What the EU Ecolabel?

 

The European Ecolabel existed since 1992, it indicates that a product is more environmentally while being as effective and efficient than a similar product for the same use. This is the only official European Ecolabel usable in all member countries of the European Union. It is issued in France by AFNOR Certification, an independent certification body. It is a voluntary certification mark for products and services.

Source: Official website of the European Ecolabel (www.ecolabels.fr).

 

What the label Leaping Bunny (Rabbit Jumping)?

 

The Leaping Bunny, from the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) is a standard certification that the manufacturer (as well as his lab (s) and supplier (s)) has not practiced, sponsored or accepted any animal testing or during the entire manufacturing process and certified cosmetic or on its ingredients.

Source: translated from the official website Leaping Bunny (Leaping Bunny) program (www.leapingbunny.org).

 

What is the Oeko-Tex?

Oeko-Tex

The Oeko-Tex label international standard 100, developed by textile research institutes OTI (Austria) and Hohenstein (Germany) was developed in 1992 to meet the needs of consumers concerned about their health and well-being . The Oeko-Tex Standard 100, "Confidence in Textiles" is a global system of control and certification for raw materials, intermediate products and finished goods. It is a product label. It is controlled and renewed annually.
The purpose of this label is to protect consumers by minimizing the presence of harmful substances or potentially pose a risk to health.
Control methods developed by the Oeko-Tex Association and its members are based on simulation tests, considered representative of current practice. They notably include three possible modes of contamination: skin contact, ingestion (sucking by babies), inhalation (emissions of harmful volatile compounds for items large sizes). The Oeko-Tex ensures chemical safety and traceability based on four levels of trust and control:

  • Technical expertise,
  • Chemical analyzes (guaranteeing a level of security that goes beyond regulatory requirements)
  • Control audits,
  • Random testing in-store and factory.


Source: Official website of the Oeko-Tex (www.oeko-tex.com) association.

 

The design and editorial content related to eco-labels above are from the official websites of ecolabels.