U.S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

USDA is a Government agency established by President Abraham Lincoln on May 15, 1862, as "The People's Department." USDA has impacted the lives of generations of Americans. FDA and USDA continue to cooperate for Americans' safety. The USDA Organic certification is the most extensive and trusted in the United States and is highly regarded worldwide.

Products labeled as "100 percent organic" must exclusively consist of organically produced ingredients, except water and salt.

For products labeled as "organic," a minimum of 95% of the ingredients must be organically produced, excluding water and salt. The remaining ingredients must be approved on the National List, or agricultural products unavailable in organic form and listed on the National List.

A product labeled "made with organic ingredients" must contain a minimum organic content of 70%. Non-organic ingredients are allowed but must be sourced from the USDA National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.

***It is important to note that the List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances is highly stringent and limited.

THE COSMOS is a non-profit, independent, and international association. The COSMOS standard was established in 2010. It was created through the collaboration of five European organizations in the organic and natural cosmetics industry: BDIH (Germany), Cosmebio (France), ECOCERT Greenlife (France), ICEA (Italy), and Soil Association (UK). The Cosmos standard provides different certification labels based on the percentage of organic ingredients in the product.

Cosmos Organic: This certification label is given to products that contain at least 95% organic ingredients. The remaining 5% can be non-organic ingredients allowed under the Cosmos standard.

Cosmos Natural: This certification label is given to products that contain a minimum percentage of natural ingredients but may not meet the 95% organic ingredient requirement. The specific percentage varies depending on the type of product.

Cosmos Organic or Natural: This certification label is given to products that contain a combination of organic and natural ingredients but do not meet the requirements for either Cosmos Organic or Cosmos Natural certification.

For example, for rinse-off products like shampoos and shower gels, a minimum of 10% organic ingredients is required for Cosmos Organic certification. In contrast, a minimum of 20% organic ingredients is needed for leave-on products like lotions and creams.

ECOCERT France, a division of Cosmos, has been actively involved in the certification industry since its establishment in 1991. A privately owned certification organization, EcoCert operates as a for-profit entity and maintains no direct affiliation with any governmental body. EcoCert provides two primary types of certification services: EcoCert Organic and EcoCert Natural.

For a product to receive the EcoCert Organic certification, a minimum of 95% of the total plant-based ingredients must be organic. On the other hand, the EcoCert Natural certification requires at least 50% of the total plant-based ingredients to be organic. While non-organic ingredients are permitted, they must adhere to Ecocert's stringent standards and be included in the authorized list, encompassing a wide range of ingredients.

THE NATRUE organization, established in 2007 in Brussels, Belgium, is not a government organization but a non-profit association comprising various stakeholders from the natural and organic cosmetics industry.

Natrue requires a minimum of 70% natural ingredients for the entire product range and 95% natural ingredients for individual products.

Non-natural and non-organic ingredients are allowed but must comply with Natrue's strict criteria and be on their approved list.

SOIL ASSOCIATION was founded in 1946 in the United Kingdom. It is a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable and organic agriculture and the certification of organic products.

The Soil Association certification requires products labeled as "organic" to contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients (excluding water). Non-organic ingredients are allowed but must be on the Soil Association's approved list.

NSF/ANSI 305 It is not associated with a specific country but is recognized internationally. It was first developed in 2012 to address the need for a clear and consistent standard for organic personal care products.

It requires a minimum of 70% organic content for personal care products. Non-organic ingredients are allowed but must comply with NSF/ANSI 305's criteria and be on their approved list.

There are currently approximately 400 organic certification organizations around the world, including government, non-governmental, profit, and non-profit organizations.

Understanding these aspects will empower you to make informed choices that align with your health goals.