May 9, 2024
Today, sustainability has become a central theme in the minds of conscious consumers. From concerns about climate change to the need to preserve natural resources, more and more people are recognizing the importance of adopting more sustainable practices and consumption habits.
This growing environmental awareness has led consumers to pay more attention to the sustainability of the brands and products they choose. It is no longer just about quality or price, but also about how products are produced and their impact on the environment and local communities. More than ever, values are helping brands to differentiate themselves and build customer loyalty.
This change in mentality has prompted companies in different sectors to re-evaluate their practices and adopt more sustainable measures in the production of their products. The cosmetics sector is one of them, and is constantly seeking to develop and manufacture products using natural ingredients and sustainable materials and techniques.
In this context, ECO certificates have emerged as a crucial tool to validate and communicate the values of cosmetic brands.
In addition, many companies are extending their improvement actions in the production chain, establishing sustainability standards for their suppliers, and are obliged to integrate and report on their sustainability. Obtaining certifications that demonstrate an organization's social commitment and socio-environmental performance - BCorp, Ecovadis, etc - is a quick way to demonstrate its responsibility in this area. We will address this topic in another article 😉.
Before introducing the different ECO certificates and standards that exist, we must differentiate between "natural" and "sustainable", two different terms that are often used interchangeably.
While "natural" refers to the use of ingredients derived from natural sources, "sustainable" implies a broader approach that considers the environmental, social and economic impact throughout the product's life cycle. Each company may have its own definition of these terms, which can lead to confusion among consumers.
In this regard, the cosmetics industry is working hard to establish clear standards to help consumers make informed decisions and trust brands.
Private companies have developed their own standards and evaluation criteria to identify a natural and organic product.
Most certifiers focus on evaluation criteria such as:
Prior to the emergence of any European standards, a private standard was established at European and international level, COSMOS-standard, developed by the main entities involved in certification:
The COSMOS-standard determines the requirements that companies must meet to assure consumers that their products are genuine organic or natural cosmetics. This standard is managed by the non-profit and independent association, COSMOS-Standard AISBL, based in Brussels, which operates internationally and independently. The founders of this association are the five main certifying bodies mentioned above.
COSMOS offers 2 signatures for cosmetic products: COSMOS ORGANIC and COSMOS NATURAL which will appear below the certifier's logo or seal.
To add order to private certifications, in 2017 the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) intervened, developing the ISO 16128 Standard. This Standard is a voluntary document that describes the different approaches that exist for calculating the naturalness, natural origin, organic and organic origin index that apply to certain categories of ingredients.
The great advantage of having this Standard is that it is a certification with international validity and whose recognition is increasingly widespread, both by the consumer and by the industry itself.
This certification will allow us to claim that our product is natural or organic based on the qualitative-quantitative composition of our product. However, it does not contemplate different technical aspects of production, as is the case with the previous private seals of natural cosmetics.
It is a simple and economical tool to communicate the degree of naturalness of our product. It is quick to calculate and does not require external audits.
There are several types of ECO certificates in the cosmetics sector, each with its own specifications and evaluation criteria.
Some of the best known certificates in Spain are:
Control and certificationentity: ECOCERT
Ecocert is a leading certification body in the field of natural and organic cosmetics. It is the first certification body to develop a standard for "Natural and Organic Cosmetics". Its standards focus on promoting the use of natural and organic ingredients, as well as encouraging environmentally friendly practices at all stages of production.
Two types of certificates can be obtained depending on the criteria and percentage of ingredients from organic farming:
Entity: British organic certification body
The Soil Association certificate is awarded by the Soil Association, one of the UK's leading authorities on organic agriculture and sustainability. This certificate guarantees that products meet strict quality and sustainability standards set by the Soil Association, covering aspects such as the use of organic ingredients, environmentally friendly practices and transparency in the supply chain.
Entity: Vida Sana Association
Inspection body: BIO.Inspecta
BIO.Inspecta, created in 1983, offers certification services for numerous BIO production standards (certification of agricultural production systems, cosmetics, fair trade, certification for bio-hotels...). Products bearing this certification demonstrate a commitment to environmental protection and consumer welfare.
Entity: International non-profit association of producers of organic and natural cosmetics (Belgium).
Natrue is an international association that certifies natural and organic cosmetic products. Its standards are recognized for their rigorous approach to the evaluation of natural ingredients, as well as their commitment to transparency and authenticity of certified products.
Obtaining ECO and natural certification is a very important decision for any brand. On the one hand, it provides a competitive advantage by demonstrating a commitment to naturalness, sustainability and transparency. In addition, by complying with established standards, brands can gain consumer trust and increase brand loyalty.
But on the other hand, their cost is high and they require annual renewal, which implies presenting the documentation and passing the inspection annually. This is often difficult for small brands, as resources are limited.
From the consumers' perspective, these certifications can serve as a reliable guide to identify cosmetic products that meet sustainability, naturalness and environmental friendliness criteria. By choosing certified products or products with naturalness seals that meet ecological standards and respect nature, consumers are making an informed and conscious choice that contributes to the care of the planet. However, just because a product lacks a seal does not mean that it does not meet the standards, perhaps the brand simply cannot assume the certification.
In conclusion, these ECO and natural standards play a very relevant role in promoting sustainable practices in the cosmetics industry. As the demand for environmentally friendly products increases, these certifications become increasingly relevant to both brands and consumers, thus driving a positive transformation towards a more sustainable future.
Find out more about Yan Ye, Back Office Manager at MuttuLab, author of this article.
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