The frothy history of developing organic standards for personal care items got a good rinsing this spring with the first national certification for products “made with” organic ingredients. It's hoped that the new seal will help consumers looking for organic shampoo or facial cleaners comprehend the organic content of the product.
What they've found on shelves up until now is “like the wild wild west,” said Jaclyn Bowen, general manager of Quality Assurance International, an independent certification agent.
The challenge is as old as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program, which included certifying HBC items when it was implemented in 2002. A 2004 directive then pulled the rules, followed months later by a withdrawal of the directive — a series of missteps that hardly re-assured consumers. The NOP currently certifies all agricultural ingredients going into personal care products, but critics have said loopholes continue to exist.
This new validation, known as the NSF/ANSI 305 standard — a cooperative effort by NSF International and the American National Standards Institute — was designed specifically for companies in the personal care industry, and takes into account the synthetic compounds that are required to make formulations.
Acquiring the blue-and-white seal requires that a product contains at least 70% organic materials. New companies so far certified to the standard include Naturally Nova Scotia, Earth Mama Angel Baby, Weleda and Trademark Cosmetics.
“It's a responsible compromise,” said David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, an organic purist that's challenged other manufacturers and third-party certifiers it says misrepresent organic claims.
Advocates of the new standard are hoping to gain retailer support, and so far they have a commitment from Whole Foods Market. The Austin, Texas-based natural and organic chain, along with organizations like the Organic Consumers Association, are also looking at the bigger picture, advocating uniform standards for organic personal care. Supporters took their case to the USDA at November's meeting of the National Organic Standards Board, where members passed a resolution recommending the move.