USDA Organic & EcoCerts

 

 

Greenerways Organic products are certified in the U.S. and Internationally. 

The COSMOS Standard

The COSMOS-standard is a new cosmetic certification developed to harmonize various certifications and labels in order to create one standard that is internationally recognized for natural and organic products. The “COSMetic Organic Standard” was officially launched in February 2011, and is a result of Europe’s leading natural product certifiers coming together and forming a non-profit association, COSMOS-standard AISBL. The COSMOS-standard association consists of five founding members who now authorize and oversee the certification, including the Soil Association (UK), Ecocert (France), Cosmebio (France), BDIH (Germany) and AIAB/ICEA (Italy). The main goal is to uphold the inspection and certification of organic and ecological products, eco-friendly systems and respect for the environment throughout the production chain. Today, over 1,600 companies, and more than 25,000 products sold into more than 45 countries are certified under COSMOS.

Within this standard are the core principles of prevention and safety, reflective from the production of raw materials to the distribution of finished products which includes:

  • promoting the use of products from organic agriculture, and respecting biodiversity

  • using natural resources responsibly and respecting the environment

  • using processing and manufacturing that are clean and respectful of human health and environment

  • integrating and developing the concept of "Green Chemistry" instead of using petrochemicals

  • providing transparency for consumers

The COSMOS-standard surrounding the origin and processing of ingredients are classified into five categories:

  • Physically processed agro-ingredients – organic agriculture that reflects pure or allows simple processing;

  • Chemically processed agro-ingredients – certifiable by using agricultural organic raw materials and manufacturing processes that are clean and authorised, all under the umbrella of “Green Chemistry”;

  • Water – non-certifiable and must comply with hygienic standards;

  • Minerals and ingredients of mineral origin – non-certifiable, requires clear environmental rules in their use, and in further processing;

  • Other ingredients – a very limited list of preservatives and some ingredients allowed as long as there are no effective natural alternatives available to ensure the safety of consumers or efficacy of the product.

COSMOS-standard certified products are labeled with the signature “COSMOS ORGANIC” or “COSMOS NATURAL”, depending on their certification level.

 

EcoCert

Founded in France 1991, ECOCERT specialized in the certification of organic agricultural products and was the very first certification body to develop standards for natural and organic products. ECOCERT had become a benchmark in organic certification worldwide, winning the confidence of consumers and professionals.

The ECOCERT standard was set to inspect the ingredients, manufacturing process and packaging to ensure that everything from the where the plant is grown to the packaging you see on your shelf is compliant. ECOCERT will only approve the use of “green chemicals” and accredit products that meet its strict criteria. To ensure an environmentally friendly product, ECOCERT strives to promote the use of ingredients derived from renewable resources and production and manufacturing processes that are environmentally safe. ECOCERT holds certification and control of eco-products related to home fragrance, cosmetics, textiles, spas, and detergents. It is accredited in accordance with the ISO 17065 standard, and their certification standards now fall under the broader COSMOS-standard noted above and set forth in early 2017.