Impakter
  • FINANCE
    • ESG News
    • Sustainable Finance
    • Business
  • TECH
    • Start-up
    • AI & Machine Learning
    • Green Tech
  • Environment
    • Biodiversity
    • Climate Change
    • Circular Economy
    • Energy
  • Industry News
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Food and Agriculture
    • Health
    • Politics & Foreign Affairs
    • Philanthropy
    • Science
    • Sport
  • Editorial Series
    • SDGs Series
    • Shape Your Future
    • Sustainable Cities
      • Copenhagen
      • San Francisco
      • Seattle
      • Sydney
  • About us
    • Company
    • Team
    • Global Leaders
    • Partners
    • Write for Impakter
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • FINANCE
    • ESG News
    • Sustainable Finance
    • Business
  • TECH
    • Start-up
    • AI & Machine Learning
    • Green Tech
  • Environment
    • Biodiversity
    • Climate Change
    • Circular Economy
    • Energy
  • Industry News
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Food and Agriculture
    • Health
    • Politics & Foreign Affairs
    • Philanthropy
    • Science
    • Sport
  • Editorial Series
    • SDGs Series
    • Shape Your Future
    • Sustainable Cities
      • Copenhagen
      • San Francisco
      • Seattle
      • Sydney
  • About us
    • Company
    • Team
    • Global Leaders
    • Partners
    • Write for Impakter
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Impakter
No Result
View All Result
Home Eco Life

A Guide to Environmental and Ethical Labels

Know the difference between Natural, Organic, Vegan, and Cruelty Free

bySixtine Lepine
December 31, 2021
in Eco Life
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Environmental and ethical labels should help consumers make better informed choices, but they’re not always so clear-cut. Get to know what they mean and understand their limitations so you can start factoring th(1)em in when you shop.

Environmental labels: (1) Natural

A product can claim to be “natural” if it contains ingredients found in nature. These can be of plant origin, such as herbs, mineral origin such as clay, or animal origin, like honey. There is no specific label for natural ingredients and it is not mandatory for products to disclose what percentage of their ingredients are natural. A product labelled “natural” may contain as little as 20 percent natural ingredients, compared to one labelled “organic” which must be at least 95% natural and organic in the EU. 

It’s important to bear in mind that a product can be natural, but grown with pesticides and GMOs, so something that presents itself as “natural” does not necessarily mean it is organic. Even a claim to be 100 percent natural is not a guarantee. A 100 percent natural product simply means the final product is derived entirely from natural ingredients,  without additional solvents or chemicals.

One example of a 100 percent natural product is an essential oil, which is the natural oils of a plant extracted by a process called steam distillation, which preserves the active ingredients and properties of the plant. To indicate that a product made from natural ingredients has been treated with the addition of a chemical agent, like a solvent, a product may state that its a “product of natural origin“. 

Environmental labels: (2) Organic

A product that is certified organic is free of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and dyes, and was not processed using industrial solvents, irradiation, or genetic modification (GMO). In cosmetics, it also means the absence of ingredients such as:

  • parabens & phenoxyethanol;
  • synthetic additives like silicones;
  • mineral oils and paraffins, which are derivatives of the petroleum industry obtained by distillation of coal, petroleum and certain shales;
  • synthetic ingredients;
  • preservatives;
  • synthetic fragrances.

Ethical labels: (1) Vegan

The Certified Vegan Logo is a registered trademark for products that do not contain animal products or byproducts, and that have not been tested on animals. It respects the following:

  • Does not contain meat, fish, fowl, animal by-products (including silk or dyes from insects), eggs or egg products, milk or milk products, honey or honey bee products, or has not been clarified or finished with any animal products.
  • Does not contain or has not been sourced from leather, fur, silk, feathers, down, bone, horn, shell, wool, cashmere, shearling, angora, animal skin, suede, or mohair.
  • No animal testing was carried out on any of the ingredients or the finished product.
  • No known animal-derived GMOs or genes used to manufacture ingredients or finished products.

Ethical labels: (2) Cruelty Free

The Leaping Bunny Logo is an internationally recognized symbol guaranteeing consumers that no animal tests were conducted on ingredients, formulations, or finished products of the item that carries it. It is also a pledge not to do so in the future.

Now that you understand what these labels mean, you are in a better position to look out for products that are environmentally safe and ethical.


Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com. —  Featured Photo: Menstrual cup in hand. Photo Credit: Environmental and ethical labels Source: Ethical sustainable certification to look for when shopping

Tags: Eco productsenvironmental labelsethicalo labelssustainable lifestyle
Previous Post

New Report Reveals True Financial Cost of Climate Change 

Next Post

Ten Articles Impakter Readers Loved the Most in 2021

Sixtine Lepine

Sixtine Lepine

Sixtine is pursuing a Master's degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at IESEG School of Management in the hope of finding solutions to large-scale societal and environmental problems.

Related Posts

The Truth About Vegetable Glycerin in Dog Treats and Its Safety
Eco Life

The Truth About Vegetable Glycerin in Dog Treats and Its Safety

May 15, 2025
The Urban Nomad’s Guide to Traveling Light and Living Large
Eco Life

The Urban Nomad’s Guide to Traveling Light and Living Large

April 10, 2025
Farmers use stewardship to balance sustainable crops, land management, and financial health.
Eco Life

Why Stewardship, Not Just Sustainability, for Farmers and the Planet

November 5, 2024
Next Post
Ten Articles Impakter Readers Loved the Most in 2021

Ten Articles Impakter Readers Loved the Most in 2021

Recent News

ESG news regarding EU deforestation laws, the green funding gap in the EU, UK’s finance minister announces National Wealth Fund investment in carbon capture, BRICS demand that wealthy nations fund the transition to a greener global climate

EU Countries Demand Further Cuts to Deforestation Rules

July 7, 2025
Wimbledon sustainability

Wimbledon and Sustainability: How Green Is the Grand Slam?

July 7, 2025
climate disinformation

Climate Disinformation Is Derailing Action: What Can Be Done?

July 7, 2025

Impakter informs you through the ESG news site and empowers your business CSRD compliance and ESG compliance with its Klimado SaaS ESG assessment tool marketplace that can be found on: www.klimado.com

Registered Office Address

Klimado GmbH
Niddastrasse 63,

60329, Frankfurt am Main, Germany


IMPAKTER is a Klimado GmbH website

Impakter is a publication that is identified by the following International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is the following 2515-9569 (Printed) and 2515-9577 (online – Website).


Office Hours - Monday to Friday

9.30am - 5.00pm CEST


Email

stories [at] impakter.com

By Audience

  • TECH
    • Start-up
    • AI & MACHINE LEARNING
    • Green Tech
  • ENVIRONMENT
    • Biodiversity
    • Energy
    • Circular Economy
    • Climate Change
  • INDUSTRY NEWS
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Food and Agriculture
    • Health
    • Politics & Foreign Affairs
    • Philanthropy
    • Science
    • Sport
    • Editorial Series

ESG/Finance Daily

  • ESG News
  • Sustainable Finance
  • Business

Klimado Platform

  • Klimado ESG Tool
  • Impakter News

About Us

  • Team
  • Global Leaders
  • Partners
  • Write for Impakter
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2025 IMPAKTER. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • FINANCE
    • ESG News
    • Sustainable Finance
    • Business
  • TECH
    • Start-up
    • AI & Machine Learning
    • Green Tech
  • Environment
    • Biodiversity
    • Climate Change
    • Circular Economy
    • Energy
  • Industry News
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Food and Agriculture
    • Health
    • Politics & Foreign Affairs
    • Philanthropy
    • Science
    • Sport
  • Editorial Series
    • SDGs Series
    • Shape Your Future
    • Sustainable Cities
      • Copenhagen
      • San Francisco
      • Seattle
      • Sydney
  • About us
    • Company
    • Team
    • Global Leaders
    • Partners
    • Write for Impakter
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy

© 2024 IMPAKTER. All rights reserved.