NATRUE

NATRUE is an international not-for-profit organisation located in Brussels. The NATRUE standard has set a high benchmark for quality and integrity since 2008. The NATRUE logo is one that is trusted and recognised worldwide – our motto: one logo for one world.

With 4,500 NATRUE certified products on the market, the NATRUE Label continues to grow in popularity and reputation. Consumers can see at a glance whether a product is truly natural; know that it contains top quality raw materials, and is free from artificial colours, fragrances and artificial preservatives. No paraffin oils or petroleum-derived ingredients are permitted, no silicone oils or GMOs. No other standard has such a strict definition of “naturalness”.

NATRUE actively promotes and protects authentic natural and organic cosmetics through participation in international regulatory decision-making and raising awareness. In the absence of regulation, NATRUE has set the highest standard for quality and authenticity.

To date neither the terms ‘natural’ nor ‘organic’ have been defined or regulated in the cosmetic sector.

One of the main challenges is to keep the sector authentic – which does not mean restricting new brands from launching. It means having a fair playing field offering consumers natural and organic cosmetics truly worth of that name. There is real potential to undermine consumers’ trust with a low standard such as the forthcoming two-part ISO (International Standardisation Organisation) guidelines, which are currently under discussion and expected to be fully released in 2016.

“This sector does not need another (weak) definition of what is natural and organic when it comes to cosmetics – we risk introducing a kind of “legitimized greenwashing” through the proposed ISO guidelines. This sector needs to continue to set high natural and organic cosmetic standards, just as NATRUE does, and continue to work hard to explain to consumers the added value of natural and organic cosmetics for ourselves and for our world”, Francesca Morgante, NATRUE Label Manager explained.

Indeed certification to the NATRUE standard offers retailers and consumers a unique guarantee: strict criteria for three different levels of certification, across 13 product categories.

Natural Cosmetics
Ingredients must be natural but they do not have to be organic. This level defines both permitted ingredients and how they are processed, via a limited number of permitted production processes. Products certified to the subsequent two higher levels need to fulfill the criteria requirements of this first entry level.

Natural Cosmetics with Organic Portion
At least 70% of natural ingredients (or derived-natural ingredients where applicable) must come from certified organic production or controlled wild collection. Guaranteed thresholds for high minimum levels of natural ingredients, and lower maximum levels of derived-natural ingredients, are required.

Organic Cosmetics
At least 95% of natural ingredients (or derived-natural ingredients where applicable) must come from certified organic production or controlled wild collection. Further threshold increases for higher minimum levels of natural ingredients are required at this third level.

Each product category ensures that every product fulfills its promise to be as natural as possible. This unique approach helps to protect consumers because it guarantees a strict level of naturalness and authenticity that does not allow for ambiguities.
Furthermore, at least 75% of a brand’s range needs to be certifiable. This stipulation is designed to avoid green-washing by companies promoting a small hero ‘natural’ collection when the majority of products in the range are not of the same high standard.

Products are listed on the publicly accessible website and database (www.natrue.org), which can be used as a checklist for anyone wanting to confirm whether a product is natural or organic.