Image: FarmHouse FreshFarmHouse Fresh is elevating the organic standard for personal care products by having their products certified according to the National Science Foundation/American National Standards Institute (NSF/ANSI) 305 standard. The NSF/ANSI 305 is the only comprehensive standard that defines labeling and marketing requirements for organic skin care products. Each of the seven bath, body and face products in the recently-debuted Organics collection by FarmHouse Fresh is certified to this NSF/ANSI 305 standard.
Unlike the USDA organic seal which certifies food products, this is the only American National Standard that defines labeling and marketing requirements for personal care products and is considered a best practice by the Organic Trade Association.
Not only does the NSF/ANSI 305 certification process require organic ingredients, it also requires organic materials, processes and production specifications as well as labeling. The brand must submit an application detailing business plans as well as products produced and used. A third-party certifier then conducts an on-site inspection, as well as a technical review, auditing the business’ records. This certification process is done through QAI, Quality Assurance International, part of the NSF International family of companies.
According to QAI’s definition of product labelling, products labeled “organic” must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. The label must contain an ingredient list that identifies the organic, as well as the non-organic ingredients in the product and the name of the organic certifier. Similarly, products labeled “Made with Organic (specified ingredients or food groups)” must contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The label must contain an ingredients list that identifies the organic, as well as the non-organic ingredients in the product, along with the name of the organic certifier.
“While labeling of all personal care products is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the FDA has yet to regulate ‘organic’ claims,” says FarmHouse Fresh CEO Shannon McLinden. “This allows brands which have not met the requirements to be officially considered ‘organic’ to misleadingly label their products without consequence.”
