It’s easy to say you’re a planet-friendly business; putting it into practice can be much harder. With the beauty industry full of misinformation and false marketing claims, Soil Association COSMOS is rewriting what it means to be a sustainable beauty brand.
At Fillcon, we want to be part of the solution and make organic and natural beauty the norm. That’s why we’re proudly certified to Soil Association COSMOS Organic and Natural, demonstrating our transparent manufacturing processes and sustainable solutions. If you’re a brand owner and have “Certified Organic” liquids and looking for a filling partner with the Soil Association certifications in place to ensure the product remains “certified”, you can rely on us.
In this guide, we explain the problem of greenwashing in the cosmetics industry, and how the Soil Association is addressing the issue.
Greenwashing in the Cosmetics Industry
While the cosmetics industry is behind some highly innovative and environmentally friendly products, there is a lot of false information circulating. Unlike food and drink, there are no official standards or legal guidelines beauty brands need to adhere to in order to use terms like ‘organic’, ‘natural’, ‘green’ and ‘clean’. That makes it difficult for consumers and other businesses to identify brands that truly care about the planet, or feel confident any claims on the labels are backed up by evidence. A product with just 1% organic ingredients could be branded as organic. Clearly, something needs to be done to help our industry create more conscious products.
Importance of Certification in the Beauty Industry
In 2002, the Soil Association launched the first standards for organic cosmetics which are now one of the largest certification schemes for organic and natural products. When consumers and businesses are on the hunt for new products, all they have to do is search for the Soil Association logo, and they can feel completely confident that they are making a planet-friendly purchase.
Standards like the Soil Association COSMOS certifications help people to make ethical buying decisions and cut through the marketing jargon to find the brands who are making a real impact. 45% of consumers agree that organic and natural products are better for the planet, and 2 in 5 look for the certification logos in order to shop sustainably (source).
These standards also inspire others in the industry to follow in the footsteps of their eco-friendly neighbours and implement better practices, or use more sustainable ingredients. Simply put, if the beauty industry is to stop greenwashing once and for all, and transform across the board for the better, schemes like COSMOS are absolutely critical.
Organic vs Natural Beauty Products
Before we dive into the different certifications available from the Soil Association, and which Fillcon are proud recipients of, let’s outline the key differences between ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ products.
Organic
The term ‘organic’ refers to how the ingredients in the product have been farmed. Organic ingredients are grown using no chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals, minimising the impact their production has on local biodiversity.
Natural
The term ‘natural’, by contrast, refers more to what is in the product. A natural beauty product isn’t necessarily organic, though many of them are. Natural simply refers to fact that the ingredients in the product are from natural origin; that is, they are a compound or substance that is found in nature and not made artificially.
Our Soil Association Certifications
At Fillcon, we are the proud holders of Soil Association COSMOS Organic and COSMOS Natural, demonstrating our commitment to minimising our impact on the environment, and helping others in the industry do the same. Let’s break down what each certification means.
Soil Association COSMOS Organic
The presence of a COSMOS Organic logo demonstrates that the formulation is 95% organic or higher. It also guarantees that the product is made using:
- No animal testing
- No GM ingredients.
- No parabens and phthalates.
- No synthetic colours, dyes or fragrances.
- Biodegradable ingredients.
- Minimal packaging and maximum recycled content.
- Transparent manufacturing processes.
Sometimes, organic products must be altered either physically or chemically to make them fit for use. This might be chopping, blending and combining, or a chemical process like heating, boiling, or oxidation.
To ensure COSMOS Organic products are truly sustainable, the Soil Association scrutinises the permitted processes that have been used, ensuring only the most sustainable physically and chemically processed agro-ingredients make the cut.
Soil Association COSMOS Natural
Natural cosmetics are entirely unregulated, so the Soil Association have addressed this issue and provided a dedicated certification. To achieve COSMOS Natural, products don’t have to contain any organic ingredients (though lots of them do), they just have to be from natural origin. That means no chemicals, petro-chemicals, and certainly no plastic like microbeads.
This certification is particularly useful for brands creating products that contain ingredients that are not farmed and therefore cannot be classed as organic or not. This might be things like water, salt or clay which are often key components of products like toners, bath salts and face masks. Other than the organic/inorganic difference, COSMOS Natural provides all the same guarantees as COSMOS Organic.
Soil Association Certified Cosmetic Sampling & Filling Solutions
Fillcon strives to contribute to a better beauty industry, and our Soil Association COSMOS certifications reflect our commitments. We offer bespoke filling solutions for sustainable brands, with organic and natural formulations available, and a range of recyclable packaging options. Whether you’re looking for cosmetic sampling for a new campaign, or a long term partner for the filling of your beauty collections, we can help your brand shine.
Contact us today for a tailored quote.
Read next: The Ultimate Guide to Eco-Friendly Packaging for Beauty Products
