Certifications

There is a growing awareness of the effects of farming and production, and not all methods are created equal. The organic production process is designed to have a minimal impact on the Earth and its inhabitants.

At Gentle Approach, we appreciate companies that take a sustainable approach to their work, from planting and harvesting to processing and packaging, Here’s what we look for:

Sustainable Farming

We choose to work with brands that use advanced organic and biodynamic farming methods, designed to follow the earth’s natural ecosystem. These methods are geared towards preserving the harmonious relationship between the plants, humanity and the planet. Both organic and biodynamic methods avoid all synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilisers.

Sustainable Production

We also enjoy working with suppliers that use sustainable and renewable sources of energy (like geothermal or wind energy) to operate the machines that produce their products. This means they emit lower levels of CO2 than other manufacturers.

Sustainable Packaging

Once a product is created, it must be packaged and distributed. We choose to support companies that avoid petroleum or oil-based plastics, choosing biodegradable and compostable materials like polymer polylactide.

We’ve been blessed to collaborate with some highly ethical brands that are committed to the organic production process, which allows us to offer our clients the greenest choices.

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Some organic hair care and cosmetic products are certified by Qualità Reale certification standards. What does this mean?

Qualità Reale does not just stand for natural and organic ingredients; it also ensures that the entire process of manufacturing a product is ethical, sustainable and in the best interest of the consumer. Qualità Reale standards are constantly evolving and striving to improve the transparency of the process it takes for a product to arrive at the consumer.

If you’re looking for genuinely healthy, eco-friendly products and you’re concerned about greenwashing, Qualità Reale certification on a product is a guarantee that you’re making the right choice. The certification process is performed by a third party body, with no economic interest to the awarding of the certification. This ensures that what we claim in our communications is in actual fact, the truth.

All verified information can be found on the Qualità Reale website, this information is regularly updated.

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When shopping for organic hair care and cosmetics, you’re likely to come across a logo reading ECOCERT. This is a trusted organic certification that you can take as confirmation that you’re making a green choice.

Ecocert has been running since 2003 and is the first certification body to have developed standards for natural and organic cosmetics.

The Ecocert Standard has the following basic principles:

Ingredients are derived from renewable sources and manufactured by environmentally friendly processes.

There may be no animal-derived ingredients (unless they are naturally produced by animals, such as milk, honey and the like.)

No GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms), nanoparticles, parabens, PEG, phenoxyethanol, silicon or synthetic perfumes and dyes can be present in the products.

A minimum threshold of natural ingredients must be from sustainable organic farming. This is differentiated by the two official certifications:

• ECOCERT Organic Cosmetic: At least 95% of the ingredients in the formula must be plant-based and 10% of all ingredients must originate from organic farming.
• ECOCERT Natural Cosmetic: At least 50% of the ingredients in the formula must be plant-based and 5% of all ingredients must originate from organic farming.

Onsite audits by Ecocert Auditors must be performed and passed.

You can view a list of approved ingredients on the Ecocert website. Note that some ingredients such as water, minerals and salts cannot be certified as organic, because they are not sourced from farming.

As an example, some shampoos and creams contain mostly water and can contain between 10% and 40% organic ingredients, and always 95% natural ingredients. Meanwhile an essential oil, which does not contain water, can have up to 100% organic ingredients.

There are over 1000 companies that adhere to these standards, ensuring that their products meet the most stringent of standards in quality and sustainability.

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