If you’re reading this, maybe you are trying to make better choices in your everyday life. But in an ocean of ecological, organic and fair products, it can be hard to choose what to buy. Here is why you should go for ecoproducts with a label rather than non eco-labelled products.
A word about eco-labelling
First there are two possibilities when it comes to eco-labelling. On the one hand, a brand can decide to affix several labels on a product. One to guarantee its organic quality, another to prove it was ecologically made, and last one to ensure it’s fair trade. You thus end up with two or three logos on your product. For you, the number of labels doesn’t really make a difference. But for the company, it means up to three certifications. And if these certifications are serious and reliable, they have to be paid for.
On the other hand, there exist ecological certifications that include all aspects: ecology, organic quality and fair trade. This is the case of the Ecogarantie label, for instance. Not only is it much more affordable for brands, but it’s also a great opportunity for small companies. Indeed, we are a nonprofit organisation. And one of our goals is to allow them to certify their products and guarantee eco-friendly, organic and fair goods.
Non eco-labelled products may not be fair trade
It’s nothing new. Whether you heard about it or not, there are still a lot of inequalities around the world. Child labour, endless working hours, extremely low wages, discrimination, … How to be sure the making of your everyday products have not contributed to one of these injustices?
The answer is simple. Certifications are a serious and trustworthy way to ensure a product respects Human Rights. Take Ecogarantie for example. We work with independent control bodies which audit our members every year. They are able to guarantee a product is fair trade by inspecting a brand’s accounts. On the basis of strict criteria, they analyse companies’ price lists, invoices and offers. They can thus see if their suppliers and employees receive a fair price and salary.
Ecoproducts with a label are eco-friendly and organic
And the same goes for the ecological and organic quality of a product. Control bodies carefully and regularly audit ecoproducts with a label. Actually, they control the whole production cycle and they analyse samples. The origin of the ingredients, the products’ composition, the production methods, … Certifying bodies examine everything closely. The Ecogarantie standards also require that packagings are ecologically made. Finally, companies must also keep their waste, energy consumption and transportation to a minimum.
If you buy an ecoproduct with no label, you can’t be sure it’s really eco-friendly. Nowadays, we live in a society which encourages consumers to make more responsible choices. But some brands may take advantage of your good will and sell you products that are not truly ecological. That’s what we call greenwashing; a misleading marketing strategy. Our piece of advice: beware and trust certified brands!
