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Our Buying Policy and product certifications

It's what we don't stock that makes the difference

We're on a mission to make clean living that much simpler. We're reading the backs of labels, putting every brand through our rigorous vetting process and being clear about the questionable ingredients we simply won't stock.

Why? So you can feel confident knowing what you're buying is plain good, for you and the planet.

Our secret weapon

Nourished Life hosts a diverse range of products across beauty, health, wellbeing, home and lifestyle products. Ensuring we're providing only the best products and ingredients requires a unique approach to product assessment and selection.

We have strict ingredient standards. But it's not just what's inside that counts. Every brand on our shelves has to pass our vetting process to make sure everything from their packaging to their organic claims make the cut. Our team look for things like:

  • Sustainability
  • Certified cruelty-free
  • Certified organic or natural
  • Natural ingredients
Integrity and trust

Maintaining integrity through this process and earning the trust of our customers is the most important thing to us here at Nourished Life.

Certifications we know and trust

Organic, Natural & Eco Certification

Whilst browsing through the thousands of natural products we stock at Nourished Life, you'll notice that many are certified organic. There are several organisations responsible for awarding this certification. Each organisation has its own set of criteria and guidelines which products and brands must meet before they can claim to be certified organic. You'll find a logo (or two!) at the bottom of our product descriptions when these exacting standards have been met; just another part of our goal to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed purchase.

Below is a guide to some of the most common Organic & Natural certifications you will see across our store.

Australian Certified Organic

Australian Certified Organic (ACO) believe organic processes to be healthier for the environment as they keep harmful chemicals out of our land, water and air. In 2010 they were awarded the Best Food Endorsement Program by the Choice Awards. ACO requires companies to meet a very high set of standards before allowing them to use their certification on any products. This includes at least three years of organically managed land. Other standards include strictly no use of GMOs, artificial pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers. Farmers must carefully plan and rotate crops to control pests and diseases and ensure their soil is fertile. ACO strives to ensure integrity, impartiality and authenticity in trade to protect the interests of consumers of organic products.

Browse products with Australian Certified Organic certification »

Soil Association Organic Standard

The Soil Association is the UK's largest organic certification body and works alongside Australian Certified Organic. They certify organic food and farming, organic textiles and organic beauty products. The Soil Association Certification is a not-for-profit business and donates any excess income to raising awareness and developing the organic sector through the Soil Association charity. Their logo is a customer's guarantee that the product meets the highest standards of sustainability and quality. The health and beauty criteria states that every ingredient must be organic (or unavailable in organic form), natural and not tested on animals. Certificates are issued annually, with random inspections ensuring that every stage in the creation of a product meets their high standards.

Browse products with Soil Association Organic Standard certification »

Bioagricert

Based in Italy, Bioagricert has been working in the organic certification sector since 1984 and is committed to ensuring that the agricultural system operates as naturally as possible and minimizes human impact on the environment. An approved certification body, Bioagricert carries out inspections and quality control in the organic agriculture sector. Products are inspected and certified according to their compliance with the European Union's regulations, which encompass food processing, distribution and retail. Organisations must comply with these strict requirements in order to label their products as organic. Each operator, whether farmer, processor, trader, importer or exporter, is inspected at least once a year to ensure that strict rules are met throughout the supply chain.

BDIH Certified Natural Cosmetics

The BDIH International Organic and Natural Cosmetics seal was established in 2001 and has certified around 5,000 products. Its longevity means that the certification group has become a trusted body in the world of natural and organic cosmetics. Strict guidelines make it difficult for manufacturers to get the BDIH certification, providing reassurance for consumers. BDIH is particularly concerned with the environment, animal welfare and species protection. They assess individual ingredients as well as the production line and the way the products are processed. The BDIH does not allow synthetic dyes, fragrances, silicones, paraffin, petroleum products or ionising rays. Natural preservation is allowed, but where a product contains one of four types of natural preservative, this must be explicitly stated on its packaging.

Browse products with BDIH Certified Natural Cosmetics certification »

Ecocert

Ecocert is an inspection and certification body established in France in 1991, after agronomists identified a need to develop environmentally friendly agriculture and offer recognition to those committed to working in this way. Ecocert specialises in the certification of organic agricultural products, and has contributed to the expansion of organic farming during the 1990s through its involvement in drawing up French and European regulations. Ecocert has become a benchmark in organic certification worldwide, gaining the confidence of consumers and professionals. In addition to agriculture, Ecocert has expanded to assess natural and organic cosmetics as well as natural cleaning products and natural and organic home perfumes. They only give the Ecocert name to products that meet its high technical criteria.
Browse products with Ecocert certification »

Natural Products Association

The NPA Natural Standard encompasses natural ingredients, responsibility, sustainability and safety. In order to be deemed truly 'natural' and certified under this Standard, products must meet a strict set of guidelines. They must be made with at least 95% natural ingredients (excluding water). Where synthetic ingredients are allowed, they must be environmentally-friendly, nurturing to humans and as harmless as possible to the earth. Products must not use animal testing in their development, and should use biodegradable ingredients and environmentally-friendly packaging. The NPA definition of natural includes ingredients sourced from a renewable resource found in nature (flora, fauna, minerals), with absolutely no petroleum compounds. Ingredients with suspected human health risks, such as parabens, chemical sunscreens and formaldehyde, are banned.
Browse products with Natural Products Association certification »

OEKO-TEX® Standard 100plus

The textile trade is one of the world's most toxin producing industries. In order to be environmentally friendly it is not enough to certify the raw fabric. Every stage in the manufacturing process must be accounted for. The OEKO-TEX\u00ae Standard 100plus is a globally recognised product certification. It allows the textile and clothing industry the opportunity to demonstrate that their products have been optimised for human ecology and that production conditions are environmentally friendly. The criteria includes testing for harmful substances, environmentally friendly and socially acceptable production. Extensive product checks and regular company audits give consumers the peace of mind that the entire manufacturing chain (across all stages of textile processing) fully satisfies the requirements of OEKO-TEX® Standard 100plus.
Browse products with OEKO-TEX® Standard 100plus certification »

NaTrue

The NaTrue label is a guarantee that the product contains natural and organic ingredients and was produced by environmentally-friendly soft manufacturing processes. No synthetic fragrances and colours, petroleum derived products, silicone oils and derives, genetically modified ingredients, and irradiation of end product or botanical ingredients, have been used in products with this certification. NaTrue uses three different types of certification to make it easier to select the right product: Natural cosmetics; natural cosmetics with an organic portion (at least 70% of natural ingredients must come from controlled organic production/controlled wild collection); and organic cosmetics (at least 95% of natural ingredients must come from controlled organic cultivation and/or controlled wild collection).
Browse products with NaTrue certification »

Organic Food Chain

The Organic Food Chain Pty Ltd (OFC) is the result of two Australian farming families taking the organic certification process into their own hands in a hope to provide "common sense organic certification". The OFC families continue to work with industries to develop and maintain strict standards in order to facilitate and meet consumers\u2019 expectations of organics. The key principle in organic production is that farming activity should improve the soil so that animals and plants have access to an abundance of naturally occurring nutrients. In order to be certified, companies must demonstrate that they meet the National Standard for Organic & Bio-Dynamic Produce, and are subject to an independent annual audit and chemical residue analysis testing.
Browse products with Organic Food Chain certification »

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

The USDA organic regulations detail the standards that farmers and processors must meet before they can use the word "organic" to describe their food, feed or fibre. They work alongside the National Organic Program to provide organic certification to those that meet their regulations. The USDA aims to protect consumers who expect the organic products they buy to maintain their integrity from farm to market. They do this by taking action against farmers and businesses that threaten consumer confidence in organic products by flouting the law. Certified organisations are inspected each year, with a proportion of produce tested for residues of prohibited substances. Enforcement for those who violate the regulations can include financial penalties and revocation of their organic certification.

Focus on ingredients

Nourished Life Glossary

What's the difference between organic and natural? Why is palm oil so questionable? It can be tricky navigating the clean living universe. So we're decoding common terms to help you make informed decisions.

Organic

Something that is organic has been grown or contains ingredients that have been grown, processed or harvested without the use of chemicals like pesticides. They should be free from GMOs, sulphates, parabens and antibiotics.

Certified Organic

Products that are certified organic have gone through a process of checks by a third party organisation to prove their claims and guarantee their integrity. Common certifications Nourished Life looks for include ones given by the Australian Certification Organisation (ACO) or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Natural

Where organic refers to how an ingredient has been farmed, natural refers to something that is derived from a plant, mineral or in some cases, animal by-product. Many products list a natural ingredient, like sea salt, using its scientific name, sodium chloride. Look out for how far down an ingredient is listed on a product, as many brands order ingredients from highest percentage to lowest.

Certified Natural

Just like organic certification, a certified natural product will have undergone checks from a third-party organisation like NATRUE or
Natural Products Association. Bodies like these will often look for a high percentage of natural ingredients used, environmentally friendly production and cruelty-free practices.

Sustainable

This is a broad term that can refer to what goes inside a product to how it's produced to what it's housed in. At Nourished Life, we look for an eco-friendly end-to-end process and transparency with our brands. One that considers natural and organic ingredients, innovative packaging solutions like refills and recycled materials, and green production processes that reduce environmental impact.

Cruelty Free

A product that is cruelty-free has not been tested on animals nor does it include any ingredients that have been tested on animals. Cruelty-free brands stocked on Nourished Life must provide assurance of this or show proof of certification from an organisation like Leaping Bunny.

Palm Oil

Palm oil is derived from the fruit of its namesake tree. It is often used in cosmetics as a moisturising ingredient. Unsustainable palm oil production impacts the large-scale destruction of tropical forests and habitat loss for endangered species like orangutans. It also contributes to air, soil and water pollution and climate change.

Palm oil free is a topic we feel extremely passionate about at Nourished Life. It is also very complicated. Several natural ingredients may contain small amounts of compound ingredients which may contain palm derivatives.

As part of our vetting process, our suppliers must provide us with their official statement or claim regarding their use of palm oil and any palm oil must be from a sustainable source. You can find each brand's palm oil claim/statement located on each of the brand's summary pages. You can also choose to shop palm oil free, this is based on the brand's claim that their products do not contain any palm.

All claims regarding the use of sustainable palm or palm oil free are based on each of our brand or suppliers claim or published statement. For a copy of this please contact us. Please note that every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however, brands or their supplier of raw ingredients may change their formulations or ingredients without advising us.

We check every label so you don't have to.

  • Cruelty Free
  • Zero Waste Options
  • Strict Ingredient Standards
  • Clean & Natural Products
  • Huge Vegan Range
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Nourished Life acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.