Labels and Certification

 

Ecocert :

Ecocert is a French based organisation which sets and oversees quality standards for the producers of organic goods.

Fair Trade :

Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards.

Who manages this label ? Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO-EV)

FLO (Fairtrade Labelling Organisations) is the organization that coordinates Fairtrade labelling at an international level. A key part of FLO’s role is to develop and review the Fairtrade standards. These standards apply to all Fairtrade producers.

GOTS :

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. The certification garauntees that no toxic  substances are contained in the textiles used by a factory. The textile factories must minimise the energy and water used in the production process. Production workers are protected by a series of ILO conventions which forbid child labour and ensures workers receive a decent wage.

Who oversees this label ? The International Working Group on Global Organic Textile Standard. This working group is composed of 4 organisations OTA (USA), IVN (Germany), Soil Association (UK) and JOCA (Japan). The organisation is soon to become a German registered limited company which will own the GOTS label.

Imprimvert :

This French label was created in 1998 with the intention of reducing the impact of the printing industry on the environment.

KBA :

All KBA cotton is grown and certified by an independent German institute.  This cotton is produced adhering to strict criteria which promote eco-friendly agricultural practices.To gain such a certification cotton must be grown without the use of pesticides and fertilisers. Compost and manure is used instead. Furthermore, insects are removed manually and the cotton itself is picked by hand in three rounds. An annual audit is carried out on each producer to ensure that the criteria are being followed.

Max Havelaar :

Association Max Havelaar France is the French member of Fairtrade Labelling Organisation International. It was setup with the aim of encouraging international solidarity by paying farmers in developing countries a fair price for their products and thus helping them in their combat against poverty. It also garauntees worker rights and bans such practices as child labour, slavery and forced labour.

Oekotex 100 Standard :

The Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 is a globally uniform testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate and end products at all stages of production. The tests for harmful substances includes substances which are banned or regulated by law, chemicals which are known to be harmful to health, and parameters which are included as a precautionary measure to safeguard health.

PEFC :

The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) through independent third-party certification. PEFC works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards. As a result of  its eco-label, customers and consumers are able to identify products from sustainably managed forests. PEFC is an umbrella organization. It works by endorsing national forest certification systems developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions.

The PEFC certification is based on the 6 criteria defined by the Helsinki conference in 1994 :

1. Maintenance and appropriate enhancement of forest resources and their contribution to global carbon cycles.
2. Maintenance of forest ecosystem health and vitality.
3. Maintenance and encouragement of productive functions of forests (wood and non-wood).
4. Maintenance, conservation and appropriate enhancement of biological diversity in forest ecosystems.
5. Maintenance and appropriate enhancement of protective functions in forest management (notably soil and water).
6. Maintenance of other socioeconomic and cultural functions and condition.

Skal :

Description : Skal is a Dutch organisation which provides certification for organic products. One of their labels include, for example, the European renowned EKO label .

• A recognised certifier and member of  EOCC (European Organic Certifiers Council)
  
• Country of origin : The Netherlands
  
• Founded in : 1985  as a an association 
• Aim : Offer certainty to customers of 'organic' nature of a product
• Provides certification for : food and clothing products
• Authority : Certification approved by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Food quality and Nature 

Soil Association :

The Soil Association was founded in 1946 in The UK by a group of farmers, scientists and nutritionists who observed a direct connection between farming practice and plant, animal, human and environmental health. Today the Soil Association is the UK's leading organic organisation, with over 200 staff based in Bristol and Edinburgh and working as certification inspectors across the country.

Through its not-for-profit business Soil Association Certification Ltd, it inspects and awards organic certification to farms and businesses that meet our organic standards. The Soil Association symbol guarantees that produce meets very high standards of sustainability and quality.

Spiel Gut :

The Arbeitsausschuss Kinderspiel + Spielzeug e. V. (German Working Group on Children's Play and Toys) of the spiel gut (play well) association,is a group that tests and evaluates toys.  It also provides information about the importance of play for children’s physical, mental and social development. The working group is made up of around 40 experts from education, psychology, sociology, medicine, design, technology, environmental protection and other professions. The “spiel gut” sign is the only design certification that is specifically orientated towards children’s education.

Bioland :

Bioland is Germany’s largest organic farmers' association. Bioland was founded in 1971 by farmers who based their organic farming methods on the principles of "organic-biological farming". This method were developed as a result of research carried out by two German scientists Dr. Müller and Dr. Rusch in the 1930s . The standards adhered to by  Bioland farmers stem from this method and are maintained, adapted and developed, so that it now includes all aspects of a modern organic agricultural production, animal science as well as food processing. It even spans further to specialties such as bee-keeping, fresh water fish production and ornamental flowers. The Bioland organisation operates in all German federal states and South Tyrol, a region in the northern part of Italy.