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Epilogue: Sustainable Cosmetics Summit
In May, Prima Fleur co-sponsored and attended the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit in New York City, presented by Organic Monitor, one of the leading
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Photos courtesy of GreenMUA
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sources for information on the organic products sector. For the past decade, Organic Monitor has generated significant awareness, discussion and initiatives on the important topics of green formulations, organic certifications, and the social impact of sustainable supply chains.
This Summit was aimed at the American market and covered a diverse range of sustainability topics including environmental impacts, social footprints, sustainable supply chains, ethical marketing and distribution, natural and organic cosmetic standards, and green formulations.
Certification was a hot topic. The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute introduced a certification based on its philosophy that well-designed products should add back to the earth, not just reduce negative impact. Presentations from NSF, the Natural Products Association, Whole Foods Market, and the USDA attempted to ease confusion about certifications in the U.S., including the new USDA Biobased product certification standard. Fair Trade USA also presented, and we hope to work with them to have more of our eligible raw materials certified.
Research shows that in the U.S. natural personal care market, confusion and lack of consensus regarding the various certification standards and options is having a deterrent effect on the organic and natural movement. Unfortunately, this seems to be slowing the progress toward real change. Without a clear definition of certified personal care, consumers still rely heavily on marketing copy and labels to convey the brand's message: for 38% of U.S. shoppers, product labels are a major source of information on the environment, and there is room for more consumer communication about the efforts companies are making (Roper). We recommend our clients get certified, or at least use their websites and social media to explain honestly why their products are the cleanest and most sustainable choices. Health concerns remain a major driver in the purchase of natural products: 57% of U.S. consumers say safety is their number one concern when buying personal care (Deloitte).
We continue to feel that Ecocert® upholds the highest standards, has the most registered ingredients, and has a meticulous verification and inspection protocol. Whether with Ecocert or one of the various agencies, just get engaged! Without being engaged, credibility is harder to achieve. The more brand owners are engaged, the more raw material manufacturers will change methods and processes.
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Pictured L-R: Prima Fleur's Kendra Smith and Marianne Griffeth, with Cradle to Cradle's Bridgett Luther.
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There is so much to be positive about in the
industry. We learned about large corporations upgrading manufacturing facilities to emit only clean water as a byproduct and designing recyclable packaging made from sugarcane. These innovative changes will only benefit us all. The natural personal care market is expected to outperform conventional products in terms of sales growth over the next few years (Mintel).
With all of this in mind, we remain passionate about - and committed to - sourcing, manufacturing and delivering the highest quality custom personal care product design using the most natural ingredients available. We are dedicated to serving the global community through environmental advocacy and responsible manufacturing, using only certified organic ingredients and formulations.
For more information on Prima Fleur Premier products and custom formulations, please visit our website - or call us at (415) 455-0957 - or email our helpful sales team.
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