5 Popular Eco-Friendly Symbols You May Find On Your Products
How often do you pick up a product and know exactly what the “green” symbols on the package actually mean? Currently, there are hundreds of symbols that display a product’s level of sustainability; however, many consumers are unaware or unfamiliar with their meaning. Below, you will find five of the most frequently used eco-friendly certifications with descriptions about how companies obtain them and how rigorous the standards are.
The Leaping Bunny is an internationally recognized indication that no animals were tested during product manufacturing and is frequently seen in the cosmetics and cleaning products industries. To obtain the leaping bunny symbol, companies must complete and pass a rigorous application process, which includes an online interest form, application fee, agree to an audit of their supply chain, and implement all “leaping bunny criteria.” When all components are completed, the company submits their application for review and is notified of approval or given constructive feedback for improvement.
Unfortunately, the Mobius Loop varies from product to product and there is not a standard definition or criteria for its use, which can make this confusing for consumers. The original Mobius Loop indicates that the product has the potential to be recycled under specific conditions, but may have not been made out of recyclable materials. Occasionally, a number is found in the center of the Mobius Loop, which correlates to the percentage of the item that is recyclable.
Plastic Resin codes are used to indicate the specific type of plastic used during the manufacturing process. This is helpful to consumers who want to know how to properly dispose of their products — each type of plastic has specific guidelines for recycling. Check out this website if you’re interested in learning about the seven types of plastic discussed in the code above and how they’re most commonly used.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic seal ensures that stamped food products or beauty products have been produced using all organic processes that support recycling of resources, ecological stability, and maintain biodiversity. If a food product is packaged with the seal (not directly on foodstuff), this lets a consumer know that at least 70% of the ingredients are specifically organic. Obtaining an organic seal can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on how large and complex the operation is.
Reef safe symbols come in a variety of colors/styles based on the products they are stamped on, but are relatively easy to decipher as they distinguish themself from the rest of food symbols with the inclusion of marine wildlife on the stamp. Reef safe packaging is not harvested from the ocean and does not harm ocean wildlife during disposal. Similarly, reef safe ingredients are not taken from the ocean or contain only mineral UV-blocking ingredients that cannot harm ocean wildlife (for example, this symbol is often used on sunscreen products). Unfortunately, many products may imply they are “reef friendly” or even say “reef safe,” but lack the official stamp seen above. These terms are not regulated and companies do not need to obtain certification to label their products in this manner. Therefore, it is important that consumers understand this difference and look up the company/product on their own to ensure the wording is not misleading.