What does EcoControl certify?
NATRUE
NATRUE is the strictest standard, as minimum proportions of natural raw materials for natural cosmetics must be proven in the certified products. The most experienced natural cosmetics manufacturers use this standard, see our customer page. NATRUE is included in the BNN assortment list. For more information, visit: www.natrue.org
Approved raw materials
All raw materials used in cosmetics from July 1, 2024 onwards, must enter the approval or certification process. Exceptions are only made for nature-identical raw materials according to the NATRUE positive list, customer-specific raw materials that are only produced for a single customer, or organic raw materials certified according to the IFOAM family (see below). For additional exceptions e.g. independently accredited eco standards according to ISO17065, see Technical Guide under downloads.
In order to have raw materials recognized according to NATRUE, a document audit is required to evaluate the fulfillment of the NATRUE criteria. After checking the conformity, a certificate of recognition is issued and the raw materials are published on the NATRUE raw materials database. Approved raw materials may use the NATRUE approved raw material logo.
Certified raw materials
Raw materials with organic content that are to be advertised as such must undergo the NATRUE certification procedure. Here, in addition to the document audit, a one-time on-site audit is also performed.
Raw materials that are of organic origin, but either the processing is not within the organic certification or the organic certificate was issued by a standard owner outside the IFOAM family, must enter the certification scheme. Here, in the case of non-covered processing, a one-time audit is performed at the processing site, or every two years if the standard is not part of the IFOAM family.
All NATRUE certified raw materials are shown on the NATRUE raw material database and are allowed to carry the NATRUE logo.
Organic raw materials
Must be produced from organically grown, certified agricultural products (including wild-collection).
The following standards are accepted as the basis for certification of agricultural raw materials:
Organic Regulation (EU) 2018 / 848, the Swiss Organic Regulation, and all standards recognized as equivalent from the IFOAM family, as well as all organic standards under the umbrella of IFOAM (e.g. Naturland, Demeter, Bioland, Soil Association, Bio Suisse). For additional exceptions e.g. independently accredited eco standards according to ISO17065, see Technical Guide under downloads.
These raw materials are NATRUE compliant per se and do not need to enter the recognition or certification process.
Natural Cosmetic Standard (NCS)
The standard without percentage calculation, without association and with the lowest label usage fees. The Natural Cosmetic Standard is included in the BNN assortment list and also gives the possiblity to differentiate between nautral, organic, vegan and organic & vegan cosmetics.
For more information, visit: https://gfaw.eu/ncs/
Nature Care Product Standard (NCPS)
The standard for natural products that are not food or cosmetics, such as cleaning products. The Nature Care Product Standard is included in the BNN assortment list.
For more information, visit: https://gfaw.eu/ncp/
Cosmetics Good Manufacturer Practice
The K-GMP Ecocontrol standard, aligned with ISO 22716, is a certification that applies Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) specifically within the cosmetic industry, emphasizing sustainable and eco-friendly production processes. ISO 22716, the international standard for cosmetics GMP, outlines best practices for manufacturing, handling, storage, and shipping of cosmetic products, ensuring product safety and quality.
K-GMP builds on ISO 22716 by adding specific requirements to reduce environmental impact, ensuring that production aligns with ecological principles. This includes responsible sourcing, waste management, and use of renewable resources where possible. Compliance with K-GMP Ecocontrol demonstrates a commitment to quality assurance, consumer safety, and sustainability in the cosmetics sector.
Certified Sustainable Economics (CSE)
The cross-sector quality seal CSE distinguishes products that are manufactured by companies that operate in a certified near-sustainable manner. The CSE standard is regularly reviewed and continuously developed.
For more information, visit: https://gfaw.eu/leistungen/cse-zertifizierung/
Certification procedure (NATRUE/NCS/NCP)
- Send us a request through our form
- We will then send you a certification application form
- Please fill out the form and send it back to us
- Based on your application, EcoControl will give you feedback on whether evaluation and certification is possible (see potential reasons for rejection for further information)
- Based on this information you will receive a cost estimate
- We also send already without obligation the relevant contracts (including licensee contracts for standard owners if applicable)
- Once contract and p.r.n. licensee agreements have been signed, we provide you with all necessary information on how to register new products/recipes/raw materials in our software
- You will then receive our software package
- After signing the contract you will receive a mandate key for secure data transfer via software
- We check your formulations on the basis of the information provided and quality proofs for the ingredients according to the standard specifications
- If further specification or additional information is necessary to fulfill the chosen standard requirements, you will receive an assessment report
- In the assessement report, you will find all information needed to continue the evaluation process
- If everything is compliant, you will receive the final report and the products will be proposed for certification
- The products are placed in the NATRUE database
- Cosmetic products or raw materials assessed as compliant accoding to the chosen standard are certified
- For initial certification, you will receive a provisional certificate with a 6-month validity period
- The audit is planned (in case of initial audit within 6 months after certification or start of marketing of the products)
- When raw materials have been evaluated in the approval process, they receive the certificate of approval
- The assigned auditor schedules the audit with you
- The audit is announced by us and the audit contents are briefly explained again
- The audit includes primarily the verification of the recipe, traceability and quality evidence
- An audit report and possibly a table of measures for the correction of deviations summarize the audit
- For specifics on how to deal with non-conformities and possible consequences are found here.
- Before the certificate expires, we ask you whether the products should be re-certified
- For re-certification, we check whether the standard has changed in the meantime and the recipe still meets the requirements
- If NO, the evaluation process starts all over again
- If YES, we check if there are still open non-conformities. If this is not the case, we issue a new certificate
- If there are still open non-conformities, these must be closed before we can issue a new certificate. Upon closure, a new certificate will be issued.
- Please be aware that any claim regarding certification must be consistent with the scope of certification
- Reference to EcoControl in brochures, document or advertising is allowed only in combination with the certified standard.
- Please also read through the EcoControl logo usage rules for further information
Information on how to acquire process-certification according to EcoControl C-GMP ISO22716, you will find under Downloads, EcoControl Documents.
Sculpture Software
With the help of the Sculpture software, you can register the formulations of your natural cosmetics for evaluation and certification for the NATRUE seal. In the following video we will show you the step-by-step operation of the software.
All companies certified by EcoControl can use the EcoControl mark for the products listed in the scope of the certificate. Please also refer to EcoControl’s logo usage regulations.
