How can you certify or approve your Raw Material?

For producers of raw materials:

• All raw materials presently used in NATRUE certified finished products will have a transitional period until 1st July 2024 to be either certified or approved.
• New raw materials, not already in use, require approval or certification (cf. Annex 3.2).

For producers of finished products:

• Before 1st July 2024 preliminary certificates issued for finished products can list formulas containing raw materials not yet approved or certified
• After 1st July 2024:
  • All newly certified or reformulated finished products entering the scheme from 1st July 2024 must include only approved or certified raw materials.
  • All existing products entering to the scheme before 01st July 2024 are ‘grandfathered’ unless reformulated; i.e.: if its formulation is compliant and unchanged. This means that for re-certification not all raw materials need to be approved or certified.

Please, find more information here.

Depending on the raw material, different scenarios might apply:

• Approval: Not from organic agriculture (natural, derived natural substances)
  • Documentation check only.
• Certification: From organic agriculture (natural, applicable derived natural substances)
  • Raw materials certified to a regulation or standard in the IFOAM Family of Standards without further processing are automatically accepted ⇒ No documentation check + no audit needed.
  • However, documentation check + on-site inspection applies where raw materials are:
    • not certified to a regulation or standard in the IFOAM Family of Standards
      • NATRUE certification – documentation check + audit every two years [exceptional procedure for customised raw materials*]
    • certified to a regulation or standard in the IFOAM Family of Standards but are repacked / relabelling out of the scope of these regulations or standards
      • NATRUE approval with documentation check + one initial audit.

*NB: The conformity of a customized raw material(s) uniquely used by a finished product manufacturer, including, but not limited to, a personalised fragrance blend(s), are controlled by the NAC when the finished product containing these substances undergoes certification.

1. Read carefully the NATRUE Criteria to internally assess how to formulate according to the NATRUE Standard (or reformulate in case of already existing raw materials).
2. Choose a NATRUE Approved Certifier (NAC) to guide you through the whole certification or approval process.
   • NATRUE does not certify or approve directly in order to make the whole process more independent and transparent.
   • For this reason, we work with a worldwide network of independent and accredited certification bodies (NACs) who verify and control that only raw materials that comply with the criteria within the NATRUE Standard can carry the NATRUE Label.
3. As soon as you chose your NAC and sign a contract with them, you will need to sign and send back to NATRUE the Agreement on the Usage of the NATRUE Label, available at the end of this page.
   • After signing the Agreement, you will be able to adapt the packaging and marketing materials of your raw materials with the NATRUE Label.
4. Once your products have successfully been certified or approved by your NAC, you will be issued with a certificate. After that, your raw materials will be included in the NATRUE’s online database, which is publicly accessible.
5. To finish the process, you will receive an invoice(s) for the NATRUE Label fee(s) linked to your raw materials.
   • These fees cover the right to use the NATRUE Label on packaging and marketing materials of your certified or approved raw material.

1. Certifications costs are always invoiced entirely by the NATRUE Approved Certifier the applicant decides to work with.
2. NATRUE label fee: invoiced directly by NATRUE.

• • Fee for the use of the NATRUE seal: 50 euros per approved or certified raw material for a 2-year certificate (renewable after 2-years).

Grouped NATRUE label fee: eligible for

• single ingredient plant extracts (e.g. [essential] oils);
• defined plant extracts where the base extraction is the same (e.g. glycerine/water);
• raw materials from the same supplier with identical INCI composition (e.g. Xanthan Gum or powders in various qualities).

In all cases listed above the label fee is grouped and invoiced collectively. For example, for 10 plant oils, the label fee would be €50 and not €500 (cf. Label Usage Agreement for Raw Materials, available for download at the end of this page).

As an international non-profit association, the label fees costs are used to fund NATRUE’s activities (for example, attendance to trade shows, development of NATRUE’s Label, daily running of the association, etc.).

Kindly note that renewal of the 2-year certificate is not automatic. If you wish to renew it, we recommend you to contact your NAC at least 3-4 months before the expiration date of your certificate.

The NATRUE Label represents a reliable, verifiable and internationally applicable benchmark for authentic natural and organic beauty products from committed brands and manufacturers all around the world. In order to support the authenticity of natural and organic cosmetic products and to avoid misrepresentation or misleading communication on products and from brands, the NATRUE Label is a reliable reference that reassures consumers.

If you are producers, traders or wholesalers of raw materials wanting to certify or approve its raw materials, the NATRUE Label will provide you with:

• VALIDATION – independently verified natural, organic and sustainable criteria by a third-party certifier to support claims.
• EFFICIENCY – reduced paperwork: once third-party verified, your certificate is all you’ll need. Simple!
• PROACTIVITY – quickly and easily assist conformity requests from your customers‘ new products
• PROMOTION – gain visibility thanks to the online NATRUE database and the use of the NATRUE Label.
• INTERNATIONAL USE – the NATRUE Label is internationally applicable as a recognised and trusted seal of third-party certification