Why are Organic Products Different from Natural?

Natural and organic - terms we often use when describing food, beauty products, or household products.

Why do they mean what they do? Generally, organic and natural sound better, but when we tried to explain why they are better, we found the answer was beyond us. So, it was important that we investigated this!

NATURE AND ORGANIC ARE IMPORTANT FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

An organic or natural product is likely to be made with modern farming methods if it is not truly organic or natural. In order to maximize yield and productivity, these methods typically involve the use of genetically modified seeds, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals.

Productivity is a good thing, of course. Only when it adversely impacts the immediate environment as well as the broader environment.

An example is the runoff of waste water or grey water from pesticide and herbicide use. Pollution of waterways, streams, and rivers eventually reaches the ocean.

Typical examples are pesticides' impact on wild bee populations, which ironically has implications for agriculture and our food supply since bees are critical to pollinating crops. We avoid (where possible) purchasing products that depend on modern farming practices that negatively impact the environment.

We are still under the impression that organic and natural food is better for us when it comes to our health. The nutritional value of these types of foods is generally higher than that of non-organic produce, however. The long-term effects of this are still unclear.

Our approach is to opt for organic and local produce since pesticides, insecticides, and other chemicals are used for production. Though science does not (yet) completely support this position, our decision is not just based on our health but also on the environment.

Our skin suffers from the same problem. Because the skin is so porous, everything we apply to it gets absorbed into our bloodstream and lymphatic system.

Further, the EU has banned well over a thousand different ingredients found in personal care products that are known to cause cancer, birth defects, genetic mutation, and/or reproductive harm. It goes without saying that we recommend avoiding them!

There has been a strong trend for organic and natural products in recent years.

As we become more concerned about the environment and our health, this makes sense.

The downside is, of course, false advertising and misleading marketing. Confusion is caused by this. Understanding what's real and what's not can be challenging. We will attempt to shed a little more light on this below.

WHY IS ORGANIC SO IMPORTANT?

"Organic" certification is defined very similarly across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. You'll probably get certified organic products (food or ingredients in your organic makeup, for example) if they come from a farm that is using:

Artificial fertilizers or herbicides are not allowed
Colors, preservatives or chemicals, including parabens or sulphates, can't be artificial or synthetic
Routine antibiotic usage is not necessary
A GMO (genetically modified organism) or growth regulator is not allowed
Pesticides are allowed in very limited quantities
An improved land management system

Ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable organic farming is among the most popular methods of production today. Crop rotation, animal manures and hand weeding are some of the old-school methods of maintaining and growing produce. The environment benefits greatly from this!

HOW DO YOU DEFINE ALL NATURAL?

Compared to "organic", for the most part, "natural" and "all natural" are not fairly regulated terms (across the US, EU, UK and Australia). Natural doesn't always mean organic, in fact it can mean just about anything unless you see a certification label.

What are the inconsistencies? Yes, that makes sense! Especially in the beauty and cosmetics market, which (in the US alone) is worth somewhere around $62 billion. The cosmetic industry is one of the least regulated in the world, according to Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

Some say the reason for lack of regulation is that it is difficult to draw a distinction between what is and what is not natural. For example, arsenic, mercury and poisonous mushrooms are "natural," but they probably wouldn't pass muster in a cosmetic or food context.

Neither of us think that's very strong. The majority of consumers do not read ingredient lists because they trust marketing claims and slogans.

The good news is that certain certification bodies have sought to set a boundary (more on them below). Generally speaking, "natural" means: