Understanding Organic & Fair Trade Certifications

The terms "eco-friendly" and "green" have finally made their way into the mainstream, however these terms are rooted in the concern of environmental quality over the past several decades. They are even finding themselves in reference to children’s clothes and toys. You might find yourself reading “organic baby clothes sold here”, or “designer rugs for baby’s nursery sold here—fair trade”. But, what does this mean and what should the consumer be looking for in terms of green products.

Throughout the past several decades, various certifications and “eco-friendly” seeking organizations have been born in order to add validity and regulation to manufacturers and producers of items that are “organic”, “fair-trade” and “eco-friendly.” Largely this has been a response to the lacking of regulation in the government realm. It was and is important for the consumer to understand and be familiar with various certification agencies. And they simply have responded to those conscious in learning how global manufacturing and trading of goods have revealed harmful practices and substances for both humans and the environment.

For starters, as a consumer, you should also be looking for manufacturers to be a member of the Organic Trade Association whose mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.

When shopping for organic baby clothes, for example, you may want to know that they are for certain “organic.” For example, Sckoon Organics of New York have organic baby clothes as a response to the harmful pesticides and insecticides used in cotton production. And when we think of a baby’s skin being 7 times thinner that adults, we start to listen to why organic is important. But, going a step further, Sckoon Organics align themselves with Demeter International. Demeter (international biodynamic certification board) is one certifying agency that seeks out members. On its website Demeter writes
“Demeter is the brand for products from Biodynamic Agriculture. Only strictly controlled and contractually bound partners are permitted to use the Brand. A comprehensive verification process insures strict compliance with the International Demeter Production and Processing Standards, as well as applicable organic regulations in the various countries; without a gap, through every step, from agricultural production to processing and final product packaging. Yet, the holistic Demeter requirements exceed government mandated regulations. Not only do they exclude the use of synthetic fertilizers and chemical plant protection agents in agricultural crop production, or artificial additives during processing, but also require very specific measures to strengthen the life processes in soil and foodstuffs.”

In addition, members of SKAL international are part of an organization that “independently regulates and certifies international standards for sustainable textile production.” One of the newest lines of organic baby clothes that have been all the rage, Happy Green Bee, are members of this organization.

Finding a designer and label that are part of these memberships better assures you as a customer, that you are buying products that are free of child labor or those which are made with harmful pesticides and insecticides. One may even buy carpets that carry the RugMark label. This little label assures that no child labor was used in the manufacturing of a handmade rug and the consumer is supporting a non-profit “which is the international nonprofit organization devoted to building schools, programs and opportunities that give children back their childhoods by ending child labor in the handmade carpet industry in South Asia.” Such companies as not Neutral carry such rugs. Now people can decorate their baby’s rooms with modern style without compromising the humane conditions of other peoples.

Indeed, being eco-friendly means that we look beyond the product itself and put on our "responsible consumer lens" to more closely consider the manufacturing of the product and its location. When being mindful of buying a product, we want to know what practices were used when growing or harvesting the product materials and who made them.