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Every day more and more people are discovering the benefits of living a more ethical and eco friendly life. From ditching fast fashion for well made clothing to cutting out animal products and adopting a plant based diet, ethical living is one of 2021’s hottest trends. The world community is embracing the fact that treating our bodies and the environment with respect is imperative if we want to live in a healthy and thriving world. However, customers should consider more than just choices about the clothes they put on their backs or the food they consume. Being knowledgable about the ingredients and manufacturing methods of the beauty and skincare and household product industries is something that many people are taking a huge interest in. Some companies who test their products on animals, also add animal byproducts like carmine (made from beetles), ambergris (whale vomit) and squalene (shark liver oil). The public are looking to avoid these additives more and more. So, how can you be 100% certain the products you’re buying are both cruelty free and vegan? Read on to find out!
Vegan vs Cruelty Free Even though cruelty free and vegan labels both imply that no animals were harmed during the production of the product, there is still some confusion about the difference between the two and why the products you buy should contain both tags.
Cruelty Free While there are many beauty and household brands that claim the finished product has not been tested on animals, it doesn’t necessarily mean that animal cruelty hasn’t been carried out earlier in the production process. Notably, this may occur when testing the ingredients. Additionally, many companies are able to retain the cruelty free stamp because they have outsourced the testing to another company. This commonly happens when jobs are given to countries with different laws regulating production, like China. The only way to be sure a product is absolutely cruelty free is to buy products that have been certified cruelty free by The Leaping Bunny Program. Companies who have this certification are not allowed to do any animal testing in any phase of production from ingredient choices to the creation of their product.
Vegan A vegan product is one that contains no animal derived ingredients. However, at some point in its production, it may have been tested on animals. Let’s imagine you’ve discovered a shampoo that works wonders on your hair and is also vegan. It would be nice to know that no animal derived ingredients are present in the product. However, if there is no Leaping Bunny or other reputable cruelty free charity logo, the product could have been tested on animals during production and therefore would not be cruelty free. Surely the concept of using animal ingredients doesn’t make sense when we’re wanting to support animal welfare. Wouldn’t you agree? Even though there are many brands out there who’s manufacturing practices are indeed ethical, there are some that are not. Let’s delve into what to look out for so you’re ultra prepared for your next shopping experience! 3 Main ‘Cruelty Free’ Certified Bodies
As previously mentioned, buying products that are both cruelty free and vegan certified is a must for people wanting to be 100% sure that no animals were involved at any point in the production process. So, here are the top 3 cruelty free charities that are also internationally recognised.
• PETA - A UK based charity • Leaping Bunny - A USA and Canada based charity • Choose Cruelty Free - Australia based charity
Verifying that a Company is Both Cruelty Free and Vegan More than ever household and beauty companies are producing products with the cruelty free logo. However, some of them are misleading consumers by creating their own logos and their practices, unfortunately, don’t respect the true definition of cruelty free. These companies claim that the finished product has not been tested on animals, but the item may well have used animal products during ingredient selection as well as during other stages in the manufacturing process. The second issue, which is a bit more controversial, is the marketing labels on a brand’s parent company. Many brands, like The Body Shop and Urban Decay, are certified with the Leaping Bunny logo but are owned by larger companies like L’Oreal which subsequently tests on animals. The question is, do you stop buying these products or boycott the parent companies because their manufacturing practices don’t respect animal welfare? Consumers as asking for more details relating to ingredients and production practices. A decision that many people make when faced with this question is to buy from independent, more boutique brands. This is becoming easier as more and more people become conscious of the horrific practices behind animal testing. The demand for cruelty free products is increasing day by day as is the desire for vegan products including those with no animal by-products.The vegan label was originally created for people on a vegan diet however, with it’s popularity growing, the label is now used on everything from household goods to vegan clothing. This is due to more people adopting a plant-based lifestyle rather than just consuming vegan foods. It’s true that the vegan stamp is somewhat less recognised than it’s cruelty free counterpart. However, there are still some very reputable organisations that will offer you peace of mind when you’re wondering if what you’re buying is truly vegan.
• vegan.org - USA based • Vegan Society UK - UK based
Of course, it’s also worth noting that even if a beauty or household product doesn’t have the two certifications visible this doesn’t mean it isn’t ethically produced. Small, independent companies don’t always show this usually due to the huge costs of licensing. So, next time you want to confirm if a product checks both the cruelty free and vegan boxes, here are some online resources you can use.
Vegan
• Vegan.com - Search: Animal Ingredients List: Non-Vegan Substances
Cruelty Free • Leaping Bunny’s approved brands list • PETA’s Beauty without Bunnies brand list Take Positive Steps and Make Informed Choices! Need some inspiration into what brands are both cruelty free and vegan? Check out the suggestions below! • Arbonne - makeup, nutrition and skincare • Green People - toothpaste and other skincare products • Dr. Botanicals - natural skincare/beauty products • LaBante London - handbags, purses and jewellery • Earth Conscious - deodorants and baby balms
Bio A lover of all things vegan and sustainable, Chelsea is someone who enjoys spreading the benefits of living a plant based life out into the world. Being vegan for 6 years she is always on the lookout for the newest plant-based trends and enjoys cooking up yummy recipes in her tiny Liverpool kitchen. This is her first article for Professionals Review. She’d love to influence as many people as possible to adopt a plant based diet through writing for many different publications within the health, wellness and vegan sectors. She hopes to pursue writing as a full time career one day and is thrilled to have the opportunity to write for such a successful online magazine like Professionals Review.
To find out more about her passion for plant based living follow her on Instagram: chelsea_rose_plaskitt