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Organic laundry detergent, simply defined, is a laundry detergent that contains all organic, natural ingredients. While many laundry detergents claim to be eco-friendly & environmentally friendly, not many can actually claim the status of being certified organic.
So what does being certified organic mean?
Being certified organic guarantees two main thingsÂ
1. If the products are grown, no chemicals, pesticides or other harmful chemicals have been used in the fertilizing, growing or harvesting of the plants. This chemical free process must be proven for several years and monitored by certification officials before the certified organic status will be given.
2. If the product is produced from several other products, each of the ingredients must be either certified organic itself, or an allowable processing agent under the organic certification rules and regulations. The facility that the product is produced in must also undergo regular inspections to ensure that the processing of the ingredients is chemical free. A paper trail audit is also done regularly to ensure all ingredients maintain their certification.
3. For animal products, the animal, from birth, must not have been given any antibiotics, hormones, or other chemical injections. They must also have been fed certified organic feed for their lifespan & never have consumed any animal byproducts. A paper trail must also be maintained & the entire stock at the location where the animals are raised must be certified organic.
Who can certify a product to be organic?
There are many companies throughout the world that can certify products organic. Two of the well-known ones are ECOCERT & USDA.
ECOCERT had its roots in France, beginning in 1991. It has now expanded to over 80 countries & has become one of the largest organic certification companies in the world. It now certifies around 30% of organic produce around the world.
The USDA (United States Department of agriculture) has been around for a number of years and is the primary organic certification agency in the United States. Many products certified organic by the USDA are marketed around the world.
What does organic certification mean for laundry detergent?
When a laundry detergent is certified organic, it means that you can trust that no chemicals will come into contact with your skin through your laundry detergent.
Though many laundry detergents claim to be eco-friendly & environmentally friendly, there are few that can claim certified organic status. Most laundry detergents contain harsh chemicals, which can irritate the skin & cause allergic reactions.
What is the best certified organic laundry detergent?
There are a few certified organic laundry detergents on the market. One has been tried and tested for hundreds of years and has been around well before any chemical detergents existed. This laundry detergent is soap nuts. Soap nuts grow on Sapindus mukorosi trees in tropical countries like India and Nepal. They have been used by native residents for hundreds, if not thousands of years. The shells of the soap nuts contain natural saponins, which have detergent properties when they come into contact with water.
Soap nuts can be purchased in many retail locations or online.
If you are considering going the organic route, you should give soap nuts a try right away. They are a truly organic laundry detergent.
