TS005(GPA)v08en 22/03/2016 GUIDELINE FOR THE CHECKING OF LABELS AND COMMUNICATION DOCUMENTS NATURAL ORIGIN AND ORGANIC CANDLES AND HOME FRAGRANCES The standard in force is available at http:///en/natural-origin-and-organiccandles-and-home-fragrances or is forwarded upon request. This document has been completely revised, modifications do not appear. 1
Contents I. Finished product label... 3 A. General remarks... 3 B. Mandatory elements... 3 1. References to the control body... 3 2. Percentage of natural origin ingredients... 4 3. Percentage of ingredients from Organic Farming... 4 4. Exhaustive composition... 5 5. Visibility for the consumer... 5 6. Respect of the application field... 5 C. Optional elements... 6 1. Logo... 6 2. Other allegations... 6 3. Claims referring to Organic... 6 II. Particular cases... 7 A. Case of products containing a biocidal active substance... 7 B. Case of unlabeled products (white label) or bulk... 7 C. Case of a raw material... 7 D. Mentions to indicate in the case of a service provision (case of preparers)... 8 E. Case of multi-lingual labels... 8 III. Communication documents... 9 Translations... 10 2
I. Finished product label A. General remarks All labels referring to Ecocert and/or the control must be submitted for checking and validation by Ecocert before printing. This validation, symbolized by the Ecocert stamp and your certification officer signature or by the treatment of your demand via the Greenportal, proves the compliance of your label with the Ecocert Standard for Natural origin and Organic Candles and Home fragrances. Control applies on a finished product. Therefore, a brand, a packaging, a formula, cannot be declared as «controlled» by Ecocert. Moreover, on a non- controlled finished product, it is not possible to mention Ecocert, even if this is applied to the certification of one of the product ingredient. Your labels must be compliant with the general regulations and this isn t checked by Ecocert. We only check the compliance with the Candles and Home fragrances standard. Thus, it is your responsibility to ensure that your labels comply with the regulations of the country where the products are to be sold. As far as possible, it is preferable that the brand owner submits himself the labels to Ecocert. B. Mandatory elements 1. References to the control body The reference has to be in compliance with the product and the granted control level that can be found on the validated formula file: Natural origin Home fragrance controlled by ECOCERT Greenlife - F32600 Organic Home fragrance controlled by ECOCERT Greenlife - F32600 Natural origin Candles controlled by ECOCERT Greenlife - F32600 Organic Candles controlled by ECOCERT Greenlife - F32600 3
2. Percentage of natural origin ingredients This percentage must be shown on your label as follows: Or X % of the total ingredients are from natural origin X % of the ingredients are from natural origin X being available on the formula file validated. If the product is 100% organic, this mention isn t compulsory. 3. Percentage of ingredients from Organic Farming If on the label, ingredients are claimed to be from Organic Farming, then, they have to be identified in the composition by an asterisk and the total percentage of ingredients from Organic Farming has to be displayed. This percentage must be shown on your label as follows: Or *Y % of the total ingredients are from Organic Farming *Y % of the ingredients are from Organic Farming Y being available on the formula file validated. If all the ingredients are from Organic Farming, asterisks are not compulsory. Allergens mustn t be identify by an asterisk. In the composition, indication of ingredients that are from Organic farming and those that are from Organic farming and chemically transformed (eg: alcohol, glycerin, ) musn t be confusing (in example, with an simple* or double** asterisk system). The mention to the percentage will be: Or Y% of the total ingredients are from Organic farming* or made using organic ingredients ** Y % of the total ingredients are from Organic farming * (if the product doesn't contain organic chemically transformed ingredients) Remarks on the displayed percentages: The number of decimals for X and Y is not imposed, it is however advised to use percentages without decimals The displayed percentage can be lower than the one on the validated formula. As far as possible (not necessary if it is a truncation), this choice has to be justified with you certification officer so that he will not misinterpretate it as a mistake. Percentages cannot be rounded up. 4
4. Exhaustive composition All ingredients present in the product have to appear on the label. Allergens whose amount is higher than 0.01% have to be detailed. This enumeration has to be done using plain English, chemical name, latin name, botanical name or INCI. The word «perfume» can be used when the fragrance composition contains more than 7 ingredients. If the product contains alcohol denatured with one of the synthetic denaturants authorized (listed in Appendix IV), the alcohol must be listed under the term alcohol denat. If the alcohol is denatured with a natural ingredient (such as lavender essential oil), it will be described in the composition as alcohol denat., or by declaring the alcohol and the denaturing ingredient. 5. Visibility for the consumer All the mandatory elements have to be visible for the consumer when buying the product (case, box, peelable label ) and their font size should match the majority of other descriptive elements on the label (as far as possible). However, they can also be repeated on an attached notice visible from outside. If it is not possible to have all these mentions on the product (technical impossibility), they can appear on a display or an attached notice validated by Ecocert. Examples : If the product is packed in a cardboard box or case, all the mandatory mentions must be displayed on the case. The mentions are not compulsory on the product itself. If there isn't box or case (for example, just a bottle), all the mentions must be displayed on the product itself (on the bottle). If several products are sold in a box, the mention of the products must be visible (by transparency or written on the box). 6. Respect of the application field The product must comply with the application field: its aim is to perfume or deodorize the surrounding air or linen. Thus, the perfuming function have to be claimed (except for not scented candles). The products can claim an additional function (eg: biocide action, purifying or sanitizing spray, commercial name such as Relaxing spray...), but these products must claim a perfuming function. The use described must also comply with the definition (eg: use on clothes only won t be allowed). 5
C. Optional elements 1. Logo The use of the logo is not compulsory. If displayed on the label, please read first the specifications for the use of Ecocert s logo available in guideline TS006(GPA)en. Remarks : The logo can only be associated with controlled products or controlled service provision and can therefore not appear on documents that would not be linked to products (business card, envelope, e-mail signature, letterhead ) A committed handler can use Ecocert logo if he specifies next to the logo that he is controlled by Ecocert for a service provision only. 2. Other allegations Respect of the consumer code and the regulations is not the responsibility of Ecocert. However, if spotted, your certification officer may show you these potential noncompliances. 3. Claims referring to Organic The name of a controlled product must not make any reference to the word organic, unless it s a product >95% organic, or if a mention specifies what is organic in the product. Examples when Organic % < 95%: Denominations such as "Organic candle" or "Organic spray" are not authorized Denomination such as "Spray with organic lavandula essential oil is authorized The wordings "organic range" or "organic products" are not allowed. The denominations "organic controlled range" or "organic controlled products" are allowed. Created logo, as well as brand/range names are not checked by Ecocert. 6
II. Particular cases A. Case of products containing a biocidal active substance If a product contains a biocidal active substance claimed as such, and that the standard mandatory elements (see I.B) are in contradiction with the regulations in force in the country of distribution of the controlled product, it is up to the customer to propose an alternative statement which will be studied by Ecocert Greenlife. Remark: If one or several biocidal active substances are claimed, the rules concerning classification, labelling and packaging of the biocides regulation CE-528-2012 (cf Section 2, Article 69) have to be respected (not checked by Ecocert). B. Case of unlabeled products (white label) or bulk You must provide the label used on the box containing products (for white label) or the label used on the bulk. The label should be made up of at least: - the commercial name/batch number of the product - the name of the control body If the %, composition or any other claim is written on the label, then they have to be compliant with these guidelines (cf I.B et I.C). C. Case of a raw material In the case of commercialization as a raw material only, the mentions to be used are listed below: Compulsory on the label - The commercial name/batch number of the raw material - The name of the control body On the label OR Technical Sheet - The reference to the control body: Organic Raw material controlled by Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 OR Raw material from natural origin controlled by Ecocert Greenlife F32600 - The exhaustive composition: cf I.B.4 - The percentages: cf I.B.2 and I.B.3 Rules regarding the logo and the composition are the same as the ones for controlled finished products (cf I.C). 7
Anyway, the term Organic can be used in the name of the raw material even if the % of organic content is lower than 95 %. A generic label (with only: commercial name + control statement) can be validated for raw materials if each technical sheet is validated and if you commit yourself to fit the label to the raw material that is sold. Attention: a packaged and labelled product which consists of only one ingredient (eg: an essential oil), won t be considered as a raw material but as a finished product. Thus, in the case of an ingredient sold as a finished product, please refer to paragraph I. D. Mentions to indicate in the case of a service provision (case of preparers) As a preparer, you provide a service provision (eg: manufacturing, packaging, ), so, you can t refer to the control of a product. The statement to be used for your labels is: Service provision checked by Ecocert Greenlife. E. Case of multi-lingual labels It is not compulsory to have the mentions and the % translated in all the languages of the countries where the products are marketed. These information must still appear at least once on the label (in the same language). If you want to display mentions and/or % in different languages then, they have to be translated correctly and entirely. It is also possible to translate only the % of ingredients from Organic Farming, the reference to the control body Regarding labels where the language used is not in French, English, Italian, German or Spanish, the form F372(GL)en - Commitment for the conformity of translations has to be filled in. The accurate translations (in French or in English) should then be sent with the label to be validated. Remark: In France, Toubon law applies on finished products as well as on raw materials for companies distributing on French market. Nonetheless, this is not Ecocert responsibility. 8
III. Communication documents This concerns TV/radio/press advertisements, websites, samples labels, displays, catalogues, point of sale adverts, notes Every communication document mentioning Ecocert and/or control and/or controlled products has to be submitted before printing/use for checking and validation. In contrast to the labels (cf I.B), there is no mandatory element on your communication documents. Nevertheless, displayed information has to be compliant, in example: - if there is a reference to the control body: it must comply to rules I.B.1 - if the percentages are mentioned, they have to be correct (no specific rule concerning the way to express this percentage, as long as there is no possible mistaking) - if the composition is written, it has to be compliant (the asterisks * and ** on the organic ingredients aren t compulsory) - the use of a logo has to comply with the rules regarding labels (cf I.C.1) - the reference to the word organic has to comply with the rules regarding labels (cf I.C.3) Remark: A NON-committed handler/subcontractor cannot refer to control and/or Ecocert on his communication documents. 9
Translations Language French English % of Natural Origin X% du total des ingrédients sont d origine naturelle X % of the total ingredients are from natural origin % Organic Y% du total des ingrédients sont issus de l Agriculture Biologique* ou transformés à partir d'ingrédients biologiques** Y% of the total ingredients are from Organic farming* or made using organic ingredients** Reference to control body Home fragrances Candles Raw materials Parfum d'ambiance d'origine naturelle contrôlé par Ecocert Greenlife -F32600 Parfum d'ambiance Biologique contrôlé par Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Natural origin Home fragrance controlled by ECOCERT Organic Home fragrance controlled by ECOCERT Bougie d'origine naturelle contrôlée par Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Bougie biologique contrôlée par Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Natural origin Candle controlled by ECOCERT Organic Candle controlled by ECOCERT Matière première d'origine naturelle contrôlée par Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Matière première biologique contrôlée par Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Natural origin raw material controlled by Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Organic raw material controlled by Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Service provision (handling) Prestation de service contrôlée par Ecocert Greenlife Service provision checked by Ecocert Greenlife German X % der gesamten Inhaltsstoffe sind natürlichen Ursprungs Y% der gesamten Inhaltsstoffe sind aus kontrolliert biologischem Anbau* oder sind hergestellt mit Bio- Inhaltsstoffen** Ökologischer Raumduft kontrolliert durch Ecocert Bio-Raumduft kontrolliert durch Ecocert Ökologische Kerze kontrolliert durch Ecocert Greenlife F32600 Bio-Kerze kontrolliert durch Ecocert Rohstoff natürlichen Ursprungs kontrolliert durch Ecocert Bio-Rohstoff kontrolliert durch Ecocert Dienstleistung durch Ecocert Greenlife kontrolliert Italian Il X% del totale degli ingredienti sono di origine naturale Il Y% del totale degli ingredienti sono prodotti dall Agricoltura Biologica* o trasformati a partire d' ingredienti biologici** Profumo per l ambiente di origine naturale controllato da Ecocert Greenlife -F32600 Profumo per l ambiente Biologico controllato da Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Candela di origine naturale controllata da Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Candela biologica controllata da Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Materia prima di origine naturale controllata da Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Materia prima biologica controllata da Ecocert Greenlife - F32600 Prestazione di servizio controllata da Ecocert Greenlife Spanish X% del total de los ingredientes es de origen natural Y% del total de los ingredientes procede de la agricultura ecológica* o es transformado a partir de ingredientes ecológicos** Ambientador de origen natural controlado por ECOCERT Ambientador Ecológico controlado por ECOCERT Vela de origen natural controlada por ECOCERT Vela Ecológica controlada por ECOCERT Materia prima de origen natural controlada por ECOCERT Materia prima Ecológica controlada por ECOCERT Prestación de servicio controlada por Ecocert Greenlife 10