Are you a consumer who consciously supports companies that sell ‘cruelty-free’ cosmetic products? Maybe you run your own natural & organic cosmetics company and hope to gain cruelty-free certification for your business? In either case, it is important to understand how to spot products that are affiliated with a legitimate certifying body, and how to gain a ‘cruelty-free’ certification designation for your own product line.
Enter the Leaping Bunny Program, which is widely considered the highest corporate standard in certification for products by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC) and The European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE). Leaping Bunny connects consumers with cosmetic, personal care, and/or household products companies that do not test finished products, ingredients, or formulations on animals.
According to Leaping Bunny’s website,
By 1996, ‘cruelty-free’ shopping had become popular, but it was also confusing, sometimes misleading, and ultimately frustrating. Companies had begun designing their own logos to indicate that they were abiding by their own definition of ‘cruelty-free’ or ‘animal friendly’ without the participation of animal protection groups.
In response, eight national animal protection groups banded together to form the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC). The CCIC promotes a single comprehensive standard and an internationally recognized Leaping Bunny Logo. They work with companies to help make shopping for animal-friendly products easier and more trustworthy.
You can learn more specifics about the Leaping Bunny Program on their website.
Essential Wholesale is proud to announce that we are now a Leaping Bunny certified facility! We’ve pulled together some Q&As to help you figure out what it means for us, and for you.
Q: What does it mean to be Leaping Bunny Certified? What does ‘cruelty-free’ even mean?
A: Leaping Bunny Certification is the gold standard for cruelty-free personal care products and is without a doubt, the most trusted and consistent cruelty-free certification available in the USA. Even though animal testing is now banned almost everywhere for cosmetics and their ingredients, some ingredients used in cosmetics are also used in other types of products. Some ingredients that are used in products other than just cosmetics may still be tested or could still be tested for other purposes like environmental toxicity. Therefore, it is important that companies apply to be Leaping Bunny certified, which will let consumers know that the company’s products or ingredients are not tested on animals regardless of international regulatory requirements.
Q: Why did Essential choose to become a Leaping Bunny certified facility?
A: Consumers of natural and organic skincare care about the environment as well as what they put on and in their bodies. Essential has never tested on animals, and by gaining certification from the CCIC, our customers can add the Leaping Bunny logo to their Essential- provided products, gaining a competitive edge in the marketplace.
Q: Will you be adding the Leaping Bunny logo, and Cruelty-Free statement to all your product labels? A: Yes. As we create new labels and materials, the Leaping Bunny logo we will be added. In the meantime, if you see one of our products that doesn’t have the Leaping Bunny logo, rest assured, all of our products are Leaping Bunny certified.
Q: Can I now put the Leaping Bunny logo on my product? Can I say Cruelty-Free?
A: All skincare products and ingredients you purchase from Essential’s website are eligible for the Leaping Bunny logo and the use of the words “cruelty-free,” which is a trademarked term, provided you are not adding your own ingredients to the product once you receive it from us. You can also apply for the right to use the logo on the Leaping Bunny website. Once you apply, a confirmation request is sent to us, which we complete and send back to Leaping Bunny. Please send us an email at info@ewlnatural.com as soon as you apply to let us know to expect an email from Leaping Bunny.
Q: What if you are making a custom formula for me? Is my product automatically qualified as Leaping Bunny certified?
A: Provided the product is made with Essential- supplied ingredients you can apply with Leaping Bunny for permission to use the logo on their label just as you would if you were buying stock products. If you provide any of the ingredients and want to apply for Leaping Bunny certification, you will need to provide us with non-animal testing statements from your ingredient supplier. Based on the documentation you provide, we’ll be able to determine if your product is eligible for Leaping Bunny certification.
Q: How do I register my product with Leaping Bunny so I can be listed on their app and their website as a cruelty-free brand?
A: You will register at http://www.leapingbunny.org/company/register.
Still have questions? Leave them in the comments below or email us at info@ewlnatural.com
