Organic September gets started

This month sees Organic September! The month-long campaign aims to to raise the profile of organic in the UK and shine a light on the organic farmers, producers and brands who producing these products.

While the campaign has a focus on food, beauty businesses can still feel the benefit from the campaign and help boost organic beauty in the UK.

Clients have never been more conscious of the way they live; from choosing organic food to seeking out specialised treatments. Recent research from the Soil Association’s Organic Beauty and Wellbeing Market Report saw sales of organic beauty products increase by 13% in 2016 to £61.2 million. Soil Association certified beauty brands are also on the up, increasing 22% to 268 licensees since 2016.

To promote the campaign, Soil Association accredited skincare brand, Botanicals, is showcasing its Discover Organic Mini Set, with many other brands joining suit. It may be time to get ahead and make your business stand out by introducing products and treatments to supply this growing demand.

Look for the logo

“Our skin is our largest organic and much of what we put on it is likely to be absorbed directly into our bloodstream,” explains Lauren Bartley, health and beauty business development manager at The Soil Association. “Some ingredients in non-organic health and beauty products may have a negative effect on human health.

“Unlike food, there is no legal regulation on place for organic health and beauty meaning a brand can label products as organic and actually not need to contain any organic ingredients. This is unfair and that’s why our certification exists. We believe that consumers deserve to know what they’re buying is genuinely organic. With demand for organic products on the rise, organic beauty will be something consumers want to have a better understanding of.”

To be Soil Association accredited, organic brands are asked to comply to a standard that sees no GM, toxic chemicals, parabens, synthetic fragrances, nano particles or animal testing. Instead they must say ‘yes’ to organic or natural ingredients, sustainably sourced ingredients, biodegradable packaging, protection of wildlife, better for the environment and sustainable manufacturing processes, with no harsh processes used to create products. “We also require brands to minimise the amount of material used,” continues Lauren, “They must maximise the amount of material that can be reused or recycled and use materials with recycled content where possible.

“Ultimately, we like to think that you can create wonderfully effective beauty products that are both kinder to you and the environment.”

Keep an eye out for more on the Organic September campaign!