Language
EN
Links
  • customer service
  • Compare ()
  • Sign In
  • Create an Account
Toggle Nav
Advanced Search
Cart 0 Shopping Cart
Menu
Account
Settings
Language
EN

What do all those icons on my products mean?

There are often many icons, symbols and labels on your products or their packaging. They should help us to quickly recognise certain characteristics of the product. But with so many different icons, they can be confusing. Would you like to know what all these labels or icons on your products mean? We explain the most common labels here!

We don't like to label people... but we do love products with labels! When a product carries a label or is certified for certain characteristics, we immediately know that it meets our requirements. At Amanvida, we have a strict checklist before a product is put on our website. Our products are always certified organic, sustainable and ethical. This way, we can offer you a carefree shopping experience.

Labels on products and their packaging should also make it easy to quickly find out whether a product is packaged organically or sustainably, for example. In the meantime, so many logos and labels have been invented that it becomes difficult to know exactly what they stand for.

Would you like to know more about the labels on your products? Below you will find an overview of the most common labels sorted by category:

 



Labels That Tell Us Something about the Ingredients and Production Method

AB CERTIFIÉ

Agriculture Biologique (AB) is a French label for organic agriculture. It guarantees that production takes place in an organic and environmentally friendly way. The label is managed by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and only applies to food. Read more about it here (FR).

AIAB LABEL

The AIAB label is the Italian label for organic farming. It applies to food as well as cosmetics and textiles. It ensures the production process is entirely certified organic. Read more about the AIAB label here (IT).

BEAUTY WITHOUT BUNNIES

Beauty Without Bunnies ('Cruelty Free') is a label managed by PETA. The label guarantees that products have not been tested on animals and applies mainly to cosmetics. Read more about Beauty Without Bunnies here.

BIOLAND ÖKOLOGISCHER LANDBAU

Bioland is a German organic farming label with additional requirements on top of those of the EU organic label. It applies only to food products and guarantees environmentally friendly production. Read more about Bioland here (DE).

BIO-SIEGEL

The BIO-Siegel is the German label for all products that meet the EU standards for organic farming. 95% of the ingredients must come from organic production. Read more about the Bio-Siegel here (DE).


COSMOS ORGANIC

COSMOS ORGANIC is an international standard for organic cosmetics. Products that carry the label are guaranteed to have ingredients from organic agriculture. The production also has to take place in an environmentally friendly way. Read more about the COSMOS ORGANIC label here (EN).

DEMETER 

Demeter is a Dutch label for biodynamic agriculture. This label is used for both food products and cosmetics. To obtain this label, very strict conditions must be met, including 100% organic agriculture. Read more about the Demeter label here.

EU ECOLABEL

The EU Ecolabel is a European label for ecological products. It applies to all kinds of products, including cosmetics and household products. It guarantees that production takes place in an environmentally conscious manner. The label is managed by the European Commission. More information about this is available here.

EUROPEAN ORGANIC LOGO

The EU organic label is a European label that is compulsory when selling a product as 'organic' and applies only to food products. The label guarantees that the production takes place according to strict organic farming rules and contains at least 95% organic ingredients. Lees er meer over op de website van de Europese Commissie.

LEAPING BUNNY

The Leaping Bunny label is a guarantee of animal welfare. It guarantees that personal care products have not been tested on animals. The label is managed by several animal rights organisations. More information about the Leaping Bunny label can be found here.

NATRUE

The natrue label is a label for natural care products. The label guarantees that the cultivation of the ingredients takes place in an environmentally conscious way. It emphasises organic and natural ingredients. Read more about NATRUE here.

ROUNDTABLE ON SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL (RSPO)

The RSPO is an international label for palm oil. It guarantees that the production of palm oil takes place in accordance with eight principles: transparency, respect for local legislation, integrated cultivation, attention for the environment, etc. It can be found on all products containing palm oil. Read more about the RSPO label here.

VEGETARIAN SOCIETY

The Vegetarian Society is a British NGO that certifies that products are vegetarian and/or vegan. They guarantee, among other things, that products are free of animal products and that they have not been tested on animals. Read more about the Vegetarian Society here.

V-LABEL

An internationally recognised label that indicates whether a product is vegetarian or vegan and therefore does not contain any ingredients or additives of animal origin. The "V-Label" is partly managed by the European Vegetarian Union. Read more about the V-Label here.


Labels that Tell Us Something About the Sustainability and Recyclability of the Packaging

ALUMINIUM ICON

Dit symbool geeft aan dat een verpakking en/of het product uit aluminium volledig recycleerbaar is. Voorbeelden hiervan zijn aluminiumfolie en blikjes. Deze producten kan je sorteren en recycleren.

FSC

The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) label is a label for sustainable forestry. It applies to wood and derived products, such as paper. It guarantees that the packaging materials originate from responsibly managed forests, and/or from recycled material. Lees meer over het FSC label hier (EN).

GLASS

This is a European symbol used to encourage the recycling of glass and glass packaging. You will find this icon on products that contain recyclable glass. 

THE GREEN DOT

The "green dot" (or the German Grüne Punkt) is often found on the packaging of all kinds of products. This does not indicate that the packaging is recyclable. It only guarantees that the producer has paid a contribution for the sorting and recycling of the packaging. Read more about the Green Dot here (DE).

MOBIUS LOOP

This symbol is very often found on the packaging of all kinds of products. Within Europe, the mobius loop indicates that the product and/or packaging can be recycled. If there is a percentage in the middle, this indicates the percentage already made from recycled material.

SEEDLING LOGO

The 'seedling' logo is managed by European Bioplastics. If you find this logo on a packaging/product, it means that it is industrially compostable.. More information about this logo can be found here.

TRIMAN LOGO

The Triman logo is a French label that indicates whether a product must be sorted separately. It applies to packaging, textiles and shoes, furniture, tyres and paper. If packaging is recyclable, it must bear the Triman logo (in France). Read more about the Triman logo here.



Labels That Tell Us Something About Working Conditions During Production

FAIR FOR LIFE

This international fair trade label not only guarantees that production takes place in an environmentally friendly way, but also that good working conditions are respected. Read more about the Fair For Life label here.

FAIRTRADE

You will find this label on food products, textiles and cosmetics. It guarantees good working conditions and environmental protection. The label also offers support to farmers and their communities. More information about the FAIRTRADE label can be found here.

FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED

This American label stands for fair trade with the global South. It guarantees good working conditions throughout the production process and includes a series of environmental criteria. Read more about Fair Trade Certified here.

FAIR WORLD PROJECT

Fair World Project (FWP) is committed to a fair world economy in which people are treated with fairness and dignity, the environment is respected and nurtured, and trade promotes sustainable lives. More about the Fair World Project can be found here.

RAINFOREST ALLIANCE CERTIFIED

This label guarantees that a product or ingredient has been produced according to their 3 core values: social & economic sustainability and environmental awareness. It is mainly found on cocoa and coffee products. Read more about this label here.

UTZ CERTIFIED

An international label specifically for cocoa, coffee, hazelnut and tea products. It stands for sustainable agriculture, good working conditions and limiting the impact on the environment. It is a business-to-business label and will therefore not be found on consumer products. More about this certification here.

WORLD FAIR TRADE ORGANIZATION (WFTO)

This label is managed by the World Fair Trade Organisation. Only members of this organisation can apply for the WTFO label. Members must meet 10 basic requirements such as paying fair prices, respecting the environment, etc. More about this label here.


Currently, there are no standard European or international norms or labels for bio-certification or sustainability requirements for a large proportion of the products on the market. As a result, there are a great many labels from various organisations that represent similar values. The lists above show some of the most common labels, but certainly not all.

Do you have questions about the certificates or labels of our products? Ask us! We will be happy to help. Or take a look at our FAQs here.