The organic movement is all about wellbeing – the wellbeing of the soil, the environment and human health. It is not elitist, it is about offering a real difference: products that respect our earth and all living things. Here at Greenscents, (where every product in our range is certified organic) we think of our brand as ‘premium’ rather than ‘luxury’. We are in the business of making the best products we can at a fair price with an emphasis on the environment, human health and happiness.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we have all had to look again at our priorities. Restoring nature and helping to fix the planet have become important goals for many. Organic farming is a great way to support biodiversity, animal welfare and soil fertility. Organic means waterways clear of toxins and thriving aquatic life.
Where do my products come from?
This is such an important question. The provenance of the things we buy reflects our values and our ethics. If we are concerned about child labour, for instance, we need to research clothing companies and find those with high ethical and welfare standards, but this can be very difficult. The GOTS organic standard cuts out the guesswork and means we can be sure that the people making our garments are fairly treated.
The organic standard can be applied to almost everything we buy. We are used to organic food and drink, but thankfully there are many other categories as well. The Soil Association has a very useful list of non-food items that have organic certification to get you started.
“organic reflects shopper’s values, their desire for provenance, traceability and products which are kinder to the planet”, McDermott, 2022
Organic certification means no greenwashing!
Organic is the best approach to nature-friendly farming and is well regulated. When you purchase anything that claims to be organic always look out for authentic UK certification logos. Here they are:
If you buy products that carry these logos you know that the producers have been approved and checked by the certifying body. This is a serious process and involves a great deal of time and hard work on the part of the producer. In addition, there are fees that must be paid by the producer to the certifying body. This all adds up to a huge commitment to producing the best. You can certainly trust the brands that carry these logos!
Every product that is made by Greenscents is certified organic by The Soil Association. This means every ingredient is approved and every Greenscents label that you see has been rigorously checked by them. Each year an inspector from The Soil Association visits the workshop, checks our records and watches products being made. If we pass the inspection, then we can display the Soil Association organic logo for another year.
“UK organic producers, brands processors and retailers are in the vanguard creating sustainable and healthy businesses”, McDermott, 2022
Why is organic more expensive?
Certified organic products are often more expensive than conventional ones. This is because organic ingredients are grown in carefully controlled environments that involve significantly more labour rather than cheap chemical inputs. Many small companies champion organic products and this usually means higher overheads when compared to multinational corporations. Becoming certified organic is complex and requires the best ingredients and processes which is expensive for the producer. In many cases, certified organic companies will be less profitable than conventional companies but the passion and commitment to the cause drive the staff on.
“We were delighted to find out about Greenscents…In our experience, these are of much better value for money than other natural cleaning products on the market”, Lavande magazine.
Let’s celebrate organic September!
After all the hard work, it is great to remember why organic makes such a difference and why it is worth all the effort. We want to say a huge thank you to all our supporters for making our ‘organic’ endeavours worthwhile. So spread the message. We couldn’t do it without you!
Further Reading
https://www.triodos.co.uk/articles/2022/organic-market-report-2022
https://www.ryenews.org.uk/opinions/organic-farming-a-model-for-the-future
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/10/steep-rise-in-uks-consumption-of-organic-food