The following explains the meaning behind the various designations we apply to products on this website:
Certified Organic: In order for a product sold in the United States to be listed as "certified organic," it must be approved as such by at least one private or state organization designated by the U.S.D.A. Basically, certification involves adhering to certain standards such as sustainable soil practices. "Certified Organic foods" are minimally processed to maintain the integrity of food without artificial ingredients or preservatives. Certified organic requires the rejection of synthetic agrochemicals, irradiation and genetically engineered foods or ingredients. Farms wishing to become certified must submit to annual inspections, in which the farms compliance will be evaluated. It is something like the mixture between an IRS audit and a health code inspection.
Eco-Friendly: Eco-Friendly is a term used on Organic-Fair-Trade.com to describe goods that, to the best of our knowledge are produced with significant attention being paid to the short- and long-term environmental consequences of the product, thoughtfully considered from the production to the disposal phase. The use of synthetic chemicals should be minimal to non-existent.
Certified Fair Trade (TM): Unlike organic food certification, there is no government body assigned with the task of adapting standards with regard to designation of fair trade upon goods such as food, clothing or other handicrafts. The Certified Fair Trade (TM) logo is the work of a private non-profit which seeks to establish such standards and communicate them to the market by use of branding. The presence of this logo does say something about the social consciousness of the producers as well as the importers-however, as producers must pay the cost to maintain this certification, it is not always practical for smaller production facilities. Even more so than in the case with organic, there are many products produced in "fair" conditions that are not officially designated as such.
Worker-Friendly: Term used by Organic-Fair-Trade.com to designate items that have been independently verified to be produced in conditions which respect the autonomy and the equality of all people involved in every aspect of the production, culminating in the setting of prices. Those working in a "worker-friendly" production facility are understood to be earning a living wage, in safe conditions, working for a reasonable amount of time each week.
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