Vegan, Cruelty-free, Non-toxic Guide
What is vegan?
A product is considered “vegan” if it contains no animal products or byproducts as ingredients.
Fun Facts:
-The vegan diet cuts a person’s carbon footprint in half.
-A product may be vegan, but it doesn’t mean it is cruelty-free.
What is cruelty-free?
A product may be considered “cruelty-free” if it’s ingredients were not tested on animals & doesn’t harm an animal during any stage of the production process.
Most brands do not disclose their animal testing policies to the public. Contacting the brand directly may result in the information being supplied.
Fun Facts:
-Cruelty-free products usually contain less harmful chemicals than non-cruelty-free products.
-Animal cruelty is common in the food, beauty, clothing & entertainment industries.
What is non-toxic?
A product may be deemed “non-toxic” if it contains no toxic chemicals.
Toxic ingredients found in common products: lead, mercury, phthalates, arsenic, benzyl benzoate, etc.
Toxins commonly found in plastics: PVC, BPA/BPS
Fun Facts:
-Toxic chemicals cause serious environmental & health problems. These health problems include, but are not limited to, infertility, cancer, hormone issues, learning disabilities & brain damage.
-Europe has banned 1,000+ toxic ingredients & the US FDA has only banned 11.
Check out these wonderful organizations:
PETA- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
This animal rights organization is the biggest in the world. They work on animals cruelty issues by educating people publicly, holding events & campaigns, researching issues, rescuing animals, getting celebrities involved, etc. Their main focuses are to keep animals out of the entertainment business, the laboraties, the food industry & the clothing trade. They also stand up against killing animals as “rodents” & domestic animal violence.
https://www.peta.org
Leaping Bunny Program
This organization has compassion for animals & sets standard for cruelty-free practices during product development. They help connect consumers with household & cosmetic companies that are cruelty-free. Products that have passed Leaping Bunny’s criteria & testing will have their logo.
https://www.leapingbunny.org
EWG- Environmental Working Group
EWG does intense research to help people understand what harmful toxins exist & how we can avoid them. There are too many farmers that use toxic chemicals for farming. There are also too many businesses that use toxic chemicals in their products such as: consumables, dinnerware, furniture, toys, clothing, etc. There is a lot of research about toxins & their harmful effects on humans, animals & plants. When we support brands that are toxic free, we can make greater changes to turn this chemical mess into a world with more purity & healthy living.
https://www.ewg.org
Made Safe
Made Safe is a non-profit organization that certifies products made without harmful ingredients. They have a banned list that consists of 6,500 banned and/or restricted substances from all over the world. In order to be certified MADE SAFE, products must go through a lengthy screening process. This process makes sure each product doesn't contain anything on their banned list and doesn't contain ingredients that bioaccumulate, resist biodegradation, cause contamination, or are toxic to human, terrestrial, & aquatic life. They also provide information about how people can avoid toxic chemicals.
https://www.madesafe.org/whats-in-that/
