The Three Super Labels: Natural, Organic and Ethical

Oh, if only…

If only Natural, Organic and Ethical came hand in hand. Life would be easier, shopping would become a littlesimpler, and everyone involved in the entire process of what we arepurchasing—from food to foundation— would be treated in a way we could allsmile about.

Unknowingly doing so, I tend to associate each label withone particular genre of item. When it comes to produce at the grocery store Ilook for Organic, with lotions and potions* (*read- makeup) anything Natural isideal, and Ethical is how I source my clothing keeping in mind the A-F gradingsystem of Free2Work.

Why do I have these dividers in my mind? I don’t really havea specific answer. After contemplating the possible responses all I find as areasonable answer is this is how we have been fed information—through streamsof now trendy descriptors on the items we view as necessities for our liveswhich we easily spend cash on. When I think of the information I am given viamy twitter feed, conversations I have, and places I shop and visit, it is clearwhich buzzwords are making their way around how we categorize our standards forwhat we purchase. If you want to eat healthy, buy organic. If you want yourskin to look 10 years younger and for your makeup to look flawless, go forsomething natural. If you want to ensure children in factories with poorworking conditions aren’t making the clothes you wear, shop at places that sellethical clothing.

While there are definitely terms that combine a few of theseitems from separate food, clothing, beauty product categories into a mashedcategory of items we believe and want to trust—think Fair Trade—it becomesclear that the division of these categories comes from basic knowledge at facevalue, rather than in-depth research and education out of genuine interest oflearning more.

Image courtesy of Google Search.

I had never given much thought to the possibility of thethree being combined into one super label. It’s the idea of a superhero thathas a triad of epic powers— like as if Thor, Captain America and Iron Man fromThe Avengers were one awesome individual. Or the classic Batman and Superman inone…with the addition of some other superhero with an awesome power (Hero’s arenot something I would say I am particularly knowledgeable in).

Could you imagine?

I would love walk into a store like H&M and know thattheir “conscious collection” line of clothing is actually tri-labelconscious—not just organic cotton but organic cotton treated naturally withethical standards for those who created the item—from those picking the cottonto those sewing the final tags on. H&M does have a B+ rating on Free2Work,and their website does talk about how they would like their business operationsto be run in a way that is economically, socially and environmentallysustainable. For those reasons, I believe they are taking a step in the rightdirection

Companies like Alba Botanica first off, has lovely hairconditioner, but also strives to provide products that contain natural, organicand cruelty-free ingredient alternatives which are 100% vegetarian. What ifthey also ensured the individuals harvesting their plant based alternativeswere receiving fair wages and other basics of ethical treatment? They make nomention of this on their website, so perhaps they do, but a point like that issomething a company should be all over displaying on their website in ourcurrent culture which is just starting to be aware of these practices as a ruleto business growth and development.

Lush's We Believe Statement taken from their website.

One company I am currently crushing on is Lush for theirattention to all three categories—Natural, Organic and Ethical. In their lovely“We Believe” statement they clearly state what they stand for as a company. Youcan also look more in-depth into their claims of using Fresh, Natural, Organicand Ethically Sourced ingredients on their website. One of my favourite partsof Lush is their Ethical Buying Team which travel to where their ingredientsare sourced to ensure their ethical standards are met and kept. How wonderful!

I find myself whisked away in a dream where all companiesadapt the Lush mentality and all consumers make thoughtful and educateddecision on the items they use their buying power to purchase. This isn’t adream world with lollipop trees, cotton candy clouds, and talking animalshanding you the latest cruelty free makeup. This world doesn’t have a happyhobbit farmer giving you smiling organic veggies freshly picked from his gardenand a cotton field with a connecting sewing machine that magically, and with noharmful emissions, pumps out an ethically made sweater that fits you justperfectly—convenient since it’s fall.

The world I picture looks the same as our own but with allbusinesses operating under the premise of these three labels—natural, organicand ethical. It’s a world where the lack of an individual’s knowledge oreducation about the aforementioned standards would be irrelevant to the impactof the purchase. A purchase would be a purchase made for good. Always. Any andall impact would consistently be positive—whether you would know it or not.It’s impossible to read that last line and not have a sly smile slide onto yourface. It’s inspiring, whimsical and motivating. Let us encourage businessowners we know personally (and those we don’t) to step up and embrace the threestandards in question openly, being innovators and trendsetters in their field.Let us encourage those we know well (and those we don’t) to do their researchand support companies that are already pioneering what it means to have ethicalstandards in their companies.

Really, it’s all up to us. What we choose to support nowsets the trends and standards for the future. Let’s be the superheroesembracing the triad of super powers and use them to positively impact theworld!