NPA, NaTrue plan reciprocal natural standards
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Washington, DC.-based National Products Association and Belgian group NaTrue announce on March 11 their intent to "work toward establishing a mutual recognition agreement" for natural cosmetics. Once the agreement is in effect - targeted for summer of 2010 - products certified to either NPA or NaTrue standards will be recognized by both and permitted to wear both organizations' seals. Relationship will eliminate the need for firms to go through the certification process twice for similar sets of standards and "help consumers at the point of sale in identifying a wider array of truly natural cosmetics," NPA says. NPA has certified more than 340 products and ingredients since May 2008 and NaTrue has certified more than 390 products since September 2008. Both firms say they are in the process of certifying "several hundred" other products