We wandered stores looking for labels and certifications and tell you what they really mean

Introducing the Label Education Series

Life

Have you ever seen labels, certification, and statements on everything from your eggs and coffee to your mattress and clothing and wondered, what does that mean? Things that say organic might feel pretty common, but what about things saying they are grass fed, or GOTS certified What about packaging saying it's biobased? Should that be something you care about, or maybe not? It can all be overwhelming and a little confusing. Don't worry, we've got you covered.

We spent hours shopping at stores like Safeway, Target, Trader Joe's, Walmart, Whole Foods, and a Co-op store to look for what labels are out there. We looked around quite a bit. We turned boxes upside down, looked under cushions, and checked products you might not think to examine like carpet cleaner, canned tuna, baby products, and even toilet paper. Seriously, we've got you covered.

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Label Education: Cleaning

Natural, organic, safer choice, we break it all down for you

When it comes to household cleaning, we are big fans of creative ways to use baking soda, vinegar, and liquid soap. But, we get it, sometimes you might need to buy a cleaning product (because it's just more convenient, or serves a more specific purpose). With so many confusing all natural and green claims, how can you be sure that what you're buying is really better for your health or the environment? Quick answer: check out our healthy cleaning products roundups like for all purpose cleaners or bathroom cleaners, or look for products with the certifications below! More products than ever, including from common brands like Seventh Generation, Method, and even Green Works from Clorox, are certified and are easy to find.

If you want to learn more about common claims and terms you'll see on cleaning products (like biodegradable or plant-based) and what they mean, we've decoded them for you too. A quick tip is to always look to see if the bolded signal words Caution, Warning, Danger, or Poison are on the label. Opt for Caution, or even better, no scary words at all, for products that are least likely to cause irritation or harm during use.

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By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
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