Certified Organic Skin Care products are grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals, fertilisers, or GMO's. It is an innovative method of farming and production and is increasingly being recognised as being on the leading edge of food and fibre technology into the future. Organics is not just chemical free by testing. It is about the way the product ingredients have been grown, prepared, processed and packaged. The whole system is linked and standards to achieve certification are internationally recognised and are assured through annual audits of all certified operators by an independent third party auditor.

The only way customers can be assured that they are purchasing Real Organic products produced without the use of synthetic chemicals and GMO's is to purchase products which have been organically certified with a leading independent certifying body such as the ACO, USDA, BFA & IFOAM

5 Benefits of Choosing Certified Organic:

1. Good for the soil. Organic systems rely on a modern and scientific understanding of ecology and soil science, while also depending on traditional methods of crop rotations to ensure fertility and weed and pest control.
2. Good for the environment. Organic systems aim to reduce dependence on non-renewable resources. Organic production aims at all times towards sustainability whilst having best management of the environment and wildlife as a priority.
3. Good for people. Organic based ingredients have been shown in a number of studies to contain more vitamins, nutrients and cancer-fighting antioxidants than non-organic ingredients.
4. No synthetic chemicals. Organic systems prohibit the use of artificial chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers.
5. No GMO's. Certified Organic products are produced without GMOs, which are prohibited in the standards for organic food and farming.

   Organic Certifications

   Currently, body care products are not required to comply with the stringent organic food standards maintained by certification bodies such as the BFA and NASAA in Australia and the USDA in America, hence the plethora of so many "organic" body care products now on the market. Since water is the primary ingredient in many cosmetics, some manufacturers are claiming to use organic hydrosols, or floral water, to green wash their products and make organic label claims whilst using the same synthetic toxic ingredients that would NEVER be allowed in organic food products. We believe this practice has the potential to destroy the integrity of the organic name.

   The Organic Movement

   The organic movement began at the same time as industrialised agriculture. It evolved through the '50s and '60s with the launch of such books as " Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson, which exposed the toxic effects of pesticides through what is now termed bio-magnification; a process whereby synthetic chemicals used in agriculture magnify (increase in concentration) through the food-chain. During the '70s, the development of the organic market was stimulated by growing consumer interest in health and nutrition, as well as the increasing importance of preserving the natural environment. More recently, the movement has been given significant impetus by events such as outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalapathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) and the controversy surrounding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), which have motivated people to search for healthy alternatives.

   The organic industry has achieved compounded growth of 23% pa for seven consecutive years, while the natural and organic cosmetic sector grew by a massive 39% in 2001 alone. Organic Natural Enterprise Group leads the world in skin care by successfully developing a totally natural and legitimate organic range; the world's first certified organic skin and body care products. Recent market research has shown that consumer demand for organics is growing rapidly worldwide. The company, through its cutting-edge research and development, intends to progressively release dynamic, healthy, first-to-market innovations in the organic sector.

   Globally, sales in the personal care market, including natural personal care, reached USD$122 billion in 2000 and are growing 1.6%. In the USA, the entire Health and Beauty Care market is almost USD$40 billion and is expecting 3.4% annual growth. In contrast, the trend towards natural ingredients is running through every segment of personal care- with sales in the USA in this area reaching USD$1.56 billion in 2001 and growing at 10%. This segment is expected to grow 6%-7% annually over the next few years.

• USA. Consumer sales of organic products in the US reached US$5.6 billion in 2000, a rise of 19% from 1999. If organics sustains this annual growth (and there is no indication it will not as sales in 2001 reached US$9.4 billion) the organic segment will be worth between US$13 - US$18 billion by 2005.
• Europe. Research across seven European countries found that organic spending would nearly double over the next 5 years. By 2006, 58% of European consumers will choose to use organic products. During 2000, 29 million people in the UK said they had consumed organic food, a figure that represents almost half the population. There are 142 million consumers of organic food in Europe, showing that organic food has hit mainstream after many years in 'alternative' niche markets. The UK, which had organic sales of GBP 605 million in 2000 and is expected to reach GBP 1 billion by 2003 will continue to be the key market.
• Japan. The Japanese are the largest per capita consumers of organics in the world and are substantial importers of organic consumer products. Japan had a national market value of US$1.5 billion in 1998 and has a current estimated value of US$3.2 billion. The majority of organic products in Japan are distributed through a 'tei-kei' arrangement, which is a type of cooperative.

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