Skip to content
Organic.is
All certifications
Side-by-side

Compare certifications.

Up to four certifications, side by side. Choose which ones

 
COSMOS-Organic / Natural logo
COSMOS-Organic / Natural
European Union · Tier 2 Trusted
Naturland logo
Naturland
Germany · Tier 2 Trusted
USDA Organic logo
USDA Organic
United States · Tier 1 Gold
What it meansThe leading certification for organic cosmetics in Europe. Two grades: COSMOS Organic (≥95% organic agricultural ingredients) and COSMOS Natural (no organic minimum, but the same restricted-ingredient list).A German farmers' association whose private organic standard is stricter than the EU baseline. Covers food, aquaculture, textiles, and cosmetics. Recognised globally.The US Department of Agriculture's national organic standard. The green-and-white seal is the legal mark for any food sold as 'organic' in the United States.
ScopeCosmeticsSeveral categoriesFood
Established201019822002
InspectionAnnual on-site by COSMOS-accredited certifierAnnual on-site by Naturland-accredited inspectorsAnnual on-site by USDA-accredited certifier
Residue testingRisk-basedRequiredRequired on ≥5% of operations annually
Guarantees
  • COSMOS Organic: ≥95% organic agricultural ingredients.
  • COSMOS Natural: minimum natural-origin ingredients with banned synthetic restrictions.
  • No GMOs, no parabens, no PEGs, no synthetic fragrances, no SLS/SLES.
  • Biodegradability requirements.
  • Annual on-site audit.
  • Stricter than EU 2018/848 (lower nitrogen inputs, full-farm conversion, social standards).
  • Annual on-site inspection.
  • Fair-pricing requirements for member farmers.
  • At least 95% of ingredients are certified organic (the '100% Organic' variant requires every ingredient).
  • No synthetic pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers, no GMOs, no sewage sludge, no irradiation.
  • Annual on-site inspection by a USDA-accredited certifier.
  • Residue testing on at least 5% of certified operations each year.
Does NOT
  • Doesn't certify clinical effectiveness or skin tolerance.
  • Membership-based — only farms that join the Naturland association can use the mark.
  • Doesn't certify nutrition, taste, or animal welfare specifically (separate marks like AWA cover welfare).
  • Doesn't guarantee local production — a 'USDA Organic' product can be grown anywhere with an accredited inspector.

Choose up to 4 (3 chosen)

Stay in the loop

Get notified when we publish new articles, updates, and organic guides. No spam, just honest content, straight to your inbox.

Compare certifications · Organic.is