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Nordic Swan Ecolabel logo
Nordic Swan Ecolabel
Nordic Countries · Tier 3 Specialty
COSMOS-Organic / Natural logo
COSMOS-Organic / Natural
European Union · Tier 2 Trusted
Fairtrade International logo
Fairtrade International
Global · Tier 3 Specialty
What it meansThe official environmental label of the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland). Covers ~60 product categories from cleaning products to hotels — NOT specifically an organic standard.The 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).Certifies fair prices and conditions for producers in developing countries — not organic, not environmental. Common on coffee, cocoa, sugar, bananas, tea.
ScopeSeveral categoriesCosmeticsFood
Established198920101997
InspectionOn-site + product review by national Ecolabel officeAnnual on-site by COSMOS-accredited certifierAnnual on-site by FLOCERT (independent of Fairtrade International)
Residue testingRisk-based per categoryRisk-basedNot for organic — Fairtrade alone doesn't test residues
Guarantees
  • Lifecycle-based environmental criteria for the product category.
  • Restrictions on hazardous chemicals.
  • Recyclability and packaging requirements.
  • Audited every 3-5 years against an updated standard.
  • 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.
  • Minimum price floors for producer cooperatives.
  • Fairtrade Premium paid into community-development funds.
  • Bans on the worst forms of child and forced labour.
  • Producer organisations must be small-farmer cooperatives or hired-labour plantations meeting standards.
Does NOT
  • Doesn't certify food as organic — Nordic Swan on a food package means lower-environmental-impact, not 'no synthetic pesticides'.
  • Doesn't certify clinical effectiveness or skin tolerance.
  • Doesn't mean organic — many Fairtrade products are conventionally grown. A separate Fairtrade-Organic dual certification exists.

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