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

Compare certifications.

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

 
Rainforest Alliance logo
Rainforest Alliance
Global · Tier 3 Specialty
China Organic (COFCC) logo
China Organic (COFCC)
China · Tier 1 Gold
?
'Natural' (NOT a certification)
Worldwide · Tier 4 Marketing
What it meansSustainable-agriculture certification (post-2020 merged standard with UTZ). Covers environmental, social, and economic criteria. NOT an organic mark.China's national organic certification under the Certification and Accreditation Administration. Mandatory on any product sold as '有机' (organic) in mainland China.The word 'natural' on packaging is a marketing term, not a certification. In most jurisdictions there's no legal definition, no standard, and no inspection. A product labelled 'natural' can contain synthetic ingredients, pesticides, GMOs, and artificial flavours.
ScopeFoodFoodSeveral categories
Established19872005—
InspectionAnnual third-party audit (RA-accredited)Annual on-site by CNCA-accredited certifierNone
Residue testingRisk-basedRequiredNone
Guarantees
  • Reduced (not eliminated) synthetic pesticide use, with bans on the most hazardous classes.
  • Forest conservation requirements (no deforestation after the cut-off date).
  • Worker welfare and community development requirements.
  • Annual third-party audit.
  • ≥95% organic ingredients.
  • No synthetic pesticides, no GMOs.
  • Annual third-party certification.
  • Each certified product carries a unique 17-digit traceability code.
  • Nothing. It is not a certification and there is no body verifying anything.
Does NOT
  • Allows synthetic pesticides — does NOT meet any organic standard. Often confused with organic but it's a different programme.
  • Imported organic foods must be re-certified under the Chinese standard — overseas certifications alone are not accepted for the 有机 label.
  • Doesn't mean organic. Doesn't mean pesticide-free. Doesn't mean GMO-free. Doesn't mean ethically produced.
  • Some markets (e.g. the US FDA on food, EU on cosmetics) place very limited restrictions on the word, but enforcement is weak.

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