Cruelty-Free Logo Guide
Do you want to go cruelty-free, but you don't know where to start? We've got you covered with this handy logo guide. Learn how to identify animal-friendly brands, so you can shop confidently.
If you are a business owner, check out our links at the end to get all the info you need to request one of these certifications for your products.
How to identify the certified logos?
Whether on cosmetics, personal care and household cleaning products, look for one of these 4 logos. These are the only officials who are certified and accredited by third parties organizations.
There are currently 3 organizations issuing cruelty-free certifications in 2022:
• PETA’s beauty without Bunnies Program
• LEAPING BUNNY Certification via CCIC (USA & Canada market)
• LEAPING BUNNY Certification via Cruelty Free International *
*CHOOSE CRUELTY FREE has merged in 2021 with Cruelty Free International. I mentioned this logo in case you are checking products you already have at home.
Don't be fooled by misleading "lookalike" bunny logos!
The mention itself “Not tested on animals”, which you can see displayed on the packaging, doesn’t mean much, nor does another kind of bunny logo. Applying companies for the certified logos must meet a set of cruelty-free standards, sign legal documents, and submit documentation to ensure compliance to be accredited by a third-party organisation and earn the right to use one of these certified logos on their products.
Some companies add a lookalike bunny logo to their product, but they don’t have the certification. Tricky, isn’t it?! Are they really respecting the standards but haven’t requested the certification for some reason, or are they trying a “green-conscious-washing” to sell more?
However, the brand could still be 100% cruelty-free without a certification.
Brands do not have to get a cruelty-free certification, and they can still be animal-friendly. But because there is no third party to regulate their standards, it can’t be guaranteed either. Before you buy, consider where your purchase comes from. Let’s say you want to buy handmade soaps from a family-own business based in Hampshire. They are using only natural ingredients and claim to be cruelty-free; it's more likely that they are.
Another example: I once spotted a fake bunny logo on a tube of hand cream, sold in a large retail shop. Where was this product coming from? China. Hmmm… that doesn’t sound right to me. I won’t buy this, because I can’t trust this company.
How to be certified?
Getting your company certified as a cruelty-free brand by an established animal rights organisation is the best way to show your consumers your values and commitment. This helps build trust and gives customers more confidence in what you are selling them.
To have the right to use the bunny logos on your products, you will need to meet their eligibility criteria. Here are the links to the different organisations to start your certification process.
Peta - Beauty without bunnies - https://www.peta.org/
Leaping Bunny - for USA & Canada only: https://www.leapingbunny.org/
Leaping Bunny via Cruelty Free International: https://crueltyfreeinternational.org/
Thanks for reading, I hope you have found this post helpful!
Elisa
