30 Years of the Vegan Trademark
This year, The Vegan Society (who created the word ‘vegan’) celebrate 30 years of their internationally recognised and trusted Vegan Trademark!
The Society’s Digital Marketing Officer, Nishat Rahman, joins us for a guest blog to tell us a little bit more about the Trademark.
What is the Vegan Trademark?
The Vegan Trademark is the first vegan labelling scheme launched by The Vegan Society in 1990. It was introduced so consumers can easily spot vegan products and shop with confidence that products carrying the Trademark have undergone the most diligent registration process that exists.
What are the Vegan Trademark standards?
Each product labelled with the Trademark has been checked by our experts to ensure that it meets our standards of:
- No animal ingredients, derivatives or by-products at any stage of production.
- No animals testing (including on vertebrates and all multi-cellular invertebrates.)
What kind of products does the Vegan Trademark register?
A whopping 47,000 products are registered with the Vegan Trademark at present in 79 countries, encompassing a wide range of categories including food, drinks, fashion, cosmetics, health and personal care, and household cleaning.
But cleaning products are usually animal-free, aren’t they?
Not always. You would be surprised at just how many animal ingredients are involved in the manufacturing of a product. Household cleaning products are also tested for safety and unfortunately, often on animals.
Enzymes and fragrances
Let’s take Ecozone’s Bio and Non-Bio Concentrated Laundry Liquids, for instance. Have you ever wondered what the terms ‘bio’ and ‘non-bio’ mean? Bio laundry detergents use enzymes to break down common stains. These can be obtained from plants, but also animal derivatives including microorganisms, making them non-vegan. Non-bio detergents don’t contain enzymes, but they can contain fragrances that may be animal derived. The same goes for fragrances in other household cleaning products, too.
In each case, it’s vital for our trademark team to establish the sources of these components.
Manufacturing processes
It’s not just what goes into the product that might make it unsuitable. Manufacturing processes may also involve animal use. For example, the most common way to produce enzymes is through fermentation. This process can use both liquid and solid surfaces to grow bacteria. The surfaces are made up of various ingredients, some of which may be derived from animals. So, whilst the final product may not contain these animal ingredients, the manufacturing process could involve animal use.
Animal testing
Ingredients within household products can be tested on multi-cellular invertebrates called daphnia to see if they are safe to go down the drain or to flush without harming aqueous life. At The Vegan Society, we believe all animals have a right not to be exploited, regardless of their size or perceived significance.
“Veganism seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment.” – The Vegan Society.
Thankfully, household brands like Ecozone have created effective vegan and eco-friendly cleaning products for your home that do not use animal ingredients and have not been tested on animals. It’s proof that we don’t need to exploit animals to make our homes and laundry clean and fresh!
The Vegan Society is proud to have a great range of Ecozone’s products registered with our trademark – look out for our iconic sunflower logo on the product. We’re also extremely grateful for Ecozone’s support for the Vegan Trademark, and our charity’s important educational campaigns and policy work.
Get Involved!
Help others clean with a clear conscience by sharing your favourite Vegan Trademark registered Ecozone products on social media and make sure to tag @ecozoneproducts and @vegantrademark on Instagram and Twitter. Click here to find out more about our trademark and you can support and learn more about our charity here.
