October 29, 2021
“Not tested on animals.” You have probably read this statement on many packaging labels and purchased certain products as a result, believing they were cruelty-free – when in fact they were not. Many companies today make misleading marketing claims to uphold their reputation and sell more products.
Although animal testing for cosmetic products is now banned in several U.S. states and a project is under study in Canada, there is always room for improvement!
“Hundreds of thousands of animals are poisoned, blinded, and killed every year in product testing for cosmetics, personal care products, household cleaning products, and more.”
Harsh irritants and chemicals are applied to their skin and eyes, and lethal fumes are forced into their lungs.
Yes, animal testing is already banned in some states, but unfortunately, the FTC does not manage claims across the continent. This means that despite best efforts, not all brands are required to highlight which products or ingredients were tested on animals.
Cruelty-free certifications showcase a company’s ethical standards and provide consumers with the certainty that the products they buy comply with humane practices, free of harm, abuse and testing on animals.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest non-profit American animal rights organization in the world, comprised of over 6.5 million members and supporters.
Founded in 1980, PETA focuses its efforts on certain core areas related to animal abuse: animal testing, factory farming, fur trading, and the treatment of animals in the entertainment industry. It is also involved in other campaigns including the cruel killing and treatment of domesticated and non-domesticated animals, and practices such as bullfighting, dogfighting and more.
PETA brings together a large network of scientists, policymakers, celebrities and volunteers. Together they promote animal safety through public education, research and investigations, legislations, and protest campaigns.
For nearly 40 years, PETA’s groundbreaking campaigns have successfully led to numerous shutdowns of animal testing laboratories and discouraged the displacement of animals for chemical testing. In addition, they have exposed the mistreatment of animals in the entertainment industry, and have prompted hundreds of companies in the apparel industry to go fur- and leather-free – amongst other initiatives. These successes have led to dramatic improvements in the lives of millions of animals.
Beauty Without Bunnies is PETA’s cruelty-free certification program, which provides consumers with information about a company’s testing policies and practices. It is the ultimate resource for conscientious shoppers looking for cruelty-free products, with a searchable online database comprised of over 3,800 cruelty-free companies, with reaches over 2.7 million potential customers each year.
In order to be certified, companies are required to either sign PETA’s statement of assurance or provide a formal statement verifying that they do not conduct or commission animal tests with ingredients, formulations, or finished products – and they must pledge not to do so in the future.
Once approved, qualifying companies receive a seal of approval that ensures their product is made without harming animals and therefore by definition, all their products are concerned: the Beauty Without Bunnies logo. PETA will then add them to their Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide and to their online database.
Please note: if a company is not found in the Beauty Without Bunnies Shopping Guide or listed in PETA’s online database, it is not certified by PETA.
A product is considered cruelty-free if:
Cruelty-free companies use alternative methods to animal testing, including sophisticated tests using human cells (known as in vitro methods), and advanced computer-modeling techniques (in silico models).
To find out which products have earned the Beauty Without Bunnies mark:
To be considered “cruelty-free” under PETA’s Global Beauty Without Bunnies program, a company must not only ban animal tests but also refuse to use any animal-derived ingredients, such as honey, beeswax, or carmine, in its products.
At ATTITUDE, caring for the well-being of our environment and its fauna is an important part of our mission. All our personal care and household items are proudly cruelty-free: you can rest assured that our external suppliers are cruelty-free, and that none of the ingredients listed on our labels have been tested on animals since the company was founded.
In addition, our products are certified vegan – meaning they do not contain any animal-based ingredients. We use healthy ingredients, which are, for the most part, mineral and plant-based.
Aligned with PETA’s standards, we use responsible and environmentally-friendly production and manufacturing processes. From sourcing raw materials to packaging, we have minimized our environmental footprint by using biodegradable and non-toxic ingredients to help protect our natural habitat.
Interested in learning more about our other certifications? Many ATTITUDE products are also proudly ECOLOGO certified and EWG VERIFIED™.
Avoid products using “Finished product not tested on animals”: Even if the shelf product was not tested on animals, that does not mean some ingredients listed on the label were not previously animal-tested.
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Written by Team ATTITUDE