FAQs
1. In what way are the companies you are promoting 'animal-friendly'?
We have spoken to each company listed on these pages, and received assurances from these companies that none of their products, nor any ingredients used in these products, have been tested on animals. To help you make an informed choice, we have included a wide range of animal-friendly companies, with clear indications of whether the products are vegetarian, vegan, natural and/or organic.
2. What do you mean when you say a product is vegan? What is the difference between vegetarian and vegan cosmetics?
A vegetarian product is free from animal ingredients, for example, gelatine, which is derived from boiled animal bones. A vegan product is free from any ingredients which are derived from an animal source. For example, many cosmetics contain lanolin, which is the oil found on sheep's wool: this ingredient can be classed as vegetarian but not vegan.
3. What about bee products?
Commercially-produced honey is sometimes produced in a way which doesn't have the bees' welfare at heart. Bees are intelligent creatures, who can learn to recognise human faces and are even able to "count" to four. Some beekeepers clip the wings of queen bees so they are unable to fly away and it is not unknown for entire hives to be killed off once honey production is complete.
Furthermore, honey is bee food. If we take it from them, they have nothing left to eat!
Some people are happy to consume bee products so long as they come from organic or cruelty-free hives, meaning that the bees are not factory farmed, are not killed off at the end of the production cycle, and enough honey is left in the hive for the bees to feed.
With these issues in mind, we make clear reference in all our company profiles to all products containing bee ingredients, and so that you can make a choice, we also make a clear indication where these ingredients have been sourced from cruelty-free hives.
4. What does it mean when you say products are natural? What does this have to do with being animal-friendly?
When we refer to a product being natural, this means that it does not contain any potentially harmful synthetic ingredients, GM ingredients, parabens, petro-chemicals or other harmful, unnatural or polluting ingredients. Many companies listed here carry the BDIH 'Certified Natural Cosmetics' seal: this means that the company has adhered to the strict sourcing guidelines and animal-testing policies of the European body BDIH (Bundesverbanddeutscher Industrie- und Handelsunternehmen).
The reason natural products are more animal-friendly is because they don't pollute the ground or water with harmful chemicals. Our animal friends living both on land and in the rivers and seas are affected by the products which go down our drains and soak into the soil and riverbeds. Similarly, products which make it to landfill are less of a potential danger to foraging animals should they accidentally ingest them. Naturally-occurring ingredients are also much less likely to have been tested on animals.
5. What is the difference between products labelled as 'natural' and those labelled as 'organic'? What does this have to do with being animal-friendly?
In order for a product to be labelled 'organic' in the UK, it must conform to the European Union's regulations on organic production. There are also many independent bodies, such as the Soil Association, that issue certifications which act as an assurance that a product or ingredient has met their strict criteria for organic production. An 'organic' label means that the original plants have been grown in strictly organic conditions, for example, using only natural fertilisers and pest control methods. Although all organic products are natural, not all natural products are necessarily organic.
The reason organic produce is more animal friendly is the same as with natural ingredients: organic products contain no environmentally-unfriendly ingredients which could pollute the water and ground where animals live. When a product is certified organic, you can also be sure that no chemical pesticides have been used in the cultivation process, further ensuring a pollutant-free environment for animals.
6. Why are only some clothing items labelled as '100% vegan'?
Many fashion items these days are available in imitation leather, suede and fur, and these items are obviously a fantastic choice to make when trying to lead a more animal-friendly lifestyle.
However, some people like to know that the component parts of the shoe, such as the glue and dye, contain no animal by-products. It is for this reason that we have indicated 100% vegan shoes.
7. So if vegan and natural products are better for animals, why are you promoting some products which don't fulfil all of these criteria?
We recognise that much of this information will be new to many people. We therefore believe it is important to provide all of the information required for you to make a fully informed choice that is right for you. Animal-friendly living may be new to you and you want to start with making one step change in your lifestyle or shopping; or you may already be vegan but until now you have been unaware of the positive benefits of buying non-animal tested products. Either way, we want to inform and inspire you in order to encourage all animal-friendly choices, rather than restricting positive action. Every action counts - every action shapes the world we live in – let's make sure it's more compassionate and build OneKind world together.
8. Why are you promoting companies whose entire range isn't animal-friendly?
Some of the companies listed on our OneKind Living pages are ordinary companies offering animal-friendly options. This is something we want to encourage.
Choosing to buy from a company offering animal-friendly alternatives not only sends out a message to the competitors that this is something people want, it also sends this message to the company themselves.
Just look at the wealth of companies and options available on these pages: the growth of ethical shopping over the past few years has occurred as a direct result of consumer demand. The better a company's animal-friendly options sell, the more likely that company is to develop and increase its animal-friendly range.
9. How can I be sure that the companies you feature don't test on animals?
All companies which are featured on these pages either adhere to the Humane Cosmetics Standard (HCS) or have provided Advocates for Animals with assurances regarding their animal testing and ingredient purchasing policies. This means that all the companies adhere to a Fixed Cut-Off Date policy.
A Fixed Cut-Off Date (FCOD) policy (which is obligatory for carrying the HCS 'leaping bunny' logo) means that a company has assigned itself a specific year, and has not made use of any ingredients that have been tested on animals since then.
Many ingredients have been around for a very long time and were tested on animals in the past, and companies have no control over what methods their suppliers used before working together. A FCOD policy is your assurance that the company in question is not purchasing or using any ingredients which have been tested on animals on their behalf.
10. Why are you promoting vegetarian pet food? Surely this isn't natural?
The decision about whether your pet is to be vegetarian must depend on what is best for your animal, taking into account the range of foods naturally consumed by the species, advice about health and welfare from your vet - and what he or she actually likes to eat.
There is a wide range of vegetarian products available which have been tailored to your pet’s specific needs. These specialist companies are experts in animal nutrition and vegetarian pet foods have been fortified with all the essential nutrients necessary for a full and healthy life. In fact, formulated vegetarian pet foods can be more nutritious than some of the cheaper commercially-available pet foods. And they have been designed so that your pet will find them just as tasty!
