Increasing awareness and concern for the environment has become one of the company's in producing their products. concerns Currently, companies are starting to adopt sustainability in the production of their products to participate in protecting the environment and as a way to attract buyers for their products. This action is manifested in several environmentally friendly certifications that consumers can recognize through the ecolabel listed on the packaging and product catalogue. Ecolabels are marks that can help consumers and institutional buyers quickly and easily identify products that meet certain environmental performance criteria and are therefore considered “environmentally preferable”.

    Environmentally friendly labels are important not only as a sign on a product but also as important information. Environmentally friendly labels on a product will indirectly increase public knowledge about environmentally friendly product symbols. Consumers who are concerned about the environment will buy products with environmentally friendly labels to contribute to maintaining the environment. Consumers will consider an environmentally friendly label on a product before buying it compared to conventional products.

1. Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS)
    GOTS was developed as an eco-friendly textile processing that ensures the organic status of textiles, from raw material harvesting, socially and environmentally responsible manufacturing, and standardized labeling to provide a credible guarantee to the end consumer.
 
Basic features:
- GOTS requires the use of certified organic fibers
- GOTS provides demanding environmental and social criteria
- GOTS criteria apply to all stages of processing
- GOTS certification must be based on on-site independent inspection

See all GOTS criteria for processing and manufacturing here.

2. Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) 
    BCI aims to transform cotton production worldwide by addressing the negative impacts of growing and processing cotton. By working with multiple stakeholders throughout the supply chain, BCI promotes measurable, sustainable improvements to the environment, farming communities, and the economies of cotton-growing regions. Under the following four objectives, BCI is working to make 'Better Cotton' a key sustainable commodity:
- Reducing the environmental impact of cotton production
- Improving livelihoods and economic development in cotton-producing areas
- Increase the commitment and flow of Better Cotton throughout the supply chain
- Ensuring the credibility and sustainability of the Better Cotton Initiative
                                    
See all BCI criteria for processing and manufacturing here.
3. Leaping Bunny
    The company does not and will not carry out, commission, or be a party to Animal Testing. This certification also guarantees that the company does not work with third parties which carry out animal testing on Cosmetic and Household Products, both regarding the formulation and the ingredients for making these products.Leaping Bunny logo is an internationally recognized symbol reassuring consumers that the
See all Leaping Bunny Criteria for processing and manufacturing here.

4. Cruelty Free
    A product that has been certified cruelty free means that the product is not made involving animal harm and torturing in its manufacture, either by using animal organs to obtain certain substances as product raw materials or in the form of animal testing. This is also the difference between leaping bunny certification and cruelty-free, namely, no animal testing only guarantees that the product is not tested on animals, while cruelty free certification guarantees that the product is produced without involving violence to animals.

See all Cruelty Free criteria ror processing and manufacturing here. 

5. SCS Certified Biodegradable
   SCS Global Services Biodegradable Certification is specific for liquid and powder cleaning and personal care products. Biodegradable certification is designed to verify that products degrade safely and efficiently under the worst possible circumstances and prevent chemicals from entering the environment at levels that can reach hazardous concentrations before degradation can occur.
To be certified biodegradable, a product must degrade within ten days, meeting the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards for "Ready Biodegradability." In addition, the product must be non-toxic to aquatic life and not contribute to the growth of oxygen-depleting plant life.

See all SCS Certified Biodegradable Criteria For Processing and manufacturing here. 

6. Indonesian Ecolabeling Institute
   The Indonesian Ecolabelling Institute (LEI) is a non-profit, constituent-based organization that develops a certification system to promote sustainable natural resource management. Natural resources, including forests, have a public function by providing environmental and social services that are important for life and must be preserved. The utilization of the economic value of natural resources must be wise by maintaining a balance with environmental and social values and ensuring cross-generational justice.

The LEI certification system consists of the following:
- Sustainable community-based forest management
- Sustainable production natural forest management
- Sustainable plantation forest management

See all LEI criteria for processing and manufacturing here.

7. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Forest Management Certification
    The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting the responsible management of the world's forests. FSC's pioneering certification system allows businesses and consumers to select wood, paper, and other forest products made with materials that support responsible forestry.


FSC forest management certification confirms that forests are managed in a way that conserves biodiversity and benefits the livelihoods of local people and workers while ensuring their economic viability. FSC-certified forests are managed to strict environmental, social, and economic standards. There are ten principles that every forest operation must comply with before it can receive FSC forest management certification. These principles cover a wide range of issues, from maintaining high conservation value to community relations and workers' rights and monitoring forest management's environmental and social impacts. 

See all FSC criteria for processing and manufacturing here.

8. Programme for The Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Schemes
    PEFC is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable forest management and responsible forestry for sustainable forests. PEFC ensures that certified forests comply with the law; have good and coherent forest management; implementation and monitoring of operations to reduce forest destruction; adequate working conditions; and good relations with the people living in and around the forest.
See all PEFC criteria for processing and manufacturing here.

9. Ekolabel Indonesia
    Ekolabel is an environmentally friendly label issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Environment (KLH) as a means of delivering accurate, verifiable and non-misleading information to consumers regarding the environmental aspects of a product or service. Ekolabel Indonesia is divided into two types: type 1 and type 2.

- Type 1
Type 1 Ekolabel Scheme is a scheme that fulfils the criteria requirements based on multi-criteria SNI, namely SNI Product Eco-label Criteria. Products that receive an Ekolabel logo must be certified by an Ekolabeleco-label certification body accredited by the National Accreditation Committee (KAN). Twelve types of products were encouraged to get this logo: copy paper, magazine paper, packaging paper, cleaning tissue paper, textiles, textile products, finished leather, casual leather shoes, detergent powder, dry batteries, wall paint, ceramic tiles, and plastic shopping bags.

- Type 2
Self-declared claims in the Type 2 Ekolabel Scheme refer to SNI ISO 14021 Environmental labels and self-declared claims (Type II environmental labelling). This certification is an entrepreneur's initial claim for a product that meets certain environmental aspects. With the Type II Eco-label Certification or Self-Declaration, the company's commitment to fulfilling environmental aspects can be seen.

See all Ekolabel Indonesia criteria for processing and manufacturing here.


10. RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil
   Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification is a certification that guarantees that palm oil production meets environmental principles and criteria. This guarantee covers that the palm used in palm oil production is produced in a sustainable and traceable volume. Producers are certified through strict production process verification by accredited certification bodies and can be withdrawn at any time for violating regulations and standards. Certified sustainable palm oil (RSPO Oil) is traceable through the supply chain by certifying every facility that processes or uses certified oil along the supply chain.

See all RSPO criteria for processing and manufacturing here.

It is important to pay attention to ecolabels on the packaging of the products we buy as a form of our concern for the environment. However, there are many misleading and self-claimed ecolabels out there that irresponsible companies include as part of their marketing. To find out a label that is trusted and recognized nationally and internationally, you can check the label on the ecolabel index, or for a country's national certification, you can check it on the website of the country concerned, like the DLHK website for Indonesia.


Reference:

  1. Ecolabelindex Team. (n.d). Accessed from  https://www.ecolabelindex.com/ecolabels/ on 12th March 2023.
  2. Fedeli, Morris., et al. (2021). ECO-FRIENDLY LABELS: WHAT'S REALLY IN THE PACKAGE?. Accessed from https://blog.strive2thrive.earth/eco-friendly-labels-genuine-or-misleading/ on 11th March 2023.
  3. Muslim, Erlinda. Indriani Dyah Rusty. Analisis Pengaruh Eco-Label terhadap Kesadaran Konsumen untuk Membeli Green Product. Manajemen Teknologi. 13(1).
  4. Wulandari, Rejeki. (2021). Greenwashing dan Pentingnya Standardisasi Produk Berlabel “Ramah Lingkungan”. Accesed from https://www.mongabay.co.id/2021/01/17/greenwashing-dan-pentingnya-standardisasi-produk-berlabel-ramah-lingkungan/ on 10th Maret 2023.