Product Information

Article from The Organic Advisory Line 1998

True Ecology

An organic grower understands that ecology is not a branch of biology or a speciality within it (like genetic engineering GMO). Ecology is the discipline of seeing the relationship, which exits, throughout the biosphere, our Garden Earth. The organic grower is one who has given up using synthetic chemical fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, weedicides and growth hormones. I call these environmental suicides!

Most change towards organic growing on ethical grounds to stop pollution that is harmful to birds, bees and the environment as a whole. Organic Formulations supports this type of organic farming (Modern Sustainable Agriculture) by using organically grown flowers and herbs in the ingredients of all their products.

There is much confusion about environmental claims being made by manufacturers. It is important to note that many companies promote themselves as being 'Natural'. Organic or Earthly usually do not derive their ingredients from organically grown flowers or herbs. Many have the audacity to have up to 95% chemicals in their products that are derived from Coal Tar, Petrochemical by-products and other synthetic ingredients. At times, these can be very toxic. Do not hesitate to compare the ingredients of any product you use and go a little further and ask the manufacturer what the ingredient is?, where it is derived from? and why it is used?

I believe it's time to lighten up, as we all have heard enough about gloom and destruction. It is well documented that we are more aware of what is needed and it's great to know that people didn't grow less environmentally conscious during the Recession, all but the reverse. Environmental awareness is just growing and growing at a fantastic rate, it's beyond environmentalism. Stopping to look at our past and future, all of us will be making a difference. We are looking at a turnaround for all human beings, as it is very important for us to focus towards True Ecology.

Earths Disappearing Life

Re-reading an article/newsletter in one of our local papers of 1997 shocked us all again in the office. A reminder from the universe, that needs to be read again. In the state of Victoria Australia alone 400,000 animals were tested in 1996. This has to end. This threat to the living creatures of this planet is no joke. As you read this little article thousands of plants and animals are being driven to extinction. Dr. Edward O. Wilson, a biologist at Harvard University, estimates that 27,000 species per year or three per hour are becoming extinct. We share this planet with many other living creations. Organic Formulations blends its products without animal derivatives, has not and never will be tested on Animals.

Herbal Extraction and Blending

The plant world brings to the earth the abundance of life that provides the basis of existence for all living things. The plant lives through light and photosynthesis. Its characteristic transformation of substances is an expression of life, which cannot be copied exactly in the laboratory.

Synthetics are often said to be more durable, more economical and more practical than their natural counterparts, but we must remember that synthetics do not consider life. They arise from chemical analysis and composition intellectually put together in the laboratory, whereas within the alchemy of nature transformation of substance occurs, a direct link to own design and make up.

A synthetic product may have properties and effects similar to the natural product, but this is not sufficient for an accurate qualitative assessment. The origin of the substance as well as the process in which it is developed or obtained is the crucial factor.

Organic Formulations takes into consideration not only the composition of its ingredients , it looks closely at the growing conditions such as Organic & Biodynamic farming methods and locations of growth such as native plants and wildcrafted natural growth. When possible, we grow most of our own herbs.

Our extraction methods do not use chemical constituents, liquid CO2 processing, solvent extractions, mineral or animal oil enfleurage methods. We derive our herbal oils by florentiner flask method and a method of steam extraction. The herbs are then blended with organic oils, extracted oils and infused herbal waters. Gum plant material is added for stability and a natural seed extract is added to prolong the life source.

We are proud to say that our new Certified Organic Blending Plant is now operational This processing plant situated in the pristine Macedon Ranges of Victoria Australia,. We are now planting many herbs and in the not to distant future our organic farm will grow at least 15% of all our herb and plant material.

Accreditations

Organic Formulations is committed in not just marketing the words natural & organic but has strict criteria to manufacture a high standard of quality and true organic & natural product lines.

We will always encourage the use of botanical ingredients whenever possible. Plants should be grown organically or wild-harvested, although consideration is given for alternatives based on quality and safety. Neither in the processing nor in product development is testing on animals to be carried out, nor outsourced to another company. The use of inorganic mineral oils is not allowed. Sterilization of natural ingredients and their cosmetic end products through radioactive treatment is not allowed.
We have many guidelines we live by:

• Support Sustainable Agriculture by investing our profits towards developing new Organic Farms by directly becoming a producer of our own herbal ingredients.
• Research and develop certified organic skin, body & hair care that are above quality and performance.
• Full avoidance of genetically-engineered ingredients
• Environmental responsibility regarding raw materials, manufacturing and product packaging.
• FAIR TRADE - social responsibility regarding domestic employees and with 3rd World suppliers of raw materials.
• Understanding that we do borrow our planet from our children
• Protect animal's rights

Here is a list of what we do not use and the accreditations we have acquired:

Proudly all our products do NOT contain:

ALKALINE SUBSTANCES:
Alkaline substances are often used in skin and hair care products to neutralise excess amounts of acid within a product. A common alkali used in such a way is ammonium chloride, which has been cited to cause skin rashes. This substance is also used in the making of fire extinguishers.

ARTIFICIAL FRAGRANCES:
Over the past century success in reproducing the natural aromas in the form of synthetic fragrances has today formed an industry in itself. It is important to understand that the chemicals easily invade the body through inhalation and not only through what we eat. When we consider that a fragrance can represent a cocktail of up to 200 chemicals, all personal care items that contain artificial fragrances are nothing short of a recipe for disaster. Why then are they used? Cost is the primary reason. To cite a simple example, the natural rose oil can cost thousands of dollars per kilogram, whereas a low quality chemical substitute can be added at less than 1% of the price.

MINERAL PHOSPHATES:
Home used products such as shampoos and cleaning products account for almost 30% of phosphates in our sewerage system. Phosphates strongly contribute to the outbreak of the highly toxic blue green algae, a substance that is poisoning our waterways and killing marine life. Toxic blue green algae is 10 times more lethal than strychnine and 200 times more lethal than cyanide.

ADDED ENZYMES:
Enzymes are protein molecules that maintain the life process within a living organism. Unfortunately the crude industrial methods that are prevalent nowadays such as intensives heat treatments often render a product lifeless. As a consequence, enzymes need to be added to generate a rebirth for the product. It could be dangerous to allow a substance to enter the human body in a lifeless form, as it has not been created to handle such an event. For example, the junkfood that we are often persuaded to eat would be rather difficult to eat if it were not treated with added enzymes prior to our consumption. We are very proud to say Organic Formulations Skin, Body and Hair Care require no added enzymes, as all of our products contain the life force that can be found in nature itself.

BLEACHING AND BRIGHTENING CHEMICALS:
Bleaching and brightening chemicals have little or no place in an effective home care product. They are used simply as a marketing tool to highlight (brighteners) or remove (bleaches) colours in order to persuade the consumer that they have purchased a superior product. The most common bleaches are chlorine and peroxide, each having its own destructive effect on the environment and our health.

FILLERS:
As the word suggests, fillers are used to add size or weight to a product to give a 'value for money' impression. Organic Formulations refuses to make such concessions and is committed to supplying people with effective products rather than persuasive appearances.

TAR DERIVATIVES:
Coal tar is used to seal wooden light poles, to make roadways and is used in many of our personal care items (commonly used in the making of artificial colours). Coal tar has an element called PAH that is suspected to be carcinogenic. Anti-dandruff shampoo contain tar derivatives and is said to that after just one hair wash it is possible to absorb as much PAH as a coal oven worker after a full days work. Coal tar is widely known to cause cancer in animals and can be the cause of skin rashes and hives. It is often used in the personal care industry as a solvent

ARTIFICIAL COLOURS:
Colours are another in a long line of chemicals witnessed in modern society that are fundamentally used to attract more consumer dollars and nothing more. Often such constituents as FD & C yellow or FD & C green could be used to make a product appear as though it contained the natural ingredients of honey or seaweed for example. Two examples are FD & C blue no.1 which has been shown to cause tumours in animals and FD & C red no.40 which is made from carcinogenic substances.

NHSC Accredited

Organic Formulations is in the process in being accredited by NHSC.
Now you can choose products which have been independently accredited by the National Health & Safety Council.

Buy with Confidence

Organic Formulations has been a strong supporter of the Organic & Natural movement to define the term natural organic personal care. Consumer confidence in the term "natural" has suffered over the years because of its rampant misuse by manufacturers. To address this problem we have joined the Natural Health & Safety Council association. NHSC has worked to define the border between natural personal care products and other products.

The NHSC has formulated a set of guidelines to which products must comply in order to receive the NHSC Seal of Approval. Manufacturers must submit their nominated products to an independent laboratory for analysis. If the lab results comply with the guidelines, the product receives the NHSC Seal.

Check out their Web Site www.nhsc.com.au

Choose Cruelty Free Accredited

Choose Cruelty Free aims to make people aware of their power, as consumers, to change attitudes about testing products on animals.

Encourages manufacturers and service providers to adopt a cruelty-free ethic; Surveys companies which claim to sell products that have not been tested on animals and do not contain cruelly-derived ingredients;

Accredits (without charging a fee) companies which satisfy CCF that they do not test their products on animals and do not contain cruelly derived ingredients;

Accreditation criteria is amongst the most stringent in the world. Accreditation and listing in the PPL are free of charge.

Makes available (by way of a licensing arrangement) an independent, consumer recognised logo which manufacturers can incorporate in their labelling and advertising material to readily identify their companies as cruelty-free.

www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au

ACO Australian Certified Organic accredited

ACO provides certification services to operators from all sectors of the organic industry. Certification ensures compliance with national organic production standards and allows trace back of all products to their origin. As reputation is everything to clients - we are growing by the day.

Organic Formulations adds its own unique Organic Herbal blend to all of its Skin, Body and hair care products.

Organic Formulations is organic certified accredited on three fronts

• As an allowed input manufacturer from the Biological Farmers of Australia. Organic Formulations blends in its number two blending plant a soil fertilisers and soil conditioners that go hand in hand with the Organic Farming standards.
• ACO Certified Organic processor of Skin, Body & Hair care Products & Herbal Blends.
• ACO Certified Organic Producer and grower of Herbs and Flowers.

NASAA Organic accredited

NASSA to certify organic The Organic Distribution Centre that is 100% owned and run by Organic Formulations.

Formed in 1986, NASAA (The National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia Limited), along with its subsidiary NCO (NASAA Certified Organic Pty Ltd), is Australia's leading Organic Certifier.

Considered the most professional and efficient Organic Certifier in Australia and the Asia Pacific region, NASAA currently certifies approximately 900 producers, processors and retailers, and over 7 million hectares in Australia and approximately 7000 operators and cooperative based farmers in the Australasia-Pacific region.

Organic Formulations is in the process in being certified as a Wholesaler & Exporter of Organic Products by NASAA.

Organic Formulations is a company that recognises the earth a living life force and truly understands the connection we have with her is to be respected at all times.