French organic beauty manufacturer Ton Savon has been awarded organic certification for its soaps under the National Organic Project (NOP) in the USA. As well as soaps, the company will also be able to offer a range of organic skincare products including shower gel, body lotion and lip balm with the USDA NOP seal.

NOP accreditation was introduced in the US as a way of standardising organic beauty products as well as food and health ranges. NOP does not recognise organic certification from the EU or even other types of accreditation in the US, and it aims to give customers a well-defined standard for organic products, making it easier to avoid products using the ‘organic’ label inappropriately.

Ton Savon, which has been producing organic beauty products for over ten years, manufactures many lines on behalf of companies including grocery chains, boutiques and pharmacies. It also produces several in-house labels, including Pure Provence, a range of organic triple milled soap bars made without ingredients such as artificial fragrance or parabens. Pure Provence soaps will bear the NOP accreditation.

Retailers who offer products wrongly labelled ‘organic’ can face fines of up to $11000 under the NOP scheme. It is hoped that the scheme will increase awareness among retailers of the importance of vetting their suppliers very carefully. The award of the certification to Ton Savon means that US brands can now offer organic soap products from France fully in compliance with US legislation.