hello!
thank you for taking the time to write! Suki loves proactive consumers who really take interest in ingredients & she will definately appreciate your letter.
the cold-pressed fruit oils that suki® uses are non-refined. refined oils are typically regarded as lower quality than non-refined & Suki is incredibly dedicated to using ingredients of the highest quality. she would never compromise the quality or effectiveness of her products for less expensive, refined oils.
while Suki was going through the process of receiving ecocert certification, she did not feel that their guidlines encompassed the suki® philosophy & the new labeling will not have the ecocert logo.
every month, it seems, new associations are born that offer their organic certification logo for display on our packaging for a fee. each of these logos differs in the percentage of organic content - & more importantly, the amount of allowable synthetics - that warrants certification.
as companies that wish to market themselves as natural hunt for a certification body that will help them market their products, logos are appearing more frequently & more & more emphasis is being placed on logos.
the trouble with these dozens of "organic" seals is that they lull consumers into a false sense of safety. they make them feel they don't have to take the extra step - reading labels!
now consider the fact that taylor-made certification logos are being created by skin care companies & big conglomerates because they know that newly conscientious consumers have learned to look for organic seals...
suki® was founded with a commitment to helping consumers educate themselves about ingredients, read labels, & make informed decisions - essentially, to take their health & well-being into their own hands, as you have. because organic seals undermine these efforts, suki® prefers to remain a no-logo company.
regardless, it has been painful to see shelf space going to pseudo natural companies rather than suki®, original formulas with true integrity...because they have logos or say they don't use parabens (but fill their plastic bottles with other toxins), & the growing pressure to display certification has caused Suki to seek an organic seal in line with her values & standards. this has been no small task.
the USDA as well as ecocert do not meet the suki® criteria for organictheir lists include allowable synthetics & because suki® is a synthetic-free company & goes over & above their rules in many other ways, Suki does not desire their "seal of approval". although Suki did partner with ecocert for a brief period, she decided in the end that this ran contrary to her fundamental philosophies, especially when she realized that in 2009, the european REACH standards will become closer to her own.
the truth remains, however, that no logo or seal should ever replace critical thinking. it is our right & responsibility as consumers to read, question, & make informed choices about the products we put on & in our bodies. after all, it is you all who have made this "organic movement" happen! & it is you all who can make it real instead of what it has turned into...demand REAL purity & integrity & the makers will follow.
i hope that this has been helpful & that you keep me posted on how suki® products are working for you. if you have any further concerns or inquiries, feel free to contact us at 1-888-858-7854 or at customerservice@sukipure.com.
thanks, take good care, & enjoy!
Alicia P.
customer service
suki® advanced. organic. science.®
www.sukipure.com
