Organic Products

Organic Products

Organic products are growing in popularity as people search for items that do not contain harmful chemicals or synthetic ingredients.  Find out what makes a product organic, why they are so good for you, and how to find and buy organic products.

What Defines Organic Products

Organic products are products that are grown naturally, without the use of pesticides, herbicides, synthetic chemicals, or GMO’s.  To be certified as organic, the product needs to contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients.  Examples of common organic products include:

• skin care
• hair care
• cosmetics
• household products
• foods and beverages
• herbal medicines
• clothing (cotton or bamboo)

To ensure that you have a genuine organic product, the product needs to be certified by one of the independent certifying bodies.  Some of these include Australian Certified Organic (ACO); Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA); International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM); and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Benefits of Organic Products

There are many benefits to using organic products, both for the environment and for you.  Organic products are environmentally sustainable and responsible as they do not use synthetic chemicals or non-renewable resources.  Harsh herbicides and pesticides are not allowed.  Organic ingredients are higher in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients, making them superior from a health standpoint.  They are also more likely to be tolerated by the body, with far fewer allergies occurring from the use of organic products. 

The plant extracts taken for use in organic products are of a far higher quality and are more potent, meaning that less is required to get the same effect.  The substances in organic products are more bio-available, which simply means that your body is able to use them better than they would a synthetic product.  Being all natural, these products do not use chemical emulsifiers or preservatives.  Rather, they use natural methods in order to increase their shelf life.

Organic clothing is beginning to make a splash as well, with organic cotton clothing being made from cotton that is produced without pesticides, bleaches, or other harsh chemicals.  This results in clothes so soft and gentle, that they are safe for even the youngest children’s skin.  Bamboo is another fabric that is increasing in popularity as it is softer than cotton and feels similar to silk.  Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic, while being grown without pesticides or chemicals.  As well, bamboo is sustainable and renewable, due to its incredible growth habits.

Where to Buy Organic Products

Even though organic products are becoming more common as the demand for them increases, it can be quite difficult to find a supplier if you are unsure where to begin looking.  Perhaps the best place to start is on the internet.  Going online and using a search engine can bring up a large list of companies that sell their products online, or you can find lists of where to buy organic products.  This can take a lot of guesswork out of the process!  Remember to search within Australia if you are using a search engine that distinguishes between Australia and international, in order to get the results that are the most relevant to you.

Buying online is great as you get to read product descriptions, choose from a huge range of products and get them delivered to your door.  Many companies will offer samples of their products for a minimal cost – allowing you to try out a product before committing to a full-sized purchase.  However, if you prefer to shop more traditionally, health stores are an excellent place to look for organic products.  Day spas and good department stores are also an excellent place to look, especially if you are looking for items such as skin care, hair care, or cosmetics.  As organic products are slowly becoming more pervasive in the marketplace, it is worth asking at your normal stores whether they are stocking organic products or if they will be doing so in the future.

There are also stores that specialise in organic products.  Some ways of finding these include looking in directories, whether this is the yellow pages or an online directory such as Natural Therapy Pages.  Research by picking up some magazines that focus on health and wellbeing, or beauty or fashion.  These often feature organic products and they will provide you with information on how to contact the maker of a particular product – usually a phone number or a website address.

Back to Categories