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The Fairtrade mark is now recognised by 57 per cent of the UK adult population and, with consumers increasingly looking out for greener and more ethical products, the idea of eco-labelling has really taken off. But with so many now adorning our products, how do we know what to trust? Sarah Lewis finds out what they all mean.

The Soil Association
A Soil Association (SA) mark is the holy grail of all organic produce.

It can be found on more than 70 per cent of all UK organic goods and the standards set far exceed the legal values of organic set by Defra and the EU.

According to the SA itself, it: "probably has the highest and most comprehensive standards for organic production and processing in the world". These range from strict regulation on free range (the UK minimum says poultry should have access to free range for one third of their lives, the SA insists on free range for the entire life of laying hens), nature conservation and agrichemical use.

www.soilassociation.org

Rainforest Alliance
As the monkey in the advert will have told you, the Rainforest Alliance (RA) has teamed up with PG Tips to make sure by 2010 all PG Tips tea suppliers meet RA standards - including using environmentally sound farming techniques as well as ensuring growers receive a living wage, access to housing, education and healthcare. That such a big name has signed up to RA accreditation is testament to how important consumers are finding issues of conservation and sustainability.

But the RA is concerned with more than just tea. They work across 50 countries with scientists, farmers, workers, NGOs, business and governments on a range of issues to develop standards that benefit both the environment and communities.

www.rainforest-alliance.org

The Fairtrade mark
The first fairtrade label was launched in 1988 and 20 years later, more than half the population of the UK say the Fairtrade Foundation's Fairtrade mark is instantly recognisable.

Although the foundation has come under attack by some organisations for simplifying the complex matters of international trade, it certainly has made its mark, alerting people to the problems faced by the poorest and most powerless communities in the world.

In 1998, goods worth £16.7 million were sold under the labels. In 2007, that had risen to £493 million.

Fairtrade standards include not only living wages and good working conditions for producers, but also encourage environmentally sustainable practices, making it great for both people and planet.

www.fairtrade.org.uk

The Forestry Stewardship Council
Buying goods marked by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) ensures you are protecting important woodland across the world.

All FSC-certified woodland has to be managed in a sustainable way and is governed by ten principles, including the conservation of biological diversity, water resources, soils and the integrity of the forest. They also insist on workers rights and the protection of indigenous peoples.

The FSC is the only internationally known standard for management of forests.

www.fsc.org

The Vegan Society
The Vegan Society logo can be used by manufacturers and caterers who meet strict vegan standards. The society is keen to point out, however, it does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of a product.

Obtaining the Vegan Society mark is a much simpler process than for some of the other, more rigorous standards. A company simply needs to register and show their products are completely animal-free, including no animal testing anywhere in the manufacture or genetically modified goods.

Vegan Society CEO Nigel Winter will be speaking in Brighton on Tuesday, May 13 about the environmental impacts of diet.

www.vegansociety.com

The LEAF Marque
Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) works towards finding methods of farming which are suitable for farmers, the environment and the consumer through Integrated Farm Management (IMF). IMF combines traditional and modern farming techniques to give the best outcomes and these techniques are passed on through a series of demonstration farms.

Regular shoppers at Waitrose will see the LEAF marque prominent on many items, and even McDonalds - not well known for being the environmentalists favourite hang-out - are sponsors and keen supporters of the project.

There are several LEAF-certified farms in Sussex and most will be taking part in Open Farm Sunday on Sunday, June 1, if you want to find out more about the work they do.

Find out about your nearest farm at www.farmsunday.org.

www.leafuk.org

Go Cruelty Free
If the leaping bunny mark is shown on a product, it means it is certified free from animal-testing under the Humane Cosmetics Standard (HCS) or Humane Household Products Standard (HHPS) designed by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection.

These are the only internationally recognised marks for cruelty-free cosmetics and household goods, such as bleaches and detergents.

Although testing cosmetics on animals is now banned in the EU, the laws won't come into effect until 2013 and many places around the world do still allow it.

Companies applying for the bunny mark must undergo an independent audit and agree to an immovable date after which time none of the goods in their supply chain will have been tested on animals.

www.gocrueltyfree.org

MBDC cradle-to-cradle product certification
MBDC products are a complete revolution in consumer thinking. Rather than considering cradle-to-grave impacts, where the entire lifecycle from birth to disposal is considered, cradle-to-cradle aims for goods to be created in such a way waste is completely eliminated.

The idea is once an item has been used for its original purpose it then becomes something else, creating a never-ending loop which minimises the impact on our resources and does away with the need for landfill or incinerators. Time magazine has called the idea "a unified philosophy that is changing the design of the world".

www.mbdc.com

MSC tick
With fish stocks across the globe in danger of collapsing, the work of the Marine Stewardship Council has never been more important. Much like the Forestry Stewardship Council and LEAF, the MSC works to find sustainable methods of fishing which work for the environment, the consumer and the fishing community. MSC follows three main principles: a fishery must be conducted in a manner that does not lead to over-fishing; fishing operations must maintain the biodiversity and function of an ecosystem; and fisheries must be subject to sustainable management.

As of September 2007, there were 857 MCS-labelled seafood products available on the market.

www.msc.org

Oeko-tex 100
Given all the chemicals used to grow cotton and other textile crops, it is unsurprising toxins can end up on the clothes you are wearing. Indeed, two weeks ago a woman collapsed, believed to be having a severe allergic reaction to the fibre in her Primark underwear.

Fabrics with the Oeko-tex 100 mark are tested for, among other things, formaldehyde, heavy metals, pesticides and pH. Products with the label have had the entire supply chain checked.

www.oeko-tex.com

4:23pm Monday 14th April 2008

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