9 Products That Qualify for Organic Certification

Many different types of products are eligible for organic certification, although some products do have more stringent certifying criteria than others. That said, individuals looking to break into the organic industry have plenty of product choices to choose from. Even better, most product sectors of the organic industry continue to grow. Consumers really do want organic products.

01
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Food and Beverages

Old man holding wooden crate filled with fresh vegetables
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Almost all foods and beverages, with few exceptions, can be certified organic. Additionally, organic certification guidelines for food are well laid out, so it's easier to deal with organic food and beverage certification than it is to deal with other certifications. Good news; especially since organic food sales are growing at an impressive rate.

Food and beverages that can be certified organic include whole fresh produce, alcohol, coffee, tea, edible flowers, wild crops, grains, meat and more. Processors and handlers may also manufacture organic food items, for example,​ pizza or jam

02
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Flowers and Other Plants

Sweet William or Dianthus Barbatus, a popular fragrant biennial garden plant.
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Flowers and plants are becoming a popular category of organic goods. Green weddings and other eco-friendly events are on the rise and people want fresh organic cut flowers. Additionally, plant starts for home gardens and other landscapes are gaining in popularity.

Herbs, flowering bulbs, cut flowers, plant starts, and trees all fall into this category. Sometimes this organic category mingles with the food or garden category. For example, organic edible flowers and wheatgrass are becoming more commonplace.

NOP has specific criteria for agricultural products in place, so certification for flowers and plants is cut and dry.

Example organic flower and plant companies:

03
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Restaurants and Other Foodservice Operations

Kitchen staff preparing organic greens for dinner
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Organic restaurants are a growing category in the organic industry. On the upside, since organic food is continually gaining in popularity, there's some nice opportunity for growth in the organic restaurant sector. In fact, a recent consumer survey shows that consumers are willing to pay more for organic and eco-friendly dining.

On the flip side though, organic restaurant owners may face challenges due to costs and the inconsistency of the organic restaurant certification process.

Examples of organic restaurants:

04
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Textiles and Other Fibers

Lao PDR - Phu Tai ethnic minority - Handspun cotton hanging to dry
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Organic textiles, including natural fibers, such as cotton, wool, flax, and other fiber materials can be used to make countless products, such as clothing, bedding, toys, furniture and much more.

There are few organic textile processing and manufacturing standards in place. You'll have to speak with your personal accredited certifying agent to get all the fine details. Keep in mind that NOP standards apply to organic fibers, not the off-farm treatment of raw organic fibers or the end products made with organic fibers.

05
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Toys

Organic Easter toy
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Organic baby toys, in particular, are becoming very popular as parents and parents-to-be worry more about the chemicals their children are exposed to. Most organic toys fall under the soft toy category and are made with certified organic materials such as cotton and wool.

There's also been some expansion into organic crafty toys, such as play dough and paints, but while some of these products use certified organic materials, few craft/toy companies seem to be getting officially certified, and it's no wonder without clear certification standards in place. For toy companies, the best course of action is to discuss certification with a local accredited certifying agent.

Examples of organic toy companies:

  • miYim
  • Dandelion
06
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Body Care Products

Skincare products
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Organic body care is eligible for organic certification, although few companies go through the trouble. That's too bad because consumers do want organic body care. Plus, due to loose organic body care regulations, many organic advocates are singling out companies that are falsely labeling products as organic. For example:

  • The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) recently filed a lawsuit against companies who make fake organic claims.​
  • Organic advocates have been pushing to pass the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010.
  • Whole Foods and other retail outlets are demanding that organic personal care products come clean.
07
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Cosmetics

Mineral makeup
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Many cosmetics, in order to work correctly, contain ingredients that are on the "do not use" section of The National List, so they don't qualify for organic certification. Some cosmetic companies toss around terms like 'organic,' without certification to back it up.

The above said real USDA organic certification for some types of cosmetics is possible. Although many cosmetics only qualify for "made with organic ingredient" status, official certification certainly is important to organic advocates.

Companies who make cosmetics with certified organic ingredients: 

  • Bubble & Bee Organic
  • Vapour
  • Intelligent Nutrients 
  • Zuii
  • Juice Beauty
08
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Seeds and Gardening Supplies

Farmers hands harvesting organic lettuce stems
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Seeds and many other garden supplies are eligible for organic certification and opportunities for business in this sector abound. There are farms, home gardens, community gardens, school gardens, landscaping businesses and more that need organic seeds and gardening goods.

Various products that qualify for USDA organic certification include trees; bulbs; plant starts for flowers, vegetable and herb gardens; seeds; weed killer; and fertilizers that are approved on The National List. The certification process for most gardening supplies and seeds is straightforward.

09
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Pet Food and Pet Products

Organic pet food
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Research shows that the organic pet food sector is growing 12% to 15% annually. On top of that, organic pet products such as organic pet toys and pet beds are cropping up.

The American Pet Products Association estimates that U.S. pet owners pamper their pets, spending $50.84 billion on pets annually. So, organic pet goods is an area that should be seeing more growth.

Organic pet food requirements, composition-wise, is similar to requirements for livestock, while label claims match the requirements for human food. See the Organic Pet Food Task Force formal organic pet food recommendations to learn more. 

Companies making certified organic pet products:

  • PetGuard
  • PAW NATURAW
  • Simply Fido