Why We Chose NATRUE Certification (and why we think it matters)

If you’ve ever stood in the toothpaste aisle and tried to figure out what “natural” actually means… you’re not alone.

It’s a word that gets used a lot. But the reality is, it’s not always held to a consistent standard. Different brands can interpret it in different ways.

That didn’t sit quite right with us.

So, when we were looking at how to approach our toothpaste formulations, we knew we didn’t just want to say we were natural - we wanted to be held to it.

That’s where NATRUE came in.

What is NATRUE?

NATRUE is an international standard for natural and organic cosmetics.

In simple terms, NATRUE defines what "natural" means and sets strict requirements that products must meet in order to carry the NATRUE seal.

It's not something a brand can self-declare or loosely apply. To carry the NATRUE seal, products must be independently certified by an approved certification body, such as BioGro New Zealand, and that certification is maintained through ongoing audits over time

What makes it different?

When we looked into NATRUE, what stood out wasn’t just the label - it was how detailed the standard is.

Every ingredient in a certified product is reviewed.

They’re classified into categories like natural, nature-derived, or identical-to-natural, and there are clear rules around how each can be used. It’s not a case of adding a small amount of something natural and building a story around it - the full formulation has to meet the criteria.

There are also strict guidelines around ingredients that don’t fit within their definition of natural cosmetics, which helps create consistency across certified products.

And importantly, it’s independently audited. That means it’s not just us saying we meet a standard - there’s an external process checking it.

Why we chose to go down this path

Honestly, it’s not the easiest option. But that’s a big part of why we chose it.
For over 100 years, Red Seal has championed a more natural approach to wellbeing. This framework puts structure around a philosophy we've held for generations, helping ensure the choices we make continue to reflect the values we've always stood for.

It also means we’re not asking you to just take our word for it.
NATRUE certification doesn’t mean a product is perfect, or that it will suit everyone.

What it does mean is that:

• The ingredients and formulation have been assessed against a recognised natural standard
• There are defined rules around how those ingredients are sourced and processed
• The claims made about the product are supported by certification, not just marketing

It’s simply one way of bringing more clarity to a space that can sometimes feel a bit unclear. At the end of the day, we want to be able to stand behind what we put out there, and choosing NATRUE was one way of making sure we’re not just saying the right things - we’re actually doing them.