The Ethical Shopping Glossary
A plain-English decoder for the 32+ certifications, labels and buzzwords you meet on packaging. Every entry links back to the standards body and to the top-scoring products that actually carry the mark.
Third-party first
We only elevate marks with independent audits and a public registry. Self-issued badges get called out.
Greenwash-aware
Each entry flags common confusions — Fair Trade vs Fairtrade, biodegradable vs compostable, 'natural' with no standard behind it.
Actionable, not academic
Every definition links to the top-scoring products already carrying that certification, so you can shop the label immediately.
Animal welfare
Marks that verify no-testing policies, vegan formulation and honest supply chains.
Vegan
Contains no animal-derived ingredients and no animal byproducts.
Read definition →Cruelty-Free
Neither the finished product nor its ingredients were tested on animals.
Read definition →Leaping Bunny
The international gold standard for cruelty-free personal care and household products.
Read definition →Environment & sourcing
Certifications for organic farming, forest stewardship and responsible fibres.
USDA Organic
U.S. federal certification for food and farming free from synthetic pesticides, GMOs, and irradiation.
Read definition →GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)
The leading worldwide standard for organic fibers, covering ecological and social criteria.
Read definition →Rainforest Alliance
Certifies farms that meet standards for biodiversity, worker welfare, and climate-smart agriculture.
Read definition →OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Tests textiles for harmful substances at every production stage.
Read definition →Whole-company standards
Assessments that grade the entire business, not just one product line.
Circularity & packaging
Terms you'll see on refill, recycled-content and low-waste products.
More terms worth knowing
Adjacent labels, industry jargon and ingredient callouts.
Fair Trade
Producers in developing countries are paid a fair minimum price plus a community premium.
Non-GMO
Made without genetically modified organisms, typically verified to a 0.9% threshold.
EWG Verified
Personal care products free from the Environmental Working Group's list of ingredients of concern.
FSC Certified
Wood, paper, and forest products from responsibly managed forests.
Cradle to Cradle
Certifies products designed for circularity — material health, reuse, renewable energy, water and social fairness.
Carbon Neutral
A brand or product whose climate impact is balanced by offsets — credible only with verified, additional offsets.
Greenwashing
Marketing a product or company as more environmentally responsible than it actually is.
Circular Economy
An economic model where products and materials are reused, repaired, refurbished or recycled — minimizing waste.
Microplastics
Plastic particles smaller than 5mm — released by synthetic fabrics, tires, packaging breakdown and personal care.
Fair Wear Foundation
Independent multi-stakeholder initiative auditing apparel brand factories for labor practices.
Carbon Neutral
Net-zero carbon emissions achieved by reducing and offsetting equivalent CO₂.
Net Zero
Reducing emissions by ~90% then offsetting only the unavoidable residual.
Scope 3 Emissions
Indirect emissions across the value chain — usually a company's largest footprint.
Regenerative Agriculture
Farming practices that rebuild soil health, biodiversity and watersheds.
Living Wage
A wage sufficient to meet a worker's basic needs in their location.
Supply Chain Transparency
Public disclosure of suppliers, facilities and conditions across every production tier.
RSPO
Multi-stakeholder certification for palm oil produced without deforestation.
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Certifies wild-caught seafood from sustainably managed fisheries.
EWG Verified
Personal-care products that meet the Environmental Working Group's transparency and ingredient-safety criteria.
LEED Certification
The most widely used green-building certification system, run by USGBC.
IPCC
UN body that publishes the authoritative scientific assessment of climate change.
Carbon Offset
A tradable credit representing one tonne of CO₂ reduced, avoided or removed.
A–Z index
Every term, alphabetically. Handy when you've spotted a label on a package and just need the quick definition.
- B Corp
- Biodegradable
- Carbon Neutral
- Carbon Neutral
- Carbon Offset
- Circular Economy
- Cradle to Cradle
- Cruelty-Free
- EWG Verified
- EWG Verified
- Fair Trade
- Fair Wear Foundation
- FSC Certified
- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)
- Greenwashing
- IPCC
- Leaping Bunny
- Leaping Bunny
- LEED Certification
- Living Wage
- Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
- Microplastics
- Net Zero
- Non-GMO
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100
- Rainforest Alliance
- Regenerative Agriculture
- RSPO
- Scope 3 Emissions
- Supply Chain Transparency
- USDA Organic
- Vegan
Glossary — FAQ
What counts as a 'real' certification?+
A credible certification is issued by an independent third party, has published standards, re-audits on a fixed cadence, and lists certified companies in a public registry. Self-declared marks (a brand's own leaf logo, an in-house 'eco' badge) don't qualify — we flag those on product pages so you can tell the difference at a glance.
Why do some labels overlap — Fair Trade vs Fairtrade vs Fair for Life?+
'Fair trade' is a movement; the capitalised marks are competing certifiers with different standards, price floors, and supply-chain rules. Our glossary explains what each one actually verifies so you can spot the difference on a coffee bag or chocolate bar.
Are certifications enough on their own?+
No. Certifications are one signal. On EthiCompare we combine them with controversy history, parent-company ownership, ingredient audits and material composition to produce the 0–100 ethics score — because a Leaping Bunny brand can still be owned by a parent that tests on animals in other markets.
How often is the glossary updated?+
Whenever a standards body changes its rules (e.g. Leaping Bunny's fixed cut-off date, B Corp's 2026 recertification model) we update the entry the same week. Every definition links to the original standard so you can verify it yourself.