ETKO Organic & Natural Detergent Standard

What is the ETKO Organic & Natural Detergent Standard?

Developed specifically by ETKO, the Organic and Natural Detergent Standard is a comprehensive certification program that ensures domestic and industrial cleaning products (such as laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids, and surface cleaners) are produced with utmost respect for nature and human health. It was established to prevent the harsh chemicals found in conventional cleaning products from entering water systems and destroying ecosystems. By scrutinizing the entire lifecycle of detergents, from formulation to packaging, this standard aims to provide consumers with transparent, genuinely ecological products, free from "greenwashing" claims.

Key Technical Criteria of ETKO Detergent Certification

The ETKO standard offers two distinct categories based on product ingredients and the proportion of organic content used. The technical framework can be summarized as follows:

• Certification Categories:

  • ETKO Organic Detergent: A specific minimum percentage of the agriculturally derived (plant-based) ingredients in the product formulation must come from certified organic farming.

  • ETKO Natural Detergent: All components in the product must be of 100% natural origin; however, there is no strict minimum for organic content. If organic ingredients are used, their percentages can be transparently indicated on the packaging.

• Surfactants and Biodegradability:

  • Surfactants, the core cleaning agents, must be entirely plant-derived and rapidly, 100% biodegradable in nature. Petrochemical-derived surfactants (such as petroleum-based SLS or SLES) are strictly prohibited.

• Prohibited and Restricted Substances:

  • The use of phosphates (which cause aquatic toxicity), chlorine-based bleaches, optical brighteners, EDTA, synthetic fragrances, and synthetic colorants is strictly banned in formulations. Scenting can only be achieved using pure, natural essential oils.

• Animal Welfare and Packaging:

  • Finished products must never be tested on animals (Cruelty-Free).

  • Packaging must be made from recyclable materials, recycled plastics, or eco-friendly alternatives, and excessive packaging must be avoided.

Who this standard is for

The ETKO Organic & Natural Detergent Standard is for producers of household or institutional detergents and cleaners that want an organic/natural detergent claim. It is not COSMOS (cosmetics) and not an organic food certificate.

What is certified

• Laundry, dishwashing, surface, and similar detergent/cleaner products in the standard’s scope
• Surfactants, builders, solvents, and other ingredients against the standard’s allowed/prohibited lists
• Manufacturing hygiene and environmental controls required by the standard
• Labelling of organic/natural detergent claims on certified SKUs

What this standard does not cover

• Leave-on or rinse-off cosmetics that belong under COSMOS
• Organic agricultural production of the feedstock farm
• A textile GOTS claim on a detergent

Questions buyers and operators usually ask

Can we use our COSMOS certificate for laundry detergent?

COSMOS is a cosmetic scheme. Detergents follow this detergent standard (or another detergent scheme the buyer named). Do not print COSMOS on a laundry SKU unless that SKU is actually in a cosmetic COSMOS scope — most laundry products are not.

Are petrochemical surfactants allowed?

Only if they appear on the standard’s allowed list and within any concentration limits. “Plant-based” marketing on a data sheet is not approval.

Does the organic claim apply to water in the formula?

Water is not an organic agricultural ingredient. Organic percentages, if claimed, follow the standard’s calculation rules — typically counting eligible organic ingredients, not the whole bottle weight as organic.

Do industrial I&I cleaners qualify?

If the product type is in scope and the formula and site meet the standard. Confirm the exact product category before promising a buyer an “organic detergent” mark on a specialised process cleaner.

What to have ready before the audit

• Formula with percentages and CAS/INCI identities
• Supplier documents for organic-claimed ingredients
• SDS and, where required, biodegradability data for surfactants
• Packaging and label drafts
• Manufacturing site description and waste/effluent controls

Frequent findings

• COSMOS artwork on a detergent bottle
• Optical brighteners or synthetic dyes not allowed by the list
• Organic claim calculated on total bottle weight including water
• Toll manufacturer not included in the certificate