Our method
How we choose products
We do not test products. We check each one against the brand's own page and the certifier's records, then tell you what the certification covers and what it leaves out.
What we do, and what we do not
We do not buy, test, taste or use the products on this site, and we will never write as if we had. What we do is narrower and easier to check: we read what a brand claims, confirm the certification behind the claim, and explain what that certification covers.
That is why you will not find star ratings, scores or a winner on our pages. Products on a category page are in no ranked order: the ones we have a photo for are shown first. Scanner apps do score products, by a different method: how Yuka scores compare with certifications. Who we are and how the site is paid for is on the about page.
The checks every product goes through
- 1
The product exists and is named correctly
We open the brand's own page for the product or product line. If the brand no longer sells it, it is not listed.
- 2
Each certification is confirmed
A seal is listed only if we found it on a page we can link to: the brand's product or certifications page, or the certifier's public database. Those pages appear under each product as "Checked against".
- 3
We check what the certification applies to
A certified organic cotton cover does not make a mattress organic. "Made with organic oats" is not the same as a USDA Organic product. Where a seal covers only part of a product, the card says so under "Good to know".
- 4
The category sets the bar
Each department states the standard it accepts. For food that is the USDA Organic seal. For clothing and bedding it is GOTS. For things that cannot be certified organic at all, such as toys, cookware and furniture, the page says which third-party standard stands in.
When nothing can be certified organic
Organic is a legal term for food and farm products. A wooden toy, a stainless steel bottle or a compost bin cannot be certified organic by anyone. We still cover those categories because people look for them, but each product listed there carries a note saying that it holds no organic certification and why it is on the page: the material, the disclosed ingredients, or a third-party test.
What we will not say
- That a product is the safest, healthiest or purest. Nobody can show that, including us.
- That anything is chemical-free or toxin-free. Everything is made of chemicals. We name the substance and the standard.
- That organic food or an organic product treats, prevents or cures anything.
- Prices, discounts or stock. They change by the hour and you will see them on the brand's page.
How the site earns money
Some product buttons are affiliate links. If you buy after clicking one, the brand or retailer may pay us a commission, and you pay the same price either way. A product is never listed because it pays, and never left out because it does not. The checks above come first; the link is added afterwards. The full statement is on the affiliate disclosure page.
Health topics
Pages about infant formula, supplements, pregnancy and postpartum describe labels and certifications only. They are general information, they are not medical advice, and each one tells you to make the decision with your pediatrician, doctor or midwife.
Corrections
Brands reformulate and certifications lapse. Each page shows the date its sources were last read. If you find a product that has lost a certification we list, or a claim that is out of date, tell us and we will check it and correct the page.