What is green washing?

Green washing is when a company claims to have clean ingredients that are safe for the environment, but they are far from clean! 

In Africa, our lack of industrial standards means that so-called “natural” or “green” cleaners can simply designate themselves as such based on their own guidelines. Because these products are essentially unregulated, they may tend to mislead consumers into believing they are safe and effective.

For example, some of the most popular cleaning brands contain preservatives that are toxic and known to cause allergies, asthma and skin irritations.

Here are some common terms used on products that are red flags for products/companies claiming to be toxin free:

 Chemical free

 Dermatologist recommended

 Earth friendly

 Eco

 Gentle

 Natural

 Paraben free

 Green

 Sulphate free

 Hypoallergenic

 Sensitive

If you see any of these red flags go through the ingredient list to make sure the product is truly safe! Just because a product label looks promising, don’t assume it is a safe, toxin-free product.