ABSOLUTE ESSENTIAL ANNOUNCES VEGAN CERTIFICATION
Absolute Essential is proud to announce that its entire therapeutic plant oil product range is now officially Vegan Certified, adding to its impressive list of earth-friendly accreditations, and cementing its position as a company that is 100% committed to supporting animal advocacy, improving human health, protecting the environment and preserving world resources.
It’s no secret that the planet we live on is under immense pressure and that there is a growing need to evolve our habits, attitudes and lifestyles if we want to preserve the earth and all the creatures on it.
Every decision we make can make a difference.
From what we eat, to what we wear, to the purchase of everyday household and personal care products - choosing sustainable, earth-friendly and ethical over fast and wasteful is vital if we’re serious about protecting the environment for future generations.
At Absolute Essential, we’ve known for a long time (since our inception, 30+ years ago) that operating ethically and practising sustainability is the only way to go.
We have worked hard to ensure that all our products and processes are aligned with global environmental authority standards. And we’re proud to have achieved certifications from a number of respected, independent bodies, such as the AsureQuality and BioGro organic standards agencies, verifying that we are indeed an environmentally responsible and eco-conscious company.
IS ABSOLUTE ESSENTIAL VEGAN?
Yes we are. Our latest accreditation is one we’re particularly proud of - the Vegan Certified trademark. This was awarded to us in March 2019, and it makes Absolute Essential the only New Zealand company to have achieved both organic and vegan certification.
By way of background, the Vegan Certified trademark is owned and administered by the NZ Vegetarian Society, and actively supported by the Vegan Society of Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s a relatively new mark, developed in response to strong and increasing demand in New Zealand for an independent vegan certification programme.*
Companies that carry this mark can categorically state their products are:
? Free from animal derived ingredients
? No cross-contamination during production
? GMO-free
? No animal testing carried out or commissioned.
What does Vegan Certification really mean?
Just because a company cites Vegan Certification does not necessarily mean that its products are clean, natural or healthful. Some well-known brands within the ‘natural health’ space use Vegan Certification as a marketing tool. They may have only one or two products within their range actually certified, which gives them a blanket association with being eco-friendly and healthy, however close examination of product ingredient lists reveal a load of chemicals and adulterants added (which of course are not animal-derived, they come out of a lab) - none of which are particularly conducive to good health!
So you have to be particularly wary. And if your intention is to lead a green and healthful lifestyle (as well as reducing the suffering of animals and helping the planet) the thing to look out for is the added assurance of an authentic organic certification, on top of the Vegan mark.
As mentioned, Absolute Essential's product range carries both.
Certification didn't come easy, but then, good things seldom do. (For example, when we had to replace our only animal-derived product, beeswax, with plant-based ingredients such as cocoa or shea butter, it took many months of planning, trialling and reformulation to get the consistency and stability of our creams exactly right.)
The wonderful result is that now we can absolutely say that we deliver on our promise of offering a 100% pure, therapeutic plant-based product range for enhanced natural health and vitality. Staying true to our green philosophy and doing the right thing by the animals (& bees!), humanity and the planet.