Good Housekeeping Green Seal

Green Certifications: 
Good Housekeeping Green Seal

Though I compiled this information for a study on greenwashing and laundry detergent, the information pertaining to the label and certification may extend into other types of products. When in doubt, be an informed consumer and read, read, read! I try to link and reference all of my findings. - Janna

The Good Housekeeping Green label has a spot in my Green Washing laundry study because of the seven products listed on the GH site as having this certification, Tide Coldwater liquid laundry detergent is one of them. I was a little surprised, because of the many many Tide bottles I saw during this study, none of them had this seal. I tried images online, and none of the Coldwater bottles have it. Perhaps the certification expires; perhaps the seal is not something brands put on their labeling but something that serves as an in-house warranty for subscribers of Good Housekeeping. It's hard to tell how old the list of items is, as there is no date anywhere on the page... and the list is an 7 item slideshow. The seal was introduced in 2009, The seal seems largely based on how "green" the manufacturing process or material sourcing is.

Green Seal Label

Green Certifications:
Green Seal Label

Though I compiled this information for a study on greenwashing and laundry detergent, the information pertaining to the label and certification may extend into other types of products. When in doubt, be an informed consumer and read, read, read! I try to link and reference all of my findings. - Janna

Green Seal is a third-party certification for goods and services. The company Green Seal, Inc. is a non-profit organization that started in 1989, when there were no other environmental certification programs (GreenSeal, 2011). The mark may appear on a product label, a hotel or restaurant brochure, or a custodian's uniform.

Green Seal certifies household cleaners, specialty cleaners, laundry care products, cleaning services, bath soap and shampoo, personal care and cosmetic products, printing paper, kitchen papers (coffee filters and more), compact fluorescent bulbs, paints, recycled latex paint, windows, and stains and finishes. Each has it's own set of standards.

EPA DFE and Safer Choice labels

Green Certifications:
US EPA DFE / Safer Choice

Though I compiled this information for a study on greenwashing and laundry detergent, the information pertaining to the label and certification may extend into other types of products. When in doubt, be an informed consumer and read, read, read! I try to link and reference all of my findings. - Janna

The United State's Environmental Protection Agency started the Design for the Environment (DFE) label in 1992 and became the  Safer Choice label in 2015 February. The requirements did not change with the design, and some products still carry the older label. (At the time of my study Purex Natural Elements still had the DFE label (2015 November). However, the label is now a small family of labels, denoting various uses.