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.


Green Seal also certifies lodging and restaurants.These lodges has minimized their waste and become energy efficient, and certified restaurants serve responsibly farmed and raised and more. The lodges and restaurant are part of the Green Seal Communities program, which has a Green Hotels and Green Cleaning Services certification program.

Some common brands with this certification: Office Depot Envirocopy and Recycled papers, Staples Sustainable Earth Glass Cleaner, various Westin hotels, Trump International Tower.


A database of Green Seal products and services is available online: http://www.greenseal.org/GreenLiving/WheretoFindtheGreenSeal.aspx

In regards to my study on laundry detergents, the Green Choice label does not apply. At the time of this study (2015 November) this label certifies seven laundry detergent products under its "GS-51 Laundry Care Products for Industrial and Institutional Use" category. A category does exist for home detergents (G-48 Laundry Care Products for Home) but currently none are certified Green Seal.


Sources:

Green Seal (2011). Green Seal, Inc. http://www.greenseal.org/Portals/0/Documents/marketing/Brochures/Green%20Seal%20brochure_web.pdf