NCP – NATURE CARE PRODUCT
The label for environmentally friendly products
Many everyday products contain harmful substances such as plasticizers and microplastics. In response, consumers are increasingly looking for sustainable alternatives. The Nature Care Product (NCP) standard provides an environmental label for non-food products made from renewable raw materials.
This certification fills a gap in the organic non-food sector and sets standards for sustainable natural products.
NCP-certified articles are made from natural, often organic materials and meet high quality standards. The seal helps consumers to recognize and choose sustainable products.
What NCP offers
Seal for organic non-food products
NCP (Nature Care Product) is a quality seal for natural-based products. It identifies everyday products such as cleaning products, hygiene products, gardening supplies, toys, candles and much more that are made from natural ingredients and are produced in an environmentally friendly way.
The NCP seal guarantees that certified products:
- Contains only ingredients of plant or animal origin
- Free from microplastics, genetic engineering and synthetic silicones are
- Developed without animal testing (except as required by law)
- Use natural fragrances and environmentally friendly packaging
NCP offers consumers an easy way to recognize genuine natural products that are beneficial for both their own health and the environment.
If your product category is not listed here, please register a new one with us.
Quality seal as added value
Your advantages of the NCP seal
The NCP quality seal identifies natural products and applies strict criteria that are set out in the standard. This condensed marketing, i.e. the bundling of the diverse requirements in one seal, offers you as a manufacturer the following advantages:
Certification based on strict criteria
Rated as very good by portals such as "Siegelklarheit" or "Labelonline"
Recognized by the Bundesverband Naturkost Naturwaren e.V.
Independently tested
Certification of a wide range of products
Vegan claim possible
Award
Claims of the NCP seal
Our NCP seal: The efficient solution for natural products. It confirms the natural quality of your products and can also indicate their vegan properties. This versatile label allows you to communicate two important product characteristics with a single label.
Natural product
Costs
Costs of certification
If you opt for certification, costs are incurred by two different bodies: the standard setter and the certification body. The standard setter charges a basic fee of 105 euros net per year. In addition, a one-off set-up fee is charged in the first year.
These fees are incurred for each product and brand you wish to certify. It is important to note that these costs are incurred annually to maintain the validity of the certification.
The costs at the certification body are more flexible and are calculated according to the actual time required. The duration of the inspection can vary considerably depending on the type and complexity of the product to be certified.
In order to obtain an exact cost estimate, we recommend that you contact the certification body directly and request an individual quote. This will enable you to calculate the costs precisely and include them in your budget planning.
105 € net
Costs with the standard provider
+ set-up fee in the first year
Billing by time
At the certification body
The duration of the inspection varies depending on the product type
What NCP offers
What the NCP standard offers
Criteria for environmentally friendly alternatives to petrochemical and genetically modified products
Guidelines for recyclable packaging
The NCP seal for easy recognition of certified products
Requirements that go beyond legal requirements
Applicability to various product categories, from cleaning agents to crop protection products
Clear guidelines for natural, safe ingredients
Certification process
Certification process
Contacting and concluding a contract with GfaW and the certification body
Registration of the products with the certification body
Registration with the documents required for product evaluation (when a product is registered for the first time, all data relevant for certification is recorded)
Inspection of the raw materials used by the certification body for conformity with the standard
Verification of the auditability of the company, packaging and labels for conformity with the standard
In an initial audit, basic requirements for GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), packaging and labels are checked.
Receipt of the certificate
The production and marketing of certified products may only begin once the certificate has been received.
Annual monitoring audits
Products and production are now checked annually in monitoring audits for conformity with the standard.
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Please note
The prerequisite for the evaluation of the products is all information about the raw materials described in the criteria of the standard. The positive list of INCIs, which has been assessed as compliant by the certification body, is merely a guide.
It is therefore not guaranteed that your raw materials comply with the standard just because they contain the INCIs listed on the positive list!
In the event of deviations from the NCP standard, a period of time is granted to rectify these, depending on the severity. This can be between 4 and 12 months. If the deviations have not been rectified by the end of this period, conformity with the NCP no longer exists, the certificate becomes invalid and the products may no longer be labeled with the seal. The certification bodies approved by the NCP are accredited for the EU Organic Regulation in accordance with ISO 17065 and have many years of experience in the certification of ethically oriented standards in the industry.
Raw materials and their manufacturing processes
Scope of the standard
The NCP standard (Nature Care Product Standard) defines strict guidelines for the quality of raw materials in natural products. It specifies which ingredients are permitted under which conditions and which manufacturing processes are accepted.
It currently includes everyday products such as detergents and cleaning products, care products, toys, paper products and others.
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Further information on the standard scope
The clearly defined prohibitions are particularly important. The standard expressly prohibits the use of:
- Quaternary ammonium compounds
- Boron and its derivatives
- Synthetic fragrances
Petrochemical raw materials are also generally not permitted, although there are a few precisely defined exceptions.
The NCP standard goes well beyond the legal requirements. It sets benchmarks in terms of environmental compatibility, sustainability and transparency. In addition to the raw material specifications, the standard also regulates packaging guidelines, labeling requirements and the certification process itself.
For a detailed overview of all criteria and regulations, we recommend consulting the complete NCP standard. There you will find all the information that is relevant for the certification of natural products according to the NCP standard.
NCP product category
Your product category is missing?
The NCP standard already covers a wide range of natural products. But the world of sustainable products is constantly evolving. Do you have an innovative natural product that is not yet listed in our categories?
We are open to expansion and would like to give you the opportunity to suggest your product category for potential NCP certification.
Certification bodies
Recognized certification bodies
Certification bodies that wish to certify companies according to the CSE standard must meet defined, standardized requirements. You can find information on the certification process here.
You are a certification body, work in accordance with ISO 17065, are accredited for the EU Eco Regulation in accordance with ISO 17065 and are interested in recognition for CSE certification? Then get in touch with us.
Brands & Company
NCP-certified companies
The following committed companies are already certified and use the CSE certification to make their outstanding pioneering achievements in sustainable business visible and thus clearly position themselves.
Quick check
This quick check gives you an initial impression of the extent to which your company's products meet the requirements for the seal.
Further information
Find out more details about the requirements, effort and costs of NCP certification. Contact us if you are interested in NCP!
Arrange a consultation appointment
Do you have any questions about sustainability seals and certification? Ask for a free consultation!