In Germany, there is a saying: “paper is patient.” It means that paper does not care what is written on it. Just because it’s written down doesn’t mean it’s the whole truth.

Those of us who want to choose organic, cruelty-free, and sustainable products often run into this problem: if labeling doesn’t tell you everything, how do you tell whether a product is a wise purchase?

To help, several different certifications and logos have been created. They can often be found on personal-care and other products. One is the Leaping Bunny, a certification available to cosmetic, personal-care, and household-product companies in the United States and Canada.

Certification is issued by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), a coalition of eight national animal-protection groups. The logo is recognized in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and most of the European Union. (Outside of the United States and Canada, their international certification body is Cruelty Free International. CFI, based in the United Kingdom, uses a different version of the Leaping Bunny logo.)

The certification itself is free of charge. Costs apply only for the use of the Leaping Bunny logo. Certifications apply to all products produced by a company; it is not possible to have only a selection of products certified. The certification is valid for just one year, so companies need to re-certify often.

What does the Leaping Bunny logo stand for?

The Leaping Bunny logo certifies that the company selling the product does not conduct, commission, or participate in animal testing for cosmetic or household products. This includes the company’s supply chain, down to ingredient manufacturers. To get and keep certification, companies must make themselves accessible by auditors.

Is animal testing really still an issue?

As you may be aware, animal testing on cosmetics in banned in the European Union, Norway, India, Israel, Canada, and several American states.

Nevertheless, China (for one) requires many beauty products, including imported cosmetics, to be tested on animals. Only products sold via cross-border e-commerce are exempt. So, even if a product is authorized and sold in North America or Europe without animal testing, it must be tested on animals before being sold by a Chinese retailer. (If a company allowed this, it would lose its Leaping Bunny certification.)

Also, while bans have been issued in several places for personal-care products, this is not the case for household products.

How do I know if a product or brand I like is Leaping Bunny certified?

If the company has paid to use the logo, you may find it on the product packaging. You can also find a full list of all certified companies in the Compassionate Shopping Guide available on the Leaping Bunny website. There is also an app for iOS and Android.

Are you a creator interested in Leaping Bunny certification? Goldn will allow you to quickly search for suppliers who may be able to help you qualify. Find out more about what it takes at the Leaping Bunny Program’s website.

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