Australia’s largest certifier – Australian Certified Organic (ACO) – has made an exclusive agreement with Japanese Organic Cosmetic Organization (JOCO), empowering them to use JOCO branding without additional certification.
ACO Board Member and Director of Little Innoscents, Antonette Golikidis, says that this agreement will give Australian cosmetic brands a competitive edge when exporting to an otherwise exclusive market.
“In Japan, government regulations are in place for organic food produce, therefore Japanese consumers have a high expectation for quality in regards to any products labelled ‘organic’,” Ms Golikidis said.
“Legal guidelines don’t extend to cosmetics yet, so JOCO exists to give Japanese consumers the assurance that their cosmetic product is genuinely produced without synthetics, petro chemicals, herbicides, pesticides or GM material.”
Ms Golikidis adds that this agreement has done more than just open the door to ACO accredited cosmetic brands.
“Most of Australia’s organic certification bodies are working on their own individual agreements with certifiers from around the world – this agreement will increase that competition, and boost the booming 1-billion-dollar a year organics industry.”
As a result Ms Golikidis is calling on the government to review current organic sector regulations.
“If we want top organic consumers like Germany and Japan to take interest in Australian exports we need to make sure we’re up to world standard with competitors like Canada, Europe and US, where comprehensive government regulations are in place.”
Ms Golikidis is now actively seeking Japanese export opportunities for all six 100% natural products in her skin care range for babies and children – Little Innoscents.
Under the new exclusive agreement for ACO, the Little Innoscents Massage Oil, Massage Lotion, Organic Soap, Vapour Rub Balm, Nappy Change Cream and Body and Hair Wash, have a minimum of 70% JOCO ingredients, and all products can carry the JOCO logo.
