The Certification Journey: Organic, Vegan & What Matters Most

As I continue refining Simple Drew’s Everywhere Wash, I’ve been diving into the world of product certifications—specifically, Organic and Vegan—to understand what they mean for both my brand and my customers. Certifications are an important part of the natural product space, offering transparency and trust. But as I’ve learned, they also come with a cost, complexity, and a few unexpected hurdles.

The Reality of Organic Certification

I recently received a quote for organic certification in Canada, and while it’s a great long-term goal, I’ve realized that it’s not essential for year one. Many products on the shelf highlight their organic ingredients without carrying an official certification. Why? Because the process is expensive and requires a lot of documentation. While I fully intend to pursue organic certification down the road, I’m comfortable moving forward without it this year—especially since Simple Drew’s Everywhere Wash is already made with 97.5% organic ingredients.

So, what does this mean for my labeling? I can still call attention to my organic ingredients, but without the official logo or having “Organic” in the product name. That allows me to keep my costs down in year one while still delivering a product that aligns with my values.

The Unexpected Challenge of Vegan Certification

Unlike organic certification, vegan certification is technically free—but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s an easy process. To get an official vegan certification, every ingredient supplier must guarantee that no animal byproducts were used at any stage of production. That includes not just the ingredients themselves but also how they were processed.

This has been eye-opening. As a consumer, I’ve never really thought about whether a plant-based ingredient might have come into contact with animal byproducts during processing. Some suppliers don’t even have this information readily available—it requires digging deeper into their supply chain and sometimes even reaching out to their suppliers. And when you’re a small-batch producer, those requests may not always be a top priority for larger suppliers.

Prioritizing What Matters

At the end of the day, I want Simple Drew’s Everywhere Wash to be clean, effective, and made with integrity. Here’s what I know for sure:

✔ 97.5% Organic Ingredients

✔ 100% Plant-Based & Naturally Occurring

✔ Zero Parabens & Sulfates

✔ Hydrating & pH Balancing

These are the standards I hold myself to, whether or not an official certification is on the label. Certifications are valuable, and I still plan to pursue them as Simple Drew’s grows. But for now, my focus is on making sure my product is as natural and effective as possible—and that’s something I can stand behind with or without a stamp of approval.

— Drew