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You can find INIKA cruelty-free products at Safe & Chic and Amazon.
INIKA is Cruelty-Free
INIKA Organic has confirmed they do not test their products or ingredients on animals or ask others to test on their behalf. Their suppliers also do not test on animals, nor do they allow their products to be tested on animals when required by law. And finally, their products are not sold in stores in mainland China or any other country that may require animal testing.
By our standards, we would consider INIKA to be Cruelty-Free.
“Our products and processes do not harm animals or habitats. We’re against animal testing and certified by Choose Cruelty Free Australia.”
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
INIKA has confirmed they do not sell their products in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.
“we don’t have any stockists in China”
As of May 1, 2021, some imported ordinary cosmetics can be exempt from animal testing under certain conditions. However, for the most part, animal testing is still legally required for most imported cosmetics in 2022.
Cruelty-Free Policies
Note that there is no legal definition for the label ‘Cruelty-Free.’ It can mean different things to different people. But Cruelty-Free is generally used to imply no animal testing. More specifically, the ingredients, formulation, or finished product are not tested on animals at any stage of product development.
At ethical elephant, we always assess a company’s cruelty-free policy using our Cruelty-Free Checklist. This ensures no animal testing was performed by the brand itself, its suppliers, and by any third parties.
Also, note that Cruelty-Free and Vegan don’t always mean the same thing.
INIKA is 100% Vegan
INIKA has confirmed all of its products are vegan and don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
“Caring for animals is central to our brand values, so we will never use animal-derivatives or by-products in our products or processes.”
Vegan Policies
Similar to ‘Cruelty-Free,’ there is no standard or legal definition for the label ‘Vegan.’ But it usually means no animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
Some common animal products used in cosmetics include carmine, lanolin, snail mucus, beeswax, honey, pearl or silk-derived ingredients, animal-based glycerin, keratin, and squalene.
There are plant-based and synthetic alternatives to animal-derived ingredients. But it’s sometimes difficult to know with certainty whether a product is vegan just by reading the ingredient list.
So it’s best to ask the company and manufacturers to ensure the ingredients they’ve chosen to use were from non-animal sources.
Where are INIKA’s products made?
I asked INIKA where their products are manufactured and they told me:
“All our packaging is sourced and developed internationally, and products are made in many different countries. We source the best ingredients from all over the world.”
Ethical Mica Mining Policy
Mica is a mineral that’s used in cosmetics to add a shimmery effect. But the mining of natural mica has been linked to child labor and human rights violations.
Unless the company discloses its mica mining policy, we have no way of knowing whether its mica is ethically sourced without child or forced labor.
So I asked INIKA if their mica is ethically sourced without the use of child labor and they responded by stating,
“INIKA Organic is very aware of the issues associated with the mining of Mica. Our suppliers have been pro-active in assuring that they work within the Ethical Trade Initiative and do not employ child labour in the mining and processing of their products.
Due to confidentiality reasons, we do not reveal sources however our Mica supplier is not located in India.”
I hope this article helped you to understand INIKA’s cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!