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NOTO Botanics is Cruelty-Free
NOTO Botanics 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 NOTO Botanics to be Cruelty-Free.
Below is a screenshot of what’s currently stated on NOTO Botanics’ website about its animal testing policy:
What About China’s Animal Testing Laws?
NOTO Botanics has confirmed they do not sell their products in retail stores in mainland China; therefore, they are not required to test on animals.
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.
NOTO Botanics is 100% Vegan
NOTO Botanics has confirmed all of its products are vegan and don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.
“Our products are appropriate for all skin types! They are all vegan & cruelty-free.”
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 NOTO Botanics’ products made?
I asked NOTO Botanics where their products are manufactured and they told me:
“Currently we manufacture our products in our studio in Los Angeles.”
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.
Thankfully, NOTO Botanics states on its website,
“Where does your mica come from?
The colored micas our supplier carries are either manufactured in the same country or come directly from various manufacturers who are specialists in their own fields. They do not purchase any products from trading companies or middle exporters and thus are aware of the exact origin of their products.
None of the global companies they work with use child labour and they all strive to meet fair employee standards in all their manufacturing facilities. Like NOTO, they have a zero tolerance policy for the exploitation of children, animals or people.”
I hope this article helped you to understand NOTO Botanics’ cruelty-free and vegan status and by choosing cruelty-free together, we can help end animal testing for cosmetics once and for all!
