International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association

What International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association does

The International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association (NATRUE) is a Belgian AISBL (international non-profit association) founded in 2007 in Brussels by six pioneers of the European natural cosmetics industry — Weleda, WALA, Laverana, PRIMAVERA, LOGOCOS and CEP. Its mission is to protect and promote authentic natural and organic cosmetics and to combat greenwashing in the absence of a formal legal definition for "natural" or "organic" cosmetics. NATRUE operates the NATRUE Label, a quality seal governed by the proprietary NATRUE Standard Version 3.9, which defines strict ingredient thresholds across 13 product categories and prohibits silicones, parabens, mineral oils, microplastics, synthetic fragrances and GMOs. Certification and label rights are delivered indirectly via a global network of independent NATRUE Approved Certifiers (NACs), and a public online database lists certified products and raw materials.

NATRUE generates revenue from three streams: (i) per-formula approval fees of €250 for a 2-year certificate for the right to display the NATRUE Label; (ii) annual label licence fees for certified finished products and raw materials (published in Annex A); and (iii) annual fees paid by NACs. Its customer base spans finished-product manufacturers, brand owners, raw-material suppliers, third-party manufacturers and certification bodies, with 200+ certified brands and 10,400+ certified SKUs across 60+ member and partner organisations worldwide. Go-to-market is event- and advocacy-driven: NATRUE participates in industry trade fairs (VIVANESS, in-cosmetics Global, CosmeticBusiness, SANA, BioCultura, NATEXPO, Sustainable Cosmetics Summit), runs an annual Natural Cosmetics Week, will host its first Natural Cosmetics Industry Forum in Berlin on 20 May 2026, and contributes to EU and international regulatory consultations, including co-chairing the UK Sustainable Beauty Coalition.

Name

International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association

Legal name

The International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association

Website

https://natrue.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NATRUE is a Belgian non-profit association that runs the internationally applicable NATRUE Label and Standard for natural and organic cosmetics, delivering third-party-verified certification to brands, manufacturers and raw-material suppliers across 60+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cosmetics Certification & Standards

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Certification Services (AFALAMAA)

Keywords

• Natural cosmetics certification
• Organic cosmetics label
• Third-party certifiers
• Cosmetic ingredient standards
• Anti-greenwashing certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Formula Approval Fees: NATRUE charges 250 euros per approved formula for a 2-year certificate. This fee covers the right to use the NATRUE Label on packaging and marketing materials. Label fees fund NATRUE activities including trade show attendance, label development, and daily running of the association.
2. Label Fees for Certified Products: Fees for the use of the NATRUE seal on finished products and raw materials, as outlined in Annex A of NATRUE Label Fees documentation.
3. Certification Body Annual Fees: Annual fees charged to NATRUE Approved Certifiers (NACs) for certification and accreditation bodies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NATRUE develops and maintains the NATRUE Standard (Version 3.9) for certifying natural and organic cosmetics and raw materials, and licenses the NATRUE Label as a quality seal. Certification is performed through a global network of independent NATRUE Approved Certifiers (NACs), with NATRUE charging formula approval fees (250 euros per 2-year certificate) and label fees to brands and manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NATRUE Label Certification
• NATRUE Raw Material Certification
• NATRUE Formula Approval
• NATRUE Approved Certifier (NAC) Program
• NATRUE Public Certified Products Database

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,400 NATRUE-certified cosmetics and raw materials
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bio Innovations Europe (World Bio Markets)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026Partnership announced April 2026. Bio Innovations Europe is part of World Bio Markets, focused on bio-based innovations in the beauty and cosmetics sector.
• One Planet Network - Consumer Information for SCPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership since 2019. One Planet Network is a UN-based network promoting sustainable consumption and production. NATRUE contributes expertise on consumer information for sustainable consumption in the beauty sector. Natural Cosmetics Week is a recognized project in the One Planet Network's Wissenszentrum (knowledge centre).
• Weleda AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of NATRUE (2007). Weleda is the world's leading manufacturer of certified natural and organic cosmetics with 23 companies worldwide. Contributed to the development of the NATRUE Standard and Label with nearly 100 years of experience in natural cosmetics.
• PRIMAVERA LIFE GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of NATRUE (2007). German natural and organic aromatherapy and cosmetic company with over 300 products. Pioneer in natural and organic essential oils, plant oils and hydrosols, contributing expertise to NATRUE's development.
• WALA Heilmittel GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of NATRUE (2007). One of the largest manufacturers of authentic natural and organic cosmetic products in Europe, contributing to NATRUE's founding and standards development.
• LaveranacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of NATRUE (2007). Contributed to the creation of NATRUE as one of the pioneers of natural and organic cosmetics in Europe.
• LOGOCOScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of NATRUE (2007). Contributed to the creation of NATRUE as one of the pioneers of natural and organic cosmetics in Europe.
• CEPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of NATRUE (2007). Contributed to the creation of NATRUE as one of the pioneers of natural and organic cosmetics in Europe.
• URBIOFIN ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean project partnership started in 2017 to transform solid urban waste into eco-sustainable packaging. NATRUE's role is to coordinate with NATRUE members to provide input for the development of innovative packaging for cosmetic use.
• UK Sustainable Beauty CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Mark Smith, Director General of NATRUE, is co-chair of the UK Sustainable Beauty Coalition under the British Beauty Council, contributing to sustainability standards in the beauty industry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• COSMOS-standard (COSMOS Organic / COSMOS Natural): International non-profit standard for natural and organic cosmetics, backed by five European certification bodies (BDIH, Ecocert, ICEA, Soil Association, Cosmebio). Most direct competitor to NATRUE in defining criteria for natural/organic cosmetic certification.
• Ecocert Greenlife: France-based certification body that issues Natural and Organic Cosmetic certifications and is a co-owner of COSMOS. Overlaps directly with NATRUE on natural/organic cosmetics certification and operates its own commercial certification program.
• BDIH (Bundesverband der Industrie- und Handelsunternehmen): German industry association that established the 'BDIH Natural Cosmetic Standard' for certified natural cosmetics. Founding member of COSMOS and a direct alternative to NATRUE in the German-speaking market.
• ICEA (Istituto Certificazione Etica e Ambientale): Italian ethical and environmental certification body offering natural and organic cosmetics certification. COSMOS co-owner with overlapping geographic and segment focus to NATRUE.
• Cosmebio: French professional association for natural and organic cosmetics that maintains the Cosmebio label and is a COSMOS co-owner. Direct competitor to NATRUE in the French market with comparable criteria-based certification.

Broad incumbents

• Soil Association Certification: UK-based organic certification body with a Health & Beauty standard for cosmetics. Co-owner of COSMOS and offers broader organic certification beyond cosmetics; comparable scope and not-for-profit governance.
• USDA Organic (USDA Agricultural Marketing Service): U.S. government organic certification program covering food and personal care products made with organic agricultural ingredients. Comparable organic certification authority but with broader scope than NATRUE's cosmetics focus.

Emerging players

• EWG (Environmental Working Group) - EWG Verified: U.S. non-profit that runs the EWG Verified mark for personal care products, focused on ingredient transparency rather than natural content. Comparable mission (consumer trust / anti-greenwashing) but different technical approach.

Others

• Leaping Bunny (Cruelty Free International): International cruelty-free certification for cosmetics, covering animal-testing-free claims. Adjacent trust-mark category that competes for label real estate on packaging alongside NATRUE.
• Fair Trade USA: U.S. non-profit certifying ethical sourcing and fair trade claims across multiple product categories including personal care ingredients. Comparable certification-mark business model focused on consumer trust and supply chain verification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@natrue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/natrue
• Xx.com/natrue
• Facebookfacebook.com/NATRUE

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association