Why Choose Organic?

The Hidden Work Behind Organic Products: Benefits and Costs

Organic products often carry an air of purity. To the consumer, the certification logo on a jar of cream or a bottle of oil suggests something cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable. Yet behind that label lies a long and complex process involving soil, farming, paperwork, and many human hours of dedication. To understand the true value of organic products, one must look beyond the marketing to see the benefits and the costs at every stage.

Farming the Organic Way

At the heart of organic production is the soil. For land to be considered organic under COSMOS and other major certifications, it must not have been treated with synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, or other prohibited chemicals for a defined period, usually at least two to three years. This conversion period ensures that residues of conventional farming practices are minimised before organic crops are grown. During this time, farmers must already follow organic methods even though they cannot yet sell their produce as certified organic.

COSMOS standards also set rules on the physical positioning of organic farmland. If an organic plot is located next to conventional farmland, protective measures are required to prevent contamination from pesticide drift or fertiliser run-off. This is usually done through buffer zones, which are strips of land between the organic and conventional fields. These zones may have to be several metres wide and cannot be used for organic production. In effect, the farmer sacrifices some growing space to preserve the integrity of the certified organic crops.

To make this clear, the COSMOS requirements for soil and neighbouring land can be summarised as follows:

• Conversion period: Land must be free from prohibited synthetic chemicals for at least two to three years before being certified organic.

• Soil management: Farmers must maintain or improve soil fertility through natural means such as crop rotation, green manures, and composts.

• Prohibition of GMOs: No genetically modified organisms can be grown or used in organic farming.

• Buffer zones: Adequate protective zones are required if organic fields border conventional ones, preventing chemical contamination.

• Erosion and biodiversity measures: Farmers must protect soil structure and encourage biodiversity, often through hedgerows, wildflower strips, or natural pest management practices.

The benefits of these practices are significant. Healthy soils retain water better, chemical pollution in waterways is reduced, and biodiversity is encouraged through the return of pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects. Yet the costs are also substantial. Yields are often lower than conventional farming, crops are more labour-intensive to manage, and some productive land is lost to buffer zones.

Certification and Paperwork

Producing food or skincare ingredients organically is only part of the journey. To legally label a product as organic under COSMOS, a strict certification process must be followed. This requires extensive paperwork:

• Detailed records of seed and raw material origins.

• Statements from suppliers verifying organic status.

• Batch-by-batch traceability documentation.

• Environmental management policies.

• Inspections by independent certifying bodies.

Every step, from the farm to the finished jar, must be documented to ensure integrity. This creates a heavy administrative burden. For producers, this can mean hundreds of hours per year spent gathering certificates, filling in forms, and preparing for annual audits. These inspections are not optional; they are mandatory and repeated, ensuring ongoing compliance. The cost of certification itself is another financial strain, with fees due for initial approval and annual renewals.

Supply Chain Transparency

An organic label is not simply about one farm. For a skincare product to meet COSMOS standards, every ingredient within it must be traceable and certified. If even one oil, extract, or preservative cannot provide the proper organic certification, the finished product may not be eligible to carry the label. This requires producers to work closely with suppliers, ensuring every step of the chain, from soil to bottle, meets strict criteria.

The work here is invisible to most consumers. For manufacturers, it means constant communication with suppliers, requesting updated certificates, and maintaining detailed records that can be inspected at any time.

Why Organic Costs More

Given the extra land requirements, reduced yields, strict paperwork, and certification fees, it is no wonder that organic products are more expensive on the shelf. Yet the price reflects more than just the product inside. It represents an investment in sustainable farming practices, healthier ecosystems, and consumer trust.

There are also hidden savings to society: organic farming reduces the long-term environmental costs of chemical use, supports biodiversity, and often improves the welfare of farm workers by reducing their exposure to harmful substances.

The Human Element

Perhaps the most overlooked part of the organic system is the dedication of the people who make it possible. Farmers must endure years of conversion before their land can be certified. Producers must spend countless hours on paperwork and inspections. Certifying bodies must employ inspectors and auditors who verify every claim. The combined effort of these people creates the integrity behind the organic label.

A Balance of Value

Organic products are not simply “better” versions of conventional ones. They are the result of a philosophy that values sustainability, transparency, and responsibility. The higher cost is a reflection of both the benefits gained, cleaner soils, reduced chemical use, greater biodiversity, and the unseen work that ensures every organic label is trustworthy.

When you next see an organic certification on a product, it is worth remembering that behind it lies not just a field of crops, but years of careful soil management, buffer zones, inspections, certificates, and human dedication.