LOGONA History
The story of LOGONA is closely associated with the rise of the
German natural marketplace, where the company today serves as a leading
supplier of natural personal care products.
During the 1970s, a wave of environmental consciousness and
activism rolled through Europe, giving life to many alternative
enterprises and political groupings. Organic agriculture, renewable
energy and environmental responsibility became the watchwords of this
movement. In 1975 in Hanover, Germany, a group of friends opened a shop
featuring the few available products that fit the values of this new,
green alternative movement. To expand their store’s selection, this
“Lorien Goods” group began to import products, and then to wholesale
these products to other stores. In 1977, they tried their hand at
manufacturing simple bodycare products, and the LOGONA idea was born.
Bodycare products manufactured and packaged from a broad
ecological standpoint resonated with a growing number of consumers. The
product line has steadily expanded over the years to meet growing
consumer interest. Today, over 200 natural personal care and cosmetic
products carry the LOGONA label.
Strict ingredient
quality standards have always been fundamentally important to LOGONA
product formulation and manufacturing. LOGONA products utilize the
highest quality, natural raw materials, such as premium vegetable oils
and waxes, herbal extracts and floral distillates derived from organic
agriculture and wildcrafting.
Aside from rigorous ingredient standards, LOGONA products must
also conform to industry leading ecological standards regarding minimal
resource consumption during manufacturing, and minimal and recyclable
packaging for the finished products.
Quality creates Trust
Manufacturing personal care products without synthetic
preservatives requires especially careful procedures to handle both raw
materials and finished products. Only the slightest contamination can
ruin an entire production run. LOGONA utilizes GMP (Good Manufacturing
Practice), the pharma-ceutical production standard, to guide its
manufacturing. In spring of 1999, LOGONA successfully completed an
“Environmental Audit” of its entire operation, conducted under mandate
of the German federal government.
More than 25 Years Continuity and Competence
Despite its steady growth, LOGONA has remained true to its
founding principles. Many personnel from those early days still work
with the company today. The collectively organized LOGONA employs more
than 140 full time employees, and places special emphasis on social
responsibility and fairness towards employees and community.
LOGONA product quality standards have continually improved to
correspond with advances in manufacturing know-how and more rigorous
ingredient standards. No advance in product quality, however, has come
at the cost of the company’s steadfast commitment to environ-mental
responsibility. The goal to make quality personal care products with
minimal impact on the planet and its resour-ces remains foremost.
Why German personal care products
anyway?
Manufacturing personal care products and cosmetics using
natural, herbal ingredients has very deep roots in Germany. Long before
the beginnings of LOGONA, German companies led the world in terms of
both quantity and quality for these products. The relatively new
generation of German natural manufacturers, among which LOGONA still
counts itself, stands firmly on the shoulders of this tradition.
Strong competition increases quality and stimulates
innovation
Many strong natural brands of personal care products thrive in
Germany, and new companies emerge with new brands every year. This large
group of suppliers, competing for the same consumers with similar
arguments for similar products, has helped create a very vibrant market.
To succeed, a supplier must first meet the high quality standards of
the competition. The products must also perform well to meet consumer
expectations. Finally, to remain successful, a German supplier must
continually innovate and keep pace with market developments.
The German natural
product industry enforces its own high standards
Despite the sometimes intense competition, German manufacturers
of natural personal care products have recognized that common interests
and values bind them strongly. For example, they have adopted a common
definition for the term “natural”, as it applies to personal care
products. Moreover, they have accepted a tough (and costly) enforcement
mechanism, overseen by the trade association BDIH. The BDIH “Certified
Natural” seal of approval is awarded only to products evaluated by
independent laboratories for compliance to the established natural
guidelines. This successful program has greatly increased consumer
confidence in the term “natural”.
Government controls protect consumers
Unlike the American FDA, which also establishes rules for
ingredients in personal care products, German governmental agencies
enforce their rules rigorously. For example, government agents visit
manufacturers regularly to inspect manufacturing procedures, and to take
product samples for testing. The testing includes checking the accuracy
of ingredient declarations printed on packaging. As a result,
fraudulent ingredient listings have been practically eliminated. By
contrast, accepting the truthfulness of American personal care products
requires from the consumer a leap of faith in the honesty of the
manufacturer.
Active media role
increases consumer confidence
The German consumer enjoys a high level of accessible, quality
information to assist in evaluating products. For example, the monthly
magazine, ÖKO-TEST, publishes critical reviews of consumer products from
natural and environmental standpoints. It analyzes leading brands from
both the natural and conventional marketplaces in terms of ingredients,
packaging, performance and price. The magazine has been a leading factor
in increasing German consumer awareness, manufacturer responsibility,
and product quality.
We oppose animal testing!
Logona products contain trusted, traditional, plant-based
ingredients recognized for generations as completely safe for the
intended use by humans. Testing takes place exclusively on human
volunteers. These tests accompany every Logona product, starting with
self-testing by research and development staff members, continuing with
similar staff testing during the microbiological stability trial period,
and finally culminating with rigorous, scientific testing on paid
volunteers under independent, dermatological supervision. Only after a
product has successfully passed each of these phases can it be
introduced to the marketplace.
Respect for people, animals, and environment is the basis of
our ethical self-image. For this reason we are actively engaged in the
movement to validate alternative test methods, which do not utilize
animals. We strongly believe that animal testing belongs to the past.
BDIH Certified Natural
Going beyond the talk
LOGONA has been a strong supporter of the European movement to
define and regulate the term natural personal care (“Naturkosmetik”).
Consumer confidence had suffered over the years because of its rampant
misuse by manufacturers. To address this problem, the German trade
association BDIH worked diligently to define the border between natural
and conventional personal care products. The BDIH formulated a set of
guidelines to which products must comply in order to receive the BDIH
Seal of Approval. Manufacturers must submit their nominated products to
an independent laboratory for analysis. If the lab results comply with
the guidelines, the product receives the BDIH Seal.
The BDIH current minimum requirements to receive the BDIH seal of
approval follow. More information is available at the following web
address: www.kontrollierte-naturkosmetik.de
The BDIH also recommends compliance with the following
supplemental criteria:
• full ingredient disclosure
• avoidance of genetically-engineered ingredients
• environmental responsibility regarding raw materials,
manufacturing, and packaging
• social responsibility regarding domestic employees and with 3rd
World suppliers of raw materials (Fair Trade)
1. Botanical Ingredients
Use of botanical ingredients whenever possible is encouraged.
Plants should be grown organically or wild-harvested, although
consideration is given for alternatives based on quality and
availability.
2. Animal Protection and Animal Testing
No testing on animals, whether conducted by the manufacturer or
outsourced to a third party, is permitted at any time. Ingredients not
on the market before 1/1/98 may only be used if they were not tested on
animals. Ingredients already on the market that were tested on animals
after 1/1/98 are disallowed, even if they were carried out by a third
party, by contract, with permission of the contracting buying agent or
by anyone legally or contractually connected with them. The use of
by-products from animal vertebrates such as spermaceti, tortoise oil,
mink oil, marmot oil, animal fats, animal collagen or fresh cells, is
not permitted.
3. Mineral Ingredients
The use of inorganic salts, such as magnesium sulfate, and
mineral ingredients, such as sodium chloride, is generally allowed. (See
exceptions under 5).
4. Restricted Ingredients
Emulsifying agents and surfactants may be used if they are
obtained by the hydrolysis, hydrogenation, esterification, or
trans-esterification of the following materials: fats, oils and waxes;
lecithin, lanolin, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides;
proteins and lipoproteins.
5. Unacceptable Ingredients
Synthetic coloring agents; synthetic fragrances, ethoxylated
ingredients; silicones; paraffin and other petroleum products. The
criterion for permitted fragrances is the ISO Norm 9235.
6. Preservatives
Certain preservatives identical to those found in nature are
allowed along with natural preservation systems for the safety and
stability of the product. These include: benzoic acid, its salts and
ethyl esters; salicylic acid and its salts; ascorbic acid and its salts;
benzyl alcohol.
7. Irradiation
Sterilization of natural ingredients and their cosmetic end
products through radioactive treatment is not allowed.
8. Independent laboratory certification
The independent testing institute Ecocontrol in Osterode,
Germany evaluates the compliance of the above criteria. Compliance with
the criteria is rewarded with the BDIH "Certified Natural Cosmetic"
seal.
Highlights: - Vegan and Gluten Free Selections
- BDIH Certified Organic Standards Used
- No Animal Testing, Cruelty Free
- Free of synthetic preservatives such as parabens, urea, bht...
- Free of Mineral Oil, Synthetic Fragrances & Dyes
|