Green Seal unveiled a new brand identity to help consumers cut through greenwashing and identify products that are safer for people and the planet.

Since pioneering the ecolabeling movement 35 years ago, Green Seal has transformed the sustainability of away-from-home products through widespread adoption of its comprehensive certification standard by government and institutional purchasing leaders. Now, the ecolabel is turning its expertise to the household products market.

The new identity is the first step in Green Seal’s commitment to taking bold action to align the consumer-packaged goods and retail communities on the core elements of safer and more sustainable products, officials said. These core elements include safer chemicals, responsible sourcing, low-impact manufacturing, sustainable packaging and verified performance and claims. Defining and driving consensus on criteria for these elements across the industry, officials say, is a key step in reducing confusion in the marketplace that hinders consumers from putting their wallets where their values are.

Addressing a Mature Marketplace

“Green Seal has been a driving force and a champion for consumer and environmental safety for 35 years,” said Doug Gatlin, CEO of Green Seal. “We designed our new brand identity to address a much more mature marketplace for safer and more sustainable products than existed when we launched. This identity is an outward reflection of our deep commitment to providing clarity, transparency and meaningful impact to the growing segment of consumers seeking more sustainable options.”

Green Seal’s comprehensive standard has become increasingly vital as consumers grow more concerned about the health and environmental impacts of everyday products. According to an independent survey conducted by ERM Shelton in 2024, 75% of people globally say that buying and using eco-friendly products is an important part of their personal image, and 76% of the global population is very or extremely concerned about the use of harmful chemicals. Additionally, 64% of US consumers find third-party green certifications moderately to extremely important when purchasing a product.

Green Seal designed its new identity with leading brand consultancy Interbrand and extensive input from consumer-packaged goods brands, retailers and consumers. The development process included two national consumer surveys to identify the product attributes shoppers most value, their knowledge, sentiments and needs regarding certifications, and their reactions to the new Green Seal mark.

The new certification mark includes a descriptor to educate consumers on what Green Seal certification means, which the organization’s research shows help improve shopper understanding of the purpose of ecolabels. Brands can use the descriptor to convey that their Green Seal-certified product “meets a high standard for protecting people and the planet.”

Green Seal will showcase the new brand identity at Sustainable Brands 2024 in San Diego. A principal sponsor of the event, Green Seal will host a breakfast panel discussion on Oct. 16 geared toward brands and retailers on “Solving the Biggest Problem with Sustainable Products.”