NSF/ANSI 305

NSF/ANSI 305 Certification for Personal Care Products

Summary: NSF/ANSI 305 is an organic certification standard specifically for personal care products. Products must contain at least 70% organic content, and a limited set of non-organic ingredients are allowed if they meet strict criteria.

Labeling, documentation, and formulation requirements are different from USDA Organic. Always submit labels and ingredient documentation to Oregon Tilth for review before use

What Is NSF/ANSI 305?

NSF/ANSI 305 is a voluntary certification standard for personal care products that contain organic ingredients. Unlike USDA Organic, it allows the use of some non-organic ingredients if strict criteria are met. This standard helps brands create products labeled as “Contains Organic Ingredients.”

Allowed Non-Organic Ingredients Under NSF/ANSI 305

Can you use non-organic ingredients in NSF/ANSI 305 products?
Yes. You can use non-organic ingredients in NSF/ANSI 305 products, but they must meet all of the following:

• Make up no more than 30% of the total product composition
• Not be produced using excluded methods (like GMOs)
• Be allowed on the USDA National List (unless only permitted for food use)
• Be classified as non-organic agricultural inputs
• Be botano-chemicals (plant-derived chemicals)

Tip: Some ingredients allowed under NSF/ANSI 305 are not permitted under USDA Organic. Always specify the standard used on your Master Ingredient List (MIL).

Required Documentation for Non-Organic Ingredients

To verify a non-organic ingredient is allowed, submit the following:

• NSF/ANSI 305 Ingredient Questionnaire (completed by the ingredient manufacturer)
• NSF/ANSI 305 Commercial Availability Form (when required)

Use the Commercial Availability Form when:

• An ingredient has commercial availability restrictions
• The ingredient is created by saponification, hydrolysis, or transesterification
• The ingredient is a botano-chemical

Download:
NSF/ANSI 305 Commercial Availability Form
NSF-ANSI Ingredient Questionnaire

Submit completed forms to your Oregon Tilth client service team.

Sourcing Organic Ingredients for NSF/ANSI 305 Products

You can source organic ingredients certified to either:

• USDA National Organic Program (NOP)
• European Union Organic Standards (EU Organic)

How to verify certificates:

• Use the USDA Organic Integrity Database to find accredited certifiers
• Visit the certifier’s website or contact them to validate current certificates
• Do not rely on transaction certificates as proof of certification
• For imports, check for additional regional requirements

Check out this presentation on the steps to verifying an organic certificate.

NSF/ANSI 305 Labeling Requirements

Required Label Elements

Your product label must include:

• Full ingredient list using INCI (International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients)
• Clear identification of ingredients as either:
  • Organic (per USDA NOP)
  • Contains organic ingredients (per NSF/ANSI 305)
• Certifier statement, such as:
  “Certified to NSF/ANSI 305 by Oregon Tilth”

Example Label Statement:
Aqua (Water), Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Sodium Coco Sulfate**, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein*, Benzoic Acid
* Organic, ** Contains Organic Ingredients

Optional Label Claims

You may include:

• “Contains Organic Ingredients”
• “Contains organic [ingredient names]” (maximum of 3 listed)
• Percentage-based claims like “X% Organic Ingredients”
• NSF/ANSI 305 logo
• OTCO logo (without the words “certified organic”)

Prohibited Label Claims

Do not include:

• USDA Organic seal
• The term “certified organic”
• Any suggestion of compliance with USDA Organic or other organic standards
• Any ingredient labeled “organic” if only certified as “contains organic ingredients”

Important: Always submit labels to Oregon Tilth before printing. Using unapproved labels can risk your certification.

Multi-Ingredient Products: Organic Percentage Calculations

All NSF/ANSI 305 products must be at least 70% organic. To confirm compliance, you must calculate the percentage of organic content.

What Counts in Your Calculation?

Include:

• All organic ingredients
• All non-organic ingredients (except salt, water, and mined minerals)

Exclude:

• Processing aids
  (See definitions below)

What Is An Ingredient vs. A Processing Aid

An Ingredient is a substance used in the product and still present in the final product.

It is considered a Processing Aid if it is:

• Removed during processing
• Transformed into naturally occurring constituents
• Present at insignificant levels with no function in the final product

Steps to Calculate Organic Percentage

• Update your Master Ingredient List (MIL)
  Ensure supplier certificates are current and ingredient names match.
• Fill out the Personal Care Product Formulation Sheet (PFS)
  Include all ingredients by exact name.
• List organic percentages
  Use your MIL and supplier certificates to identify percentage.
• Run the formula:

Total net weight or volume of combined organic ingredients* / Total weight of all combined ingredients*

Note: Always round down. For example, 94.7% becomes 94%.

Download:
Personal Care – Product Formulation Sheet

Submit to your Oregon Tilth client service team.

Requesting Logos and Label Review

Once your NSF/ANSI 305 application is submitted, you can request:

• The OTCO logo
• The NSF/ANSI 305 certification logo

Be sure to finalize your label composition before submission. Oregon Tilth will review and approve labels prior to use.

Download:
NSF Labeling Guide

Additional Support

If your product or ingredient question isn’t covered here, visit our Help Center\’s section on Understanding Organic Food Business Certification.

Many rules for food apply similarly to personal care products under NSF/ANSI 305.