About the Standard

Scope

The standard applies to finished consumer products and their primary packaging. We focus on materials that contact the user or the contents during normal use.

Core criteria

1. Materials — Components in contact with users or contents are made from non-shedding, non-plastic, or engineered alternatives that do not generate microplastics under normal use.
2. Threshold — If plastics are unavoidable, documented evidence shows expected shedding is below our safe threshold for the product category.
3. Chemical safety — Materials are food-contact safe where applicable and free of intentionally added microbeads and microfibers.
4. Lifecycle — Normal cleaning, wear, and disposal do not introduce significant microplastic release compared with accepted alternatives.
5. Labeling — Clear user guidance on care and disposal to minimize microplastic generation.
6. Documentation — Bill of materials, supplier attestations, and test data where available.

We accept independent lab test reports if brands have them, but we do not require lab testing at this time.

What counts as "exposed"

A material is exposed if the consumer has direct physical contact with it during the product's intended use — for example, direct skin or mouth contact, or contact with food or beverages intended for human consumption. A material is not exposed if the consumer never directly contacts it during intended use, such as an internal mechanism fully sealed away from the product contents and the user's body.

Disqualifying materials are not permitted anywhere a consumer is exposed to them. A disqualifying material in a non-exposed component may still be acceptable if it presents no reasonably foreseeable risk of shedding, leaching, or otherwise releasing particles during normal use, storage, cleaning, or disposal.

• Not exposed, generally acceptable: an internal pump or dispenser mechanism fully sealed inside a container, never contacting the product formula or skin.
• Exposed: a container liner or seal that directly contacts the product formula before it's dispensed onto skin.
• Exposed: a gasket or seal inside food storage or kitchenware that directly contacts food.
• Not exposed, generally acceptable: an internal structural frame inside a household appliance, not touched by the user or by food.
• Exposed: the handle or grip surface of a tool or utensil, touched by hand during normal use.
• Not a use-contact surface, but still evaluated for shedding risk: outer shipping or secondary packaging discarded before use.

This definition currently addresses direct physical contact and does not yet address inhalation of fibers or dust; we may revisit this scope in a future update to these standards. Where genuine ambiguity remains about whether a component is exposed, or whether it presents a shedding risk, we resolve that ambiguity against certification — brands can submit additional documentation and request reconsideration of any such determination.

Disqualifying materials

A disqualifying material is a synthetic polymer that is organic, insoluble, and resistant to environmental degradation, consistent with how regulators commonly define synthetic polymer microparticles. This includes, without limitation:

• Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• Polystyrene, nylon, and acrylics (PMMA)
• Polyester and other synthetic fibers
• Microbeads and plastic glitter
• Synthetic film-forming polymers

Bio-based, bio-derived, and biodegradable plastics are treated as disqualifying material in the same way as conventional synthetic polymers, unless and until we determine otherwise based on credible independent research regarding their environmental and health profile. We may update this determination prospectively as research develops.

Product categories and thresholds

We maintain risk-based thresholds by category. Initial categories include: food and beverage contact, personal care accessories, textiles and apparel, household goods, and children’s items. Category sheets explain expected materials and acceptable alternatives. Thresholds will tighten as materials improve.

Maintenance and revisions

The standard is reviewed at least annually. Certified brands are notified of changes with a reasonable transition period.