Organic products are regulated by the USDA, whereas most "natural" products are not.
Natural and organic products are not the same, yet they are often grouped together. The former term is not regulated (except for meat and poultry), whereas the latter must adhere to rigorous certification requirements. Not limited to food and beverage products, organic and natural products span a variety of consumer categories.
Body & Beauty Products
"All natural" is a tricky term, since a product may contain only one natural ingredient and still read "all natural" on the label. Consumers might be led to believe that the product is safe, when in fact it could contain other harmful ingredients. The FDA defines "natural" as something that contains no preservatives or additives; other than this, there is no further regulation. Natural beauty, cosmetic and body products may take the form of lip balms with fruit and herbal essences, salt scrubs, goat milk soaps and salves. Products deemed "organic" must contain at least 95 percent organic materials and may feature a USDA Organic logo; those that say they are "made with organic ingredients" must contain between 70 and 95 percent organic materials and list up to three of them.
Food & Beverages
Natural and organic products have seen expansive growth in the food and beverage sector in recent years. "Natural" meats must be free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives and ingredients to qualify for the label; however, unlike organic products, they are not required to be raised a particular way. Organic foods must be grown and processed through organic farming methods that use no synthetic pesticides or bioengineered genes. Organic livestock must not be given hormones or antibiotics and must have access to the outdoors. US sales of organic food and beverages rose from $1 billion in 1990 to $24.8 billion in 2009. Popular in this category are organic fruits and vegetables, which saw an 11.4 percent increase in 2009 from the previous year. Most organic products are being sold in conventional supermarkets by mass market retailers, with natural retailers and farmers markets representing a smaller share of the market.
Clothing
In 2009, organic non-food sales went up by 9.1 percent. Purveyors of organic clothing might offer organic cotton baby clothes made of certified organic cotton; organic stuffed toys and accessories; organic bedding, as well as natural versions of these products; hemp and natural fiber clothing for men and women, sometimes featuring local designers and sweatshop-free manufacturing processes; organic T-shirts made from environmentally conscious water-based inks; organic hand-woven rugs; and recycled jewelry.
Household Supplies
Products for the home are becoming increasingly available in natural and organic varieties: natural products might include furniture polish made of unrefined beeswax and lavender essential oil. Cleaning products may be either natural or organic featuring gels, foams, soaps, liquids and nontoxic cleaning agents. Natural and organic general stores may offer many of these products in one place to simplify shopping. Gardening enthusiasts may find organic seeds and natural fertilizers, and pet-owners may avail of organic dog foods, dog beds made of hemp, and organic pet supplements at specialized pet supply stores.
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