ABOUT eOil.co.za PRODUCT RANGE and SUPPLIER’ CERTIFICATIONS.
eOil.co.za is an on-line RETAIL SHOP that supplies under our own brand, a range of 100% pure, natural, and organic raw ingredients obtained directly from plants and minerals (clays).
We (eOil.co.za) source these precious raw ingredients both locally, in South Africa, and all around the world, solely from certified producers and suppliers.
We (eOil.co.za) also offers a range of manufactured products that are selected based on their natural and/or Organic active raw ingredients. We select our personal care, cosmetic bases, and phyto-products (Aloe vera gels, tinctures, etc) by following the standards for natural cosmetics set forth by ISO 16128-1:2016 natural, COSMOS and SOIL. The labs and manufacturers of those finished products are certified by third party internationally recognized official organisms (Kiwa, Ecocert, etc..) and adhere to the ethos of Good Manufacturing Processes, Fair and sustainable sourcing and trade, environmental protection and conservation, cruelty free.
Being in vast majority plant and mineral based, eOil.co.za products are Vegan suitable.
(exception for beeswax and propolis extracts).
eOil.co.za suppliers’ certifications demonstrate our commitment to provide our customers with high-quality, natural, organically cultivated, harvested, and processed raw ingredients and, when applicable, manufactured products.
100% Natural and Organic Standards
Across our product ranges, eOil.co.za adhere to the natural and organic standards set forth by official and recognized certifying Body. These standards include:
- The use of organic farming practices, which prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
- The Respect of the ecosystem and the promotion of biodiversity with sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
- The maintenance of soil health and fertility through organic farming methods.
- The respect of international human rights, labour laws and children labour protection laws (fair working conditions).
- The respect of local livelihood rights, traditions, intellectual properties, and the impact of good agricultural practices for local population betterment.
- The humane treatment of animals (if applicable).
Our Suppliers Certification Process
eOil.co.za suppliers’ certifications involve rigorous assessments by official and recognized certifying body world-wide.
“A certification is the confirmation of certain properties of a product or process, provided through external reviews and assessments, by an accredited body to evaluate and verify the characteristics, properties, quality, qualifications, or condition of the products. The accredited body certifies this in writing and issues a certificate. The assessment and verification are carried out in accordance with applicable requirements, standards, and regulations.
Certifications are usually delivered to direct handlers or producers of raw products, or to manufacturers of transformed products. Producers, manufacturers, and handlers who wish to be certified must make the request and pay for their certifications to be maintained and renewed. Those incumbent extra costs explain why many independent small producers or manufacturers do not always carry organic certifications even though they ethos, traditions, practices, and processes are fully “organic”.
These assessments include:
- On-site inspections of our suppliers’ facilities and farms.
- Review of our suppliers ‘production methods (GMP) including sourcing of raw materials (solvents, etc…)
- Analysis of records to ensure established and continuous compliance with International organic standards.
Based on our suppliers ‘current certifications, and to the best of our knowledge, the products sourced and sold by eOil.co.za meet the organic standards and criteria as established by:
For SOUTH AFRICA, For AFRICAN and MIDDLE EAST countries: our suppliers have 100% natural and 100% organic certifications for organic production Standard equivalent to Article 29(1) of Regulation (EC)No 834/2007
- Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie GmbH;
- BCS ÖKO-garantie ZA-BIO 141EU and NOP.
- Accreditation by Dakks,
- Verification by Bureau veritas.
For INDIA, INDONESIA, JAPAN: our suppliers have obtained 100 % natural and 100% organic certifications from:
- GREENCERT-NPOP/NAB/0033 (Organic production),
- NOP (Technical standards USA)
- ONECERT-USDA ORGANIC/USDA organic regulations, 7 CFR Part 205.
- SGS India (certification Body)
- JAS (Japan)
For COUNTRIES IN THE EU and CONTINENTAL EUROPE (France, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Croatia etc...), TURKEY, BRAZIL (and other South American countries), The USA and CANADA our certified suppliers meet the 100% natural and /or 100 % organic standards and criteria as established and verified by:
- ECOCERT (France),
- COSMOS for use in COSMOS Organic or COSMOS Natural cosmetics.
- BDIH (Germany),
- COSMEBIO (France),
- ICEA (Italy)
- AGROCERT,
- CERTIPAQ BIO,
- BUREAU VERITAS,
- BIOTEK AGRICULTURE
- USDA 100% organic
- USDA 100% natural
- PRODUTO ORGANICO(Brazil)
The European Organic agriculture certification guarantees that our EU and North American suppliers uphold:
◦ Our earth Climate and environment protection.
◦ The Conservation of soil fertility.
◦ The Preservation of biodiversity.
◦ The respect for natural cycles and animal welfare.
◦ The absence of use of chemical and synthetic products.
◦ The absence of GMO.
◦ a Transparent labelling for consumers
For THE UK: 100 % organic: our certified suppliers meet the organic standard and criteria as established by both the SOIL ASSOCIATION and COSMOS
MORE INFORMATION ON EOIL PRODUCTS ACROSS THE RANGE:
THE QUALITY OF OUR PRODUCTS
What we mean when we say that OUR ESSENTIAL OILS AND ABSOLUTE OIL are:
100 % natural means from nature. Plants and mineral (clays) origin only. No synthetic molecules added. And as per ISO standards “Ingredients obtained from fossil fuels are excluded from the definition”. See more info below.
100% pure means not blended with other oils or other products. What is in the bottle or container is 100 % extracted from the plant mentioned only.
100 % whole means no chemical process involved to denature the extract. The product obtained is complete, not manipulated, transformed, or rectified. The extract retains the same biological (chemical) signature of the natural resource it was extracted from.
Organic means that the plant from which the extract is obtained, is grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation.
Organic, wild, or organically crafted?
Before the birth of Organic labels and certifications, herbs and plants that were harvested in nature, free of herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals were referred to as “Wild harvest or Organically Crafted”.
Wild Crafted botanicals are often not cultivated and, when they are grown in exploitations, they are left to grow naturally, never chemically treated. They are harvested in their wild state. These wild products are native and organic by nature. They retain the attributes of plants grown in their original habitat. And as nature does not create standards, seasonal and climates variations, soils, altitude etc… are reflected in the chemical build of the plants. Some people prefer the wild crafted origin products as they are the closest to their un-processed natural originator.
Certified Organic herbs and plants are usually grown under ideal conditions on farm, exploitations, Agro forestry. Plants are produced and monitored according to environmental and health safety standards without harmful pesticides, fertilizers, or genetic modifications (GMO =genetically modified organisms), to enhance their growth or chemical performances. Growers who follow these standards across the line of production may wish to advertise their practices and ask for inspections by official and recognized certification body (independent or state). The organic label that is granted, is a guarantee of constant healthy quality and practices. Organic plants are grown under monitored conditions, but not necessarily in their natural habitat. They can be more standardised across the line, and they may therefore not express all the natural variations of their wild crafted counterpart.
Our carrier oils are "Virgin" plant oils, obtained by simple 1rst cold pressure. When they do undergo any subsequent treatment (deodorization, refining...), it will be mentioned on the label. For our butters, the same is called "Raw."
A few of our butters are Refined, in a traditional style, by using steam or vacuuming to eliminate or soften stronger smells and, charcoal filters to yield a more stable, extra-filtered butter. These refined butters are sometimes preferred by people with sensitive or reactive skins. Their shelf life is longer because some of the compounds that may promote the rancidity of the oils or butters have been eliminated.
Kind to bees means that our bees wax come from local small producers or co-op, who use sustainable beekeeping practice. These local, passionate, respectful, and respectable beekeepers would never destroy their beehives or their bees, and they always leave enough honey for their bees to eat. They collect the wax at the end of the season when bees cap the honey. People and bee work to their mutual benefit.
South African or African origin means that the products come from local (South Africa) or continental (Africa) small growers, producers, manufacturers and suppliers certified by Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie GmbH; KIWA BCS ÖKO-garantie ZA-BIO 141EU and NOP.
Many of our local producers/distiller are also trusted on the international market and export their top-quality raw ingredients. They carry Ecocert/COSMOS, USDA certifications for their essential oils, hydrosols, and carrier (vegetable) oils/butter that we source locally. Those extracts are obtained from wild-grown and non-sprayed sources.
ABOUT OUR PRODUCTS:
A plant ESSENTIAL OIL is the concentrated volatile oil obtained by extracting the essence naturally produced within that aromatic plant, by process of steam distillation or extraction (for Citrus peels). Essential oils are volatile and when in contact with the air, they evaporate quickly.
For good storage and to extend the shelf life of your oils, keep your essential oils in dark (in their amber bottles), cool areas (fridge is perfect), tightly closed (with the euro dropper provided= less/no contact with oxygen)
For more on essential oil and what they are, how to use them, and the safety recommendations.
HYDROSOLS (sometimes referred to as floral waters or hydrolats) are a co-product of essential oils. They are the condensate result of steam distillation of plants or flowers produced when extracting an essential oil. The top floating essential oil layer is removed and the remaining 90% of the liquid, still charged with aromatic molecules, is called the hydrosol. We choose to offer Hydrosols that are the 100 % pure, natural, steam distillation co-products. Being water-based products and thus, more prone to bacterial degradations, some of our hydrosols come to us with natural preservatives. They are added by the distillers, right after the distillation process (the EU as made this a rule). When this is the case, we choose hydrosols that are preserved with Ecocert/ cosmos approved ingredients- meaning that these preservatives are of natural origin and safe for health, consumption, and the environment. Hydrosols must be kept refrigerated in warmer climates, and once opened, if without preservatives, must be used within 6 months.
ABSOLUTES: are very concentrated “essence” or extracts, from plants whose fragile, viscous, or scarce aromatic compounds may become damaged by traditional steam distillation or hydro-distillation.
Flowers, petals, roots, mosses, or resins are first macerated (“Enfleurage”) in fatty or wax base (solvent) who absorb and dissolve their aromatic constituents. This aromatically charged extract is decanted, filtered, and concentrated under low pressure-vacuum distillation, then cooled. The resulting highly fragrant, concentrated, aromatic waxy paste is called a Concrete (for fresh flowers) or a Resinoid (for dry resins, roots, mosses etc..). The concrete or resinoid is then further washed in successive alcohol (solvent extraction) baths, filtrated and the alcohol is vacuum evaporated. The result is a pure, concentrated plant essence called an Absolute.
eOil.co.za offers only Absolutes oils that are organically extracted with plant-based solvents and the entire process is hexane free. This ensures that our Absolute oils can be used for aromatherapy purposes (no residual, potentially harmful solvents) and in all natural cosmetics applications.
CARRIER OILS or fixed oils are oils obtained by 1rst cold pression of the seeds, kernels, or nuts of plants with high oily properties. In skincare, their play a key role at providing crucial fatty acid, vitamins. They are moisturizers and skin protectors par excellence. In aromatherapy, their function is to dilute and carry the qualities of essential oils to the skin. Carrier oils are not volatile, they stay on the skin longer, and by contrast with essential oils are thus called “fixed oils”. A BUTTER is the solid form of an oil.
MACERATED (INFUSED) OILS. Some plants that are neither aromatic (so it is not possible to extract essential oils from them) nor oily (so no carrier/vegetable oil can be expressed), have nonetheless very interesting properties, in health, well-being, aromatherapy or for skin care and cosmetic applications.
One traditional and ancient method to extract, preserve and benefit from these properties is to macerate the plant, whole or in parts, in a natural vegetable oil.
Chopped or powdered plants material are immersed into a neutral carrier oil, usually Sunflower oil (Sesame oil, Grapeseed oil, Jojoba oil and Almond oil are also sometimes used) and left to seep and extrude for several days (traditionally in the sun but modern low heat methods are often used nowadays). The maceration oil is regularly agitated and then filtered out to leave only an oil charged with the plant beneficial qualities. They become "boosted" carrier oils called macerated oils that are also 100 % pure and natural products. For more on Carrier or Macerated oils and Butter. Please check our numerous dossiers on the subject under Information> Carrier oils or, click on how to use carrier oils, macerated oils and butters
PHYTO RANGE:
DRY HERBS, SINGLE HERBS and SPICES, to bring the best of nature we also offer an ever-growing choice of high-quality air-dried single herbs and spices and ready to enjoy fruit teas mixtures, in whole, cuts, in powder, and in capsules (veggi-caps) form. Our herbs are enjoyed traditionally as herbal and healthy teas or tisane, culinary herbs, spices, superfoods and as active ingredients in home personal care and natural cosmetic solutions. Our dry herbs are of course 100% natural, cultivated without harmful pesticides, and are either guaranteed Organic through our suppliers’ certifications or wild crafted. Herbs are often seasonal products, harvested at their peak aromatic and active properties production. The herbs are air dried under monitored low heat (<38°C), untreated, non-irradiated and no preservatives or additives are added:
HERBAL TINCTURES AND LIQUID HERB EXTRACTS: Another very traditional way to extract active ingredients from plants trough maceration, is by making plant tinctures or extracts. Tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts in liquid form, that typically have alcohol as the solvent. When any other solvent is used (water, vinegar, or glycerine) the product is called a liquid herbal extract.
After maceration of plant raw material (time varies according to plant material), the herbal infused liquid is filtered and ready to use. The manufacture process follows the strict German method of extraction. Our entire range of Liquid herbals is manufactured in controlled laboratories and is of Pharmaceutical Grade.
Tinctures and liquid plant extracts are very convenient and easy to use straight or in liquids ((a few drops under the tong or in water, teas, juices…).
We offer alcohol-based extracts/Mother tinctures (extracted in Ethanol- exclusively from plant sources) and Glycerine based herbal extracts (hydro glycerol/ vegetable glycerine+water. The Glycerine used is exclusively from plant sources)
NATURAL COSMETICS & PERSONAL HYGIENE:
BASES: this is our range of natural, neutral, pH balanced, and stable cosmetic creams, lotions, liquid soaps and bars, shampoos, and conditioner products. They are designed to be suitable even for the most sensitive and allergy prone skins. They are organic certified from the Soil Association (UK) and contain a minimum of 80% of Organic ingredients, a 99% ingredient of natural origin certification by Ecocert. Our bases have been specifically formulated by our suppliers with customization in mind and they are all already preserved with organic COSMOS and Ecocert approved mild preservatives. All they require is the addition of pure essential oils and other natural ingredients (Carrier oils, butters…). They are Fragrance, Sulphate, Paraben and for some Salt free.
NATURAL FRAGRANCE OILS: we also offer a limited choice of 100% Natural, Plant-Based Fragrance Oils. These blends are created by perfumers using only pure natural essential oils and extracts (absolutes), and aromatic isolates derived solely from natural, raw botanic ingredients. Our natural fragrance oils are 100% concentrated, undiluted, natural fragrance oils, free of any diluents and solvents. Our Natural Fragrance Oils are fully compliant with the strictest IFRA (International fragrance Association) and RIFM (Research Institute for Fragrance Materials) regulations, and are vegan, cruelty-free, vanillin free, phthalate free and paraben free. Natural Plant Based Fragrance Oils can be used in a wide range of personal care formulations, perfumes, soap, and candle making and aromatherapy (olfaction, ambiance diffusion) applications when synthetic ingredients are not desired. Natural fragrances can of course be mixed with other pure essential oils, absolutes, and other natural fragrances to create your own new aromas or perfumes.
MORE INFO/USEFUL LINKS
https://www.cosmos-standard.org/en/
Excerpt Standard ISO 16128-1:2016 (Definitions for ingredients) Natural ingredients
2.1 General Natural ingredients are cosmetic ingredients obtained only from plants, animals, micro-organisms or minerals, including those obtained from these materials by — physical processes (e.g. grinding, drying, distillation), — fermentation reactions occurring in nature and leading to molecules which occur in nature, and — other procedures of preparation including traditional ones (e.g. extraction using solvents) without intentional chemical modification (Annex A includes the definition of solvents and the categories of extracts using solvents for ingredient processing and manufacturing). The following materials, and materials originating from them, shall be considered to fall under the general heading of natural origin: a) plants including fungi and algae; NOTE 1 Ingredients coming from genetically modified plants can be considered as natural ingredients in certain regions of the world. NOTE 2 In the context of these guidelines, the term “herb” can be used as a synonym for the word plant. b) minerals; c) animals; d) micro-organisms. Ingredients obtained from fossil fuels are excluded from the definition.
OUR PRICING STRUCTURE
We take great pride in offering high-quality products at affordable prices.
Quality and Purity
Our essential oils are 100% pure, with no additives or dilutions. We maintain strict quality control measures to ensure the purity and potency of every bottle we sell.
Cost-Effective Sourcing
We have established strong relationships with reputable suppliers and farmers worldwide, allowing us to purchase high-quality essential oils at competitive prices.
By buying in bulk and maintaining efficient supply chains, we can significantly reduce our costs.
Fair Pricing Strategy
Unlike some companies, particularly Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) organizations, we don't inflate our prices to cover extensive marketing campaigns or complex distribution networks.
Our pricing reflects the true cost of the product plus a reasonable margin to sustain our business.
Cutting Out the Middlemen
We operate on a direct-to-consumer model, which eliminates multiple layers of intermediaries.
This approach allows us to pass the savings directly to our customers.
Efficient Operations
By optimizing our operations and embracing technology, we've reduced overhead costs without compromising on quality.
This efficiency enables us to offer premium products at more accessible price points.