Vegan Verification Standards
Every product we recommend goes through our rigorous verification process. Here's how we ensure products are truly vegan and cruelty-free.
What Makes a Product Vegan?
A truly vegan product contains no animal-derived ingredients whatsoever. This includes obvious ingredients like leather, wool, and honey, as well as less obvious derivatives like carmine (from insects), lanolin (from sheep wool), and certain types of vitamin D3 (from sheep wool oil).
Common Hidden Animal Ingredients
- • Carmine / Cochineal (insect-derived red dye)
- • Lanolin (sheep wool oil)
- • Beeswax / Honey
- • Shellac (insect secretion)
- • Casein / Whey (milk proteins)
- • Gelatin (animal bones/skin)
- • Glycerin (can be animal-derived)
- • Stearic acid (can be animal-derived)
- • Vitamin D3 (often from sheep wool)
- • Keratin (animal hair/feathers)
Our Verification Process
Ingredient Analysis
We carefully review every ingredient in a product, cross-referencing against our database of animal-derived ingredients. We flag any ambiguous ingredients for further investigation.
Certification Check
We verify certifications from recognized organizations like Leaping Bunny, PETA, The Vegan Society, and Vegan Action. We confirm these certifications are current and valid.
Brand Communication
When ingredient sources are unclear, we contact brands directly. We ask about specific ingredients, manufacturing processes, and parent company policies on animal testing.
Supply Chain Review
For products making sustainability claims, we investigate supply chains and manufacturing practices. We verify that "vegan leather" is truly plant-based and not just plastic marketed deceptively.
Our Verification Badges
Products with this badge have been independently verified by SP Vegan. They hold valid certifications from recognized organizations and meet all our vegan criteria.
Products with this badge are confirmed vegan by the brand. We have reviewed their claims and found no animal-derived ingredients, but they may lack third-party certification.
What About Cruelty-Free?
Cruelty-free means a product and its ingredients were not tested on animals. This is separate from being vegan—a product can be cruelty-free but contain animal ingredients, or be vegan but sold by a company that tests on animals.
At SP Vegan, we only recommend products that are both vegan AND cruelty-free. We verify that:
- The finished product was not tested on animals
- Individual ingredients were not tested on animals
- The brand does not sell in markets requiring animal testing (like mainland China)
- The parent company has acceptable animal testing policies
Trusted Certifications
We recognize and trust certifications from these organizations:
Leaping Bunny
Cruelty-Free
PETA
Vegan & Cruelty-Free
The Vegan Society
Vegan
Vegan Action
Vegan
Report a Concern
If you believe a product we've reviewed isn't truly vegan or cruelty-free, please let us know. We take these concerns seriously and will investigate promptly.
Contact Us