Hello folks:
Thank you for stopping by. I learned something today I feel I must share with you. Apparently there is a bill out before our House of Congress. If passed, this bill, by its very requirements, will stamp out small manufacturers/businesses of handmade personal and natural cosmetics, like myself and thousands of others.
It seems, once again, Big Brother is trying to stamp out the little guy. I'm 54...I've seen this a quadrillion times. Corporations are feeling the loss of sales due to hundreds to thousands of small business owners/manufacturers who are doing better by the day. Why are they doing better and better? Because they are making safe and better cosmetics than the corporations - and more and more customers are realizing that.
Because I have seen this so many times is not saying we shouldn't act. In fact, we have to act. One day, the little guy is not going to take it anymore, and there will be no more Big Brother. But, for now, we have to fight this their way.
Among other things, this bill will call for 1. labeling to match the big corps that will include all trace elements so that a product that includes Olive Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Lavender essential oil would take up the space of an 8 1/2 x 11 paper...thus
Ingredients: Olive Oil (Tri-Glycerides of Palmitic, Di-Glycerides of Palmitic, Palmitoleic, Stearic, Oleic, Linoleic, Arachidic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Squalene, Beta Carotene, Campesterol, Methylenecholesterol, Stigmasterol, Sitosterol, Fucosterol, 28-Isofucosterol, Stigmadienol, Brassicasterol, 7-Cholestenol,Ergostadienol, Avenasterol, Triterpene Alcohols, Tirucallol, Taraxerol, Dammaradienol Beta-Amyrin Germanicol, Butyrospermol, Parkeol, Cycloartenol, Tirucalladienol, 24-Methlene 24-Dihydroparkeol, 24-Methlenecycloartanol, Cyclobranol, 4-Methyl Sterols, Esters of Tyrosol, Esters of Hydroxytyrosol, Vitamin E (Tocopherols), Carotenoids, Oleuropein) Cocoa Butter (Tri and Diglycerides of Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Lead, Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Isoleic Acid, Beta Carotene, p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid, Vanillic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Syringic Acid, Phenylehtylamine, Theophylline, Aliphatic Esters, Aromatic Carbonyls, Caffeine, Theobromine, Diketopiperazines and Alkylpryazines), Lavender Essential Oil ( Cineole Octanol, Octanone, Alpha Bisabolol, Alpha Cadinol, Alpha Humelene, Alpha Phellandrene, Apha Pinene, Alpha Terpinene, Alpha Terpineol, Alpha Terpinyl Acetate, Alpha Thujene, Alpha Thujone, Beta Bisabolol, Beta Pinene, Beta Thujone, Borneol, Bornyl Acetate, Camphene Camphor, Cineolealpha Terpineol, Carvone, Caryophyllene, Carophyllene Oxide, CIS Alpha Terpineol, CIS Alpha Bisabolene, CIS Carveol, CIA Linalol Epoxide, CIS Ocimene, Citronellal, Citronellol, Coumarine, Cuminaldehyde, Eugenol, Furfural, Geraniol, Geranyl Acetate, Geranyl Butyrate, Hexanol, Hexyl Tiglate, Isoborneol, Lavandulol, Lavandulyl Acetate, Limonene, Linanlol, Linalyl Acetate, Methyl Heptenone, Myrcene, Nerol, Neryl Acetate, Oleanolic Acid, P Cymene, Rosemarinic Acid, Sabinen, Terpinenol, Terpinolene, Trans Carveol, Trans Epoxy Linalyl Acetate, Trans Linanol Epoxide, Trans Ocimene, Ursolic Acid)
Now, I don't know about you, but my customers appreciate the fact that they can read my labels. This would take that right out the window. The Corps know this.
2. will also require a reporting to the FDA for things like...any hiring of personnel, when we change suppliers, who are distributors are, and all our recipes with no guarantee of confidentiality. What?!? Isn't this business rape? I won't be able to make product anymore, I will be inundated in paperwork. The Corps know this, also.
3. This bill is based on the concept that cosmetics are killing us. Are cosmetics killing us? And, if they are, wouldn't it be the big Corps who are responsible. The natural soap makers of today are relatively new to the cosmetic scene. But, we are getting the rap. And, what about diet, lack of exercise, stress, poor doctors, etc., to blame for bad health?
The link to the title of this blog takes you to a site developed just to fight this bill. You can just click on it, or copy and paste to the address bar. At this site, you can sign a petition against the bill, you can read the bill verbatim, and you can see those who have signed - some with their names and some anonymously.
Any and every signature is appreciated. I think the next step is to contact my own representative. Thank you for reading - kathleen
Oh, Kathleen! This is so sad! I know I have the same problem with my products for children. I can no longer put buttons on ANY hats unless its from the manufacturer that has had them tested for lead and phalates and has proved me with certification. And I can't put them on anything for kids under 3 because big manufacturers do a crummy job of sewing on buttons hand children have choked. I also have had to make and sew in special labeling, I can't use fake flowers or printed/metallic ribbon . . . its a nightmare! I wish they'd go after these big irresponsible companies and not us little guys who would NEVER cut corners or intentionally put anyone in danger.
ReplyDeleteYes, Monica, it is sad. It is because we are small that we are more conscious of what we put out - our customers see us and talk to us and know where to find us if they are not satisfied. And, we do it because we care about our product. Otherwise, and as a customer, we are just dealing with distributors who know nothing about the product. :(
ReplyDeleteI am late on reading this, but I want to say that this is a very cool post. I think some people do not realize that indie businesses could be potentially crushed if this act is passed. Thank you Kathleen, you are giving a voice to all who love or make handmade/natural products.
ReplyDeleteAer