Vegan Society sunflower
What it looks like
A stylised sunflower with the word Vegan beside or beneath it.
What it means
The registration covers the whole supply chain, including processing aids that never appear in the ingredient list — isinglass in beer, bone char in some refined sugar, animal-derived rennet, shellac glazes. It also requires that neither the product nor its ingredients were tested on animals by or for the company. Because "vegan" is not a legally protected term in most markets, an unregistered vegan claim is checked by nobody, and cross-contamination warnings can still appear alongside the registered mark since the standard addresses ingredients rather than shared production lines.
Defined by Vegan Society trademark standards. Where a symbol differs between standards, the difference is described above rather than resolved — both versions are in circulation on real labels.
Other certification marks symbols
| Symbol | Means |
|---|---|
| Energy Star | The product meets US Environmental Protection Agency efficiency criteria for its category. |
| Fairtrade Mark | The certified ingredients were bought on Fairtrade terms, including a minimum price and a premium paid to the producer organisation. |
| OEKO-TEX Standard 100 | Every component of the textile was tested for harmful substances and passed. |
| Woolmark | The product is made from pure new wool and meets the Woolmark performance specifications. |
| NSF certification | Tested and certified by NSF against a public health or food equipment standard. |
| BSI Kitemark | BSI has tested the product and audits the factory that makes it. |
| GS mark (Geprüfte Sicherheit) | Tested safety — a German voluntary mark requiring independent testing and factory surveillance. |
| Kosher certification (OU and others) | A certifying agency attests that the product is kosher, often with a letter alongside for the category. |
| Halal certification | A certifying body attests that the product complies with Islamic dietary rules. |
| USDA Organic seal | At least 95% of the ingredients are certified organic under the US National Organic Program. |
| EU organic leaf | At least 95% of the agricultural ingredients are organic under EU rules. |
| Crossed grain (certified gluten free) | Independently certified to contain no more than 20 parts per million of gluten. |
| Leaping Bunny | Certified cruelty free: no animal testing by the company, its suppliers or third parties after a fixed cut-off date. |
Common questions
- What does the vegan society sunflower symbol mean?
- Registered with the Vegan Society: no animal ingredients and no animal testing at any stage.
- What does it look like?
- A stylised sunflower with the word Vegan beside or beneath it.
Related pages
- Leaping Bunny Certified cruelty free: no animal testing by the company, its suppliers or third parties after a fixed cut-off date.
- Vegetarian mark (India) In India, the product contains no animal-derived ingredient.
- Energy Star The product meets US Environmental Protection Agency efficiency criteria for its category.
- Fairtrade Mark The certified ingredients were bought on Fairtrade terms, including a minimum price and a premium paid to the producer organisation.
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Every component of the textile was tested for harmful substances and passed.
- Woolmark The product is made from pure new wool and meets the Woolmark performance specifications.
- NSF certification Tested and certified by NSF against a public health or food equipment standard.
- BSI Kitemark BSI has tested the product and audits the factory that makes it.
- GS mark (Geprüfte Sicherheit) Tested safety — a German voluntary mark requiring independent testing and factory surveillance.
- Kosher certification (OU and others) A certifying agency attests that the product is kosher, often with a letter alongside for the category.
- Halal certification A certifying body attests that the product complies with Islamic dietary rules.
- USDA Organic seal At least 95% of the ingredients are certified organic under the US National Organic Program.
Sources
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place