BDIH

The BDIH or Federal Association of Commercial and Industrial Companies for Medicines, Dietetic Products, Dietary Supplements and Personal Care, is a non-profit association of manufacturing and distribution companies, established in Germany in 1996.

In collaboration with authoritative natural cosmetics manufacturers, the federal association BDIH has developed a directive for controlled natural cosmetics. On the basis of this directive, products in the field of natural cosmetics are checked at component level by independent testing institutes. Only products that meet the strict criteria of the directive are allowed to bear the BDIH control mark reserved for «controlled natural cosmetics».

Regular control of the products guarantees the consumer a natural product, which contains "really" what is indicated on its label.

Criteria:
- Plant raw materials: from controlled organic crops.
- Animal protection: Only animal raw materials produced by animals (e.g., milk, honey) are allowed.
The use of raw materials from dead vertebrates (e.g. whale fat, turtle oil, marmot fat, animal fat...) is not allowed.
No animal testing is carried out: neither during manufacturing, nor during the development or control of the final products, nor during the ordering process.
- Raw materials with reduced intervention: For the manufacture of natural cosmetics, only physical processes such as the extraction process with water, vegetable alcohol, carbonic acid, vegetable fats and oils are authorized. Enzymatic or microbiological processes from glycerin, as it is present in nature, are also allowed.
Ingredients can be extracted from natural substances such as fats, oils and waxes, sugar, starch, cellulose, proteins, polysaccharides and vitamins. These extractions can be done by hydrolysis, hydrogenation, esterification or other fissions and condensations.
For the microbiological safety of products, only certain preservatives in their natural state are allowed in addition to natural preservation systems.  In the case of the use of preservatives, it is mandatory to add: “kept with … [name of preservative]”
The permitted natural and biotechnological substances are determined by ISO 9235 standard.

The following materials cannot be used:
- synthetic organic dyes
- synthetic fragrances
- ethoxylated raw materials
- silicones
- paraffin and other petroleum products
- no radioactive radiation: it is not allowed to disinfect by radioactive radiation either plant or animal raw materials, or the finished product.

The BDIH also does not accept essential oils and vegetable oils not from organic farming certified by the AB label. In general, he insists more on the natural aspect of the product than on the organic aspect.

The label takes into account the overall commitment of a brand, if it wants to label one of its products, it is the entire range that must also be.