Alpha-H has made their longstanding to delivering cruelty-free skincare to retail and professional beauty services clients official with their approval by the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny Programme, a globally recognised standard for cruelty free products.
As one of Australia’s leading cosmeceutical brands, Alpha-H achieved 25% growth YOY between 2016-2019. In July this year Alpha H released their Prescriptive Range for use in salons and clinics. They are best known for their innovative use of Glycolic Acid, an ingredient they have popularised in at-home care with their Liquid Gold treatment. The accreditation is a significant move for the brand: the vegan beauty market is projected to reach $21.4 billion by 2027 (Forbes, 2021) and cruelty free with conscious consumerism on the rise. While many brands claim to be cruelty free not all skincare brands receive accreditation by registered bodies, as the process is exhaustive.
What does cruelty free mean?
As outlined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) there is no standard legal definition for the term “cruelty free.” This means that brands can apply the term as they wish. This is why, for consumers serious about shopping in line with their values, approvals by regulatory bodies like Cruelty Free International and Leaping Bunny can be essential. For Leaping Bunny, key requirements are that neither the brand nor any of its suppliers or manufacturers may conduct, commission, or be party to animal tests of raw materials or ingredients, anywhere in the world. This exhausts opportunities to brands to claim “cruelty-free” status whilst outsourcing animal testing, or allowing off-shore animal testing of their products.
How does a brand receive Leaping Bunny approval?
Leaping Bunning approval provides one of the best assurances a consumer can get that a brand is doing everything it can to be cruelty-free.
To obtain Leaping Bunny approval a cosmetic or skincare brand must exhaust a number of requirements. These include a full audit of your supply chain for animal cruelty practices and the implementation of supplier monitoring systems. Leaping Bunny continually reviews their approvals – brands must demonstrate continued commitment to the Leaping Bunny criteria.
Fees for the approval are scaled to the gross sales of product and represent an ongoing financial commitment from the registered entity.
Alpha-H has implemented monitoring systems throughout their supply chain, as well as making regular checks for animal testing throughout their supply chain. They must also follow a fixed cut-off date policy and accept ongoing independent audits to ensure compliance.
Global Brand Manager Stephanie Forge says: “We are committed to creating skincare with a conscience. This touches everything from our sustainability efforts to our formulating principles and importantly includes respecting the natural environment and the animals within it. We are incredibly proud to be a part of the Leaping Bunny programme operated by Cruelty Free International who are driving change in this space at a global scale.”
About Cruelty Free International and Leaping Bunny
Cruelty Free International spearheads the campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics
globally. It is one of the world’s longest-standing and most respected animal protection organisations.
About Leaping Bunny:
Operated by Cruelty Free International, the Leaping Bunny Programme provides the best
assurance that a brand is doing everything it can to be cruelty-free. It is the globally recognisable gold standard of cruelty-free approval for cosmetics and personal care products.
The Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny is the only global cruelty-free approval programme to require a supplier monitoring system to be implemented by the brand, supply chain checking for animal testing right down to ingredient manufacturer level and ongoing independent audits to ensure compliance.
Alpha-H will include a symbol of their cruelty-free status on future packaging.
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