Editorial Policy — Nontoxic Nook

Last updated: June 5, 2026.

Nontoxic Nook is an independent editorial publication. This page describes how we research, evaluate, write, verify, and correct content — and what readers can expect from us.

Independence

No paid placements. Brands cannot pay to be included, ranked higher, or featured. There is no "pay-to-play" tier.
No paid coverage. We do not accept money in exchange for a review, a favorable mention, or a promise to publish.
Affiliate revenue does not influence inclusion. Where an affiliate program is available we may earn a commission on outbound purchases; this never determines what gets listed or how it is ranked. See the Affiliate Disclosure.
No exclusives or embargoes traded for coverage. Editorial scheduling is independent of brand requests.

Selection criteria

Products are evaluated against a published checklist documented on Our Promise. The short version: full ingredient or material disclosure is a precondition; PFAS, polyester and synthetic plastics in skin/food/sleep contact, chemical flame retardants, phthalates, bisphenols, PVC, formaldehyde and its releasers, undisclosed fragrance, intentionally added heavy metals, parabens, antimicrobial biocides, optical brighteners, ethoxylates carrying 1,4-dioxane, high-VOC finishes, and undisclosed nanoparticles are hard exclusions, alongside a further set of category-specific disqualifiers; third-party certifications strengthen the case but never substitute for verifiable disclosure.

Sourcing

I'm an informed consumer doing this in the open — not a scientist, a chemist, or a lab. Listings are built on what brands and independent certifiers publish, not on testing of my own:

The brand's or manufacturer's own ingredient lists, materials specs, and product disclosures.
Independent third-party certifications (GOTS, GOLS, OEKO-TEX, MADE SAFE, EWG Verified, GREENGUARD Gold, USDA Organic, and similar).
Reputable, publicly available information on the substances I exclude — why things like PFAS, phthalates, and chemical flame retardants are worth avoiding.
Direct questions to brands when their public disclosure is incomplete.

Sources are linked where appropriate.

Verification and freshness

Each product listing has a "Last checked" date. I periodically re-read the brand's current disclosure and certification status — by checking published information, not by lab testing — and update the listing.
When a brand changes a formulation, ingredient list, or material composition, the listing is re-evaluated against the criteria. Products that no longer meet the criteria are de-listed.
Where merchant availability changes (out of stock, discontinued), we update the listing or remove the affected affiliate link.

Authorship and attribution

Every article lists its author, and I personally review and sign off on everything published here — I'm Lucas Gruber, the founder and editor (more about me). I'm not a scientist; my standard is built on published ingredient and materials disclosure and independent, third-party certifications, not on my own authority. We don't publish anonymously, and we never publish AI-generated content without human verification and editorial sign-off.

Corrections policy

If we get something wrong, we fix it and say so.

Minor changes (typos, formatting) are made silently.
Substantive corrections (any change to a material claim about a product, brand, ingredient, certification, or safety statement) are noted at the bottom of the article with the date and a short description of what changed.
If a correction materially affects whether a product would have been included, we will reassess and, where appropriate, de-list.

To report a possible error, email hello@nontoxicnook.com or use the contact form. We aim to respond within a few business days.

Right of reply

Brands and manufacturers may submit a written response to anything we publish about them. Verified responses will be considered in updates and, where warranted, reflected in the article with attribution.

Conflicts of interest

Nontoxic Nook is run by one person — me, Lucas Gruber. I disclose material conflicts of interest where they exist (for example, a brand operated by a personal connection). I don't hold paid positions, equity, or board seats with any brand covered here.

AI use

We may use AI tools for drafting outlines, summarizing primary sources, or routine editing tasks. AI is never the source of any claim and never replaces verification against primary documentation. A human editor reviews and signs off on every published article.

Republishing and quoting

Short excerpts may be quoted with attribution and a link to the original article. Republication of full articles or substantial portions requires written permission — see the Terms of Service §5.

Contact

Editorial questions, source pitches, correction requests: hello@nontoxicnook.com.