Editorial Policy
Last updated: June 5, 2026.
nontoxicnook 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 contact, chemical flame retardants, undisclosed fragrance, optical brighteners, and phthalates are hard exclusions; third-party certifications strengthen the case but never substitute for verifiable disclosure.
Sourcing
Claims about ingredients, materials, certifications, and brand practices are sourced from:
- The brand's or manufacturer's own product pages, spec sheets, technical data sheets, and SDSs.
- Third-party certification bodies (GOTS, GOLS, OEKO-TEX, MADE SAFE, EWG Verified, GREENGUARD Gold, USDA Organic, and similar).
- Peer-reviewed scientific literature and government regulatory databases (EPA, FDA, ECHA, NIH/PubChem, etc.).
- Direct correspondence with brands when public disclosure is incomplete.
Sources are cited inline where appropriate.
Verification and freshness
- Each product listing has a "Last verified" date. We re-check formulation, availability, and certification status periodically.
- 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
All articles list the author. Editor's notes are added where appropriate. We do not publish anonymously and we do not publish content authored by an AI without human editorial review and sign-off.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
The site is run by a small team. We disclose material conflicts of interest where they exist (for example, a brand operated by a personal connection). We do not hold paid positions, equity, or board seats with brands we cover.
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.