The vetting database, in numbers

What every listed product had to clear

The 15 universal exclusions — any one of these disqualifies a product, no exceptions. Category-specific rules stack on top (see the full checklist).

• No PFAS. In any form — no coatings, no stain or water repellent treatments, no PTFE.
• No plastics or polyester. As a primary material in anything that contacts food, skin, or a sleep surface.
• No chemical flame retardants. No PBDEs, chlorinated tris, antimony trioxide, or boric acid.
• No phthalates. DEHP, DBP, BBP and the rest — including as undeclared fragrance carriers.
• No BPA or bisphenols. BPA and its substitutes. "BPA-free" is not a pass — the replacement has to be named.
• No PVC or vinyl. Including the plasticizers and lead or organotin stabilizers that come with it.
• No formaldehyde. Or its releasers — in composite wood, easy-care fabric finishes, and preservatives.
• No undisclosed fragrance. "Fragrance", "parfum" or "natural fragrance" as an opaque catchall. Named oils are fine.
• No heavy metals. No lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic or antimony as intentional inputs.
• No parabens. Methyl-, ethyl-, propyl- and butylparaben.
• No antimicrobial treatments. No triclosan, nanosilver, or pesticidal odor finishes on products that aren’t pesticides.
• No optical brighteners. The fluorescent whitening agents used in laundry and textile products.
• No 1,4-dioxane. No PEGs or ethoxylated surfactants unless residual testing is disclosed.
• No high-VOC finishes. No solvent-based coatings or adhesives; off-gassing categories need GREENGUARD Gold.
• No hidden nanoparticles. Nano titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in sprays and powders must state particle size.

Certifications across the database

A certification strengthens a listing but never substitutes for disclosure — and never overrides an exclusion.

• GOTS Certified — 144
• Oeko-Tex Standard 100 — 67
• EWG Verified — 56
• MADE SAFE — 38
• Greenguard Gold — 34
• OEKO-TEX Standard 100 — 25
• GOLS Certified — 18
• FSC Certified — 18
• USDA Organic — 18
• Leaping Bunny — 16
• Fair Trade Certified — 14
• B Corp — 12
• GREENGUARD Gold — 10
• Fair Trade — 7

What about the products that failed?

We don’t publish a rejection tally — a number without receipts would be theater. What we do publish: every product guide names what we passed on and exactly why, in its “What we passed on” section. Browse the guides or the full product index.