Conversation between myself the consumer and Seventh Generation.  Conversation began on 5/13/12. Time is different than what appears. My name appears different than my user name on web site to protect my privacy.


  • 22 hours ago     Angel
    • I just recently purchased two products from your Company trying to be careful of synthetic additives for my family. Then I researched and found this article and threw them away=( My son is suffering from a learning disorder and is greatly improving just by removing synthetic additives in his diet, toiletries, and so I am even changing our cleaning products that use all natural ingredients as much as possible. It is not easy here in the US as the label are not at all clear and the ingredients you would need a science degree to discern. Here is the link I found concerning your Company when I Googled "Is Seventh Generation a Safe Product"?


  • 6 hours ago     Seventh Generation
    • Hi Angel- Thanks for getting in touch with us. Unfortunately I don't have a link on my end to check out the article that you had read, but I can try to answer a few questions pertaining to this. 

      We use mainly plant based ingredients oin our products. Most of our laundry, dish, and cleaning products range from 95%-97% plant based ingredients. That said, we do use a synthetic preservative in our products. 

      One of the reasons that we provide all of our ingredients on our labels and website, is so that our consumers know exactly what we put into the products. Our hope is that by doing so, we allow consumers to make an informed decision regarding what they bring into their homes, and use around their families. Products like ours require the addition of a preservative because microorganisms can actually sustain themselves by eating our plant based product. A preservative keeps microorganisms from contaminating and spoiling what would “go bad” rather quickly without one. While we aspire to transition to a natural preservative technology, at the current time we have not found a plant based preservative system that is effective enough to meet our standards for preservation and shelf life.

      In the mean time, we continue to use safe and effective preservatives in our products. Like all of our ingredients, our preservatives undergo a rigorous safety and environmental review and qualification before we approve them for use in products. We believe that it is your right to choose what is best for you and your family. To that end, we make our ingredients readily available for your review. Thank you for taking the time to let us know how you feel about our products, and I am sorry if they are no longer something you wish to use. 

      Should you have any questions about any specific ingredients that we use,feel free to continue this conversation, or please call 1-800-456-1191 to chat with our Consumer Team. They know the products in and out and can help answer any questions that you have about them. 

      Best-
      Heidi


  • 2 hours ago     Angel
    • Dear Heidi,

      Thanks so much for responding so quickly. I am sorry my link did not work, I am going to submit it again. Do you have plans to change your synthetic preservative to a natural one that is not toxic? I like the fact that your products are easy to find ~ I would be willing to pay more if it meant you were providing a safe product for my family.


  • about an hour ago     Seventh Generation
    • Hi Angel- No problem, that's what I am here for! I'm still having trouble opening this; I'm not sure why, my apologies. 

      To answer your question about non-synthetic preservative, we do aspire to transition to a natural preservative technology. However, at this time we have not found a plant based preservative system that is effective enough to meet our standards for preservation and shelf life. Our products currently have about a 2 year shelf life and are non-toxic.

      Please know that I will pass your feed back along, as it is always great to hear what our consumers want. I apologize that our products may not fit your needs at this time. Be sure to contact any company regarding any ingredients that spike your concern. There are no labeling requirements for cleaning supplies at this time, and companies are not required to divulge their ingredients to you. We show you the scientific name so that you can find out about the specific ingredient in question, for example we tell you that we use Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) instead of saying "plant-based surfactant". Also keep in mind that internet articles not based in peer-reviewed scientific research are unreliable. It is always good to consult ingredients in question through the Environmental Working Group's skin deep web site, http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/, to get a third party opinion. 

      I hope I didn't confuse you more with that information. I can get tricky to learn about what is toxic/non-toxic, and who to trust and not to trust. Please let me know should you have any further questions. - Heidi


  • 48 minutes ago     Angel
    • I am not confused with your response. In fact what you have responded is more than clear. I am very familiar with www.ewg.org. Again, I am sorry you were unable to open the link. It is from PLANETSAVE. They are making families aware that your product is in fact toxic because of the synthetic additive that allows it to remain on the shelf for 2 years. I find it alarming that your would advertise it as being "NATURAL", "SAFE AND EFFECTIVE", and then also says Our unique product is ((non toxic)), hypoallergenic and biodegradable. Well, then why did your products test result in chemicals that have been linked to cause cancer??

    • EWG Home | Environmental Working Groupwww.ewg.orgEnvironmental Working Group (EWG) works to protect kids from toxic chemicals in our food, water, air and the products we use every day. We use research to help create federal policies that protect our children, our health, and our natural resources.Share

  • 43 minutes ago     Angel
      • Hi Angel-

        Thank you so much for resending me the article. It worked this time! I am really happy that you did because the ingredient we once used containing 1,4 dioxane , Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), was removed from our products in 2009 ( shortly after this article was written). Once we became aware that our products did contain this carcinogenic ingredient, we changed our formulation. Our products no longer contain ANY 1,4 dioxane, or any contributing ingredients. We have not used SLES in about 3 years. 
        I hope that is helpful and somewhat reassuring. Here is a link to some product changes and improvements over the last few years including our elimination of 1,4 dioxane from our products,http://www.seventhgeneration.com/mission/healthy-products/product-improvements. 

        I'm glad that you were able to share the article with me. Please let me know if there is anything else that I can do to be of help, or if you have any further questions!

        Best,
        Heidi

    • 15 hours ago Angel
      • So what do you use as the synthetic additive to allow the products to sit on the shelves for 2 years? I see the list of inactive ingredients but which one is the actual preservative or are you not able to give that information?
  • I looked these up the ingredients methylisothiaazolinone, and found this link:http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=703935

    It does not sound safe when it may affect the function of the brain. Let's try benzisothiazolinone: DNA mutation, skin irritation, and is concidered toxic in another country? Hmmm....don't think I will be using it in my home. Young moms like myself will be telling others moms everywhere about your product. I look forward to your response.

  • METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE || Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database | Environmental Working Groupwww.ewg.orgAbout METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE: Methylisothiazolinone is a widely-used  preservative; has been associated with allergic reactions. Lab studies on the brain cells of mammals also suggest that methylisothiazolinone may be neurotoxic.
Dear Angel,
  • These are all great questions and it is great that you are looking so deeply into the products you are using! As I said before we do use a synthetic preservative system to maintain shelf-life quality in our products, and as you see we do use methylisothiaazolinone (MIT) and benzisothiazolinone (BIT) ranging from 0.02%-0.2% in our products. They would spoil rather quickly without this system. Here goes my attempt to explain our use of both MIT and BIT. Our scientists perform rigorous safety tests and research assessments of peer-reviewed studies prior to deciding on any ingredient for our products. There were 2 studies from a researcher in Pittsburgh that showed MIT neurotoxicity in cultured cells (in a test tube). These results have failed to have been replicated in another lab nor have had similar effects been seen in living organisms (including humans). The fact that this ingredient is so widely used with no human incidence of neurotoxicity suggests that the laboratory results do not apply to humans. The EWG lists this as a “low concern” ingredient.

  • In reference to skin irritation, most raw materials are irritating to skin if applied directly. It is true that these preservatives can be irritating if applied to skin at 100% concentration. The same can be said of other safe ingredients like lavender essential oil. When is comes to skin irritation, the most important factor is that all ingredients in a formula contribute to the skin safety profile. This is why we conduct skin safety testing with our formulas which show that as formulated, and used for their intended purpose, they are not irritating.  As for the DNA mutation, the data suggests that all experiments have been done in labs with exaggerated doses. The results were not a mutation, but rather, an up-regulation (multiplication) of gene expression. The increase in this particular gene will not cause harm as activity increases. 

    I hope that this information is helpful to you. I'm here if you have more questions! 

    Best,
    Heidi  
  • Dear Heidi,

    Thank you for your response. Your product says it is natural and that it is safe. The information listed here by EWG gives evidence that it is not all natural and not safe and potentially toxic. You can twist it and tie it up in a pretty bow and say it like you want but facts are facts. One of these has been banned in another country. I'm not willing to take any risk with my child or any loved one. You are selling a product to families as a Natural, Safe, Non Toxic Product...and unfortunately until the word "Natural" is clearly defined we will be struggling with this issue. I have no more questions for you because frankly your explanations for selling toxic products and falsely labeling them is wrong. You need to remove your synthetic additive or remove the words "Natural" Safe" and "Non- Toxic. I feel that it is the tiny amounts of of 0.2% of synthetic additives like what is in your product is contributing to the rising illnesses that are occurring today in our society. But I do plan to try and do my best to tell everyone and get this changed. 

I will follow up with a reply if she contact me again.  I will also be writing a follow up article regarding this conversation.




What I am doing for Laundry Soap now?
I found a really easy to make homemade version!!!!  And it is completely safe!!!!
Check out this website and in place of the Fels Naptha I use a organic soap instead.