Anyone can print "eco-friendly" or "plant-based" on a box. The USDA Certified Biobased label is different because it rests on independent lab testing and a federal program, not on the brand's own say-so. This page explains what it measures, what our results were, and how you can check them yourself.
What "biobased" means
A biobased product gets its carbon from renewable biological sources, such as plants, instead of from petroleum. The USDA BioPreferred Program is a federal certification program for products that meet that standard. A company cannot award itself the label.
How biobased content is tested
Certification relies on independent, third-party lab testing with a method called ASTM D6866. It measures the share of a product's carbon that comes from renewable sources versus fossil sources, using radiocarbon (carbon-14) analysis. Because fossil carbon is far too old to contain carbon-14, the test can tell the two apart.
Our results
We sent our loofah sponges and our packaging to Beta Analytic, one of the labs authorized to perform this testing. The results:
- 98% biobased content in our loofah sponges
- 100% biobased content in our recyclable cardboard packaging
Those are the lab's numbers, not ones we rounded or chose. Our loofah sponges are USDA Certified Biobased.
What the certification does and does not cover
- Certified: our natural loofah sponges.
- Not certified: our cellulose sponges. They are made from plant fiber, are plastic-free and compostable, and break down like plant material, but we do not put a certification claim on them.
- Not the same as compostable: "biobased" describes where the material comes from. "Compostable" and "biodegradable" describe what happens to it afterward. See what those words mean.
How to verify it yourself
The certification details are publicly searchable in the USDA BioPreferred database. We would rather you check the claim than take our word for it. Questions about our documentation? Email support@scrubandthrow.com.
Common questions
Do your sponges degrade in the trash?
Loofah is a plant fiber, so it breaks down the way other plant material does, and it can go in the compost instead of the trash. Composting is the best end of life for it.
Is "eco-friendly" on a label enough?
No. It is self-declared and unregulated. Look for a named certification and a named lab, like the two described here.
Is the packaging biobased too?
Yes. Our recyclable cardboard packaging tested at 100% biobased content.
Read more
- Why we got certified (the full story)
- Eco-friendly sponges: loofah vs. cellulose vs. plastic foam
- Shop USDA Certified Biobased loofah sponges
Scrub & Throw is a family-run, independently owned business based in Florida.