Project paves way to organic certification for Thai producers

“In parallel with [the trend towards increasing consumer demand for] green and natural products, being able to offer certified products is an added value which can help increase selling prices,” the Thai-Italian and Franco-Thai chambers of commerce said in a joint statement. 

“In the context of Asean where free flow of products will be effective in 2015, Thai farmers and manufacturers of certified products can be competitive in terms of product quality where price is not the only main criterion for purchasing. This will help them earn a better living [and] help the economy of the country as a whole.” 

Started in January 2011, the project was wrapped up with a seminar last month. The SCRIPT project was dedicated to applying self-managed procedures and third-party certification to Thai products and services in two particular sectors, silk and spas, by using an EU-inspired approach. 

The project was managed by an Italian-based non-profit organisation, Bioagricoop, in close collaboration with the Thai-Italian and Franco-Thai chambers of commerce. The EU contributed 80 per cent of the project’s total budget of ¤500,000 (Bt20 million).

Of the 25 silk companies interested, only five were selected and trained to develop internal control procedures. All five managed to be certified against international standards. Three companies, Chul Thai Silk, Ruenmai-Baimon and Spun Silk World, won Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification, the first silk companies in all of Asean to achieve this. The other two, Thai Cotton and Silk and Bam Khumsukkho, met a different standard, “Natural Colour with Organic Fibre”, suitable for community-based producers of handicrafts.

For spa cosmetics, the standard selected by the project was NATRUE (True Friends of Natural and Organic Cosmetics), globally recognised as the strictest in terms of cosmetics-product quality. Of 26 companies that submitted their candidacy, five were selected. They all have developed a specific brand that is now NATRUE-certified: Secret Elements (I Plus Q Co), Panpuri Organics (Puri Co), Aka Organics (Make Scent Co), Flavour Pro, and Green Potion (Nature Touch International Co).

For the silk sector the project team worked in collaboration with the Queen Sirikit Department of Sericulture under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The standard selected by the project was GOTS. The project was meant to develop a Thai silk standard as well. The project worked in collaboration with Lamphun Brocade Thai Silk, which succeeded in obtaining third-party international certification, which allows it to register its products in other countries to protect its distinct characteristics.

 

Spa services 

For the spa services, the “Thai Organic Spa Standard” was launched in close collaboration with the Federation of Thai Spa. The FTSPA will promote the standard among its members and spa professionals in Thailand and has assigned Bioagricert as exclusive certified body.

All the participating silk companies were promoted in the EU through attendance at the Pitti Filati fair in Florence, Italy, in January, while the cosmetics companies attended the Cosmoprof fair in the Italian city of Bologna, the world’s leading cosmetics trade fair, in March, capturing much interest from the world’s buyers.

Third-party certification is a widespread tool used in the EU as there is an increasing demand by European consumers to assure quality and/or sustainability of products or processes. 

The aim of the project, which was meant to strengthen the EU-Thailand relationship, was to reassure consumers that Thai products that meet international standards are safe, efficient and good for the environment, thus enhancing Thailand trade potential.