The Merry Hempsters® are dedicated to promoting the extraordinary benefits of Cannabis sativa (hemp) seed oil through the production of uniquely formulated and effective body care products. In keeping with our commitment to being an ecologically friendly company, we use the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled materials available for our packaging. All our lip balms and salves are handcrafted from the finest natural and organic ingredients. The Merry Hempsters® lip balms, lotions, and salves all use certified organic hempseed oil as a base. Unfortunately, due to its growing popularity in the marketplace, the term “organic” is often applied in vague, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate ways. For example, certain ingredients in a product may be organic, but they are ultimately formulated in a mix with decidedly non-organic petroleum-based chemicals or synthetic substances. Certified organic means that the farmer or manufacturer has adhered to a strict set of standards prohibiting the use of unnatural, chemically-based fertilizers, pesticides, genetically-altered plant material, etc. in growing or creating their product. Such conditions are verified by comprehensive farm and plant inspections conducted by one of a handful of regional certification agencies currently operating in the United States. The agencies work under the umbrella of the USDA in accordance with the National Organic Program (NOP). The USDA organic seal can easily identify true certified organic products, which should be clearly visible somewhere on the label or packaging. For a multi-ingredient body care product to have a certified organic seal, it must contain at least 95% organic ingredients. The Merry Hempsters® organic lip balms meet NOP standards for organic certification and was recently recognized in the Fall 2006 Consumer Reports Shopsmart article: “How to Find REAL Organic Body-care Products.”