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Guide 6 min read

What 'CAGE Certified' Means for Your Products

A practical guide to CAGE Certified licensing — what it is, how to apply, and what it means for your products and brand.

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Cornelius van Heerden

The Trust Problem

"Green" and "eco-friendly" have been diluted to meaninglessness. Consumers are skeptical, and they should be. Greenwashing is rampant, and without transparent verification, every claim is suspect.

CAGE Certified is different because it's backed by open, verifiable science. Every certified formulation has publicly available research data, experimental results, and computational validation.

What CAGE Certified Means

A CAGE Certified product uses formulations that meet three criteria:

  • Food-grade ingredients only. Every component is GRAS-listed or equivalent. No toxic catalysts, no hazardous solvents, no "trade secret" ingredients.
  • Validated performance. The formulation has been tested and verified to perform its intended function — whether that's water resistance, stain protection, or catalytic recycling.
  • Open research backing. The science behind the formulation is published on our research platform. Anyone can verify the claims.

Licensing Tiers

Tier 1: Research Access

Free access to all published research, experimental data, and computational screening results. Perfect for universities and independent researchers.

Tier 2: Formulation License

License to use CAGE-validated formulations in your products. Includes the CAGE Certified mark, formulation specifications, and basic technical support.

Tier 3: Enterprise Partnership

Full integration support — process engineering, quality control protocols, supply chain optimization, and dedicated R&D collaboration. For manufacturers ready to scale.

How to Apply

  • Step 1: Register on our research platform and review the relevant research track.
  • Step 2: Submit an application describing your intended use case and scale.
  • Step 3: Our team reviews the application and works with you to identify the right formulation and licensing tier.
  • Step 4: Testing and validation — we work together to ensure the formulation meets your specific requirements.
  • Step 5: Certification and ongoing support.
CAGE Certified isn't just a label — it's a commitment to transparency, safety, and verifiable science.

The Brand Value

In a market drowning in empty green claims, CAGE Certified stands out because it's the only certification backed by fully open research. Your customers can verify every claim. Your competitors can't fake it.

That's not marketing. That's trust.