V-CERT vegan: the mark covers products, not the factory
TS LAB d.o.o. makes dietary supplements in capsules in Komenda, Slovenia, and states V-CERT, Certified Vegan Products. For a specialist in capsule supplements this mark sits directly on the critical path, because the capsule shell decides whether a vegan claim holds at all.
What does a vegan certificate on a supplement actually mean?
It means a private certifying organisation has reviewed a formulation and its supplier declarations against its own published standard, and allows its mark on the products inside a defined scope. There is no EU legal definition of vegan on a food label: the term is not defined in Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, so a private mark is where the assurance comes from.
The correction worth making
A vegan mark is a formulation and supply chain declaration check. It is not a laboratory test for animal DNA and it is not a legal approval. Different marks apply different thresholds and different audit depth, so vegan certified without the name of the mark and the standard is not a comparable statement between two suppliers.
The mark TS LAB states, and the one buyers compare it with
TS LAB states V-CERT, Certified Vegan Products. The mark most German buyers know is the V-Label, established in Switzerland in 1996 and licensed through partner organisations in more than 50 countries, with audits delivered by certification bodies such as Quality Austria, SGS and Control Union, and a criterion that the final product contains less than 0.1 percent of non vegan or non vegetarian substances.
The capsule shell is the first technical question
Gelatin is animal-derived, so it is not suitable for a vegan product. Specify the complete shell composition and review it alongside every ingredient, excipient and relevant processing aid. Confirm the requirements and product scope of the intended certification mark before approving the label.
What does it cover, and what does it not cover?
A vegan mark covers a list of certified products. It does not turn a site into a vegan site, and saying so on the page is the difference between a claim and a specification.
What it covers
The reviewed formulation, the supplier declarations for each ingredient and each processing aid, and the label artwork, inside the certified product scope.
What it does not cover
Products outside the certified list, shared line risk unless the standard specifically addresses it, and any nutritional or health property. It also does not substitute for allergen labelling, which is governed by Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 and stays with the brand owner.
Why do brand buyers ask for a vegan mark?
Because in capsules the claim is decided by the shell and the excipients, which are exactly the parts a brand owner does not control. A named mark with a certificate number turns that into something a buyer can check.
Direct to consumer and e-commerce brands
In DACH, Benelux, Italy and Poland, vegan positioning is standard in this segment, and it needs no new certificate from the manufacturer if the mark and the scope already cover the product form.
Brands comparing two suppliers
Two suppliers can both write vegan certified and mean different standards. Comparing the mark, the standard version and the certified scope is the only comparison that means anything.
Buyers who have been shown a borrowed certificate
Certificates issued to another company circulate in this category, so the differentiator is publishing the mark, the issuing organisation and the certificate number, not the word vegan.
How do I verify a vegan certificate?
By reading the certified product scope, not the logo. A vegan mark applies to certified products, so the question is whether your product is on the list and, if it is not, how it gets added and how long that takes. Rows below are added as each value is confirmed for publication, and an unconfirmed row is left out rather than guessed.
| Field | What TS LAB publishes today |
|---|---|
| Mark | V-CERT, Certified Vegan Products |
| Certifying organisation | Confirm on the current certificate |
| Licence number | Confirm on the current certificate |
| What the scope covers | Certified products inside a defined list, not the whole site |
| Verification route | The certificate copy with the certifying organisation and the certificate number, confirmed with that organisation |
Say the limitation out loud
A vegan mark applies to certified products, not to a whole factory. If your product is not yet inside the scope, that is a step with a route and a lead time, and it belongs in the project plan rather than in a surprise after the first order. Ask for both while you are still comparing suppliers.
What does TS LAB publish with your order?
The mark answers for the certified products. Your batch is answered by batch documents. A Certificate of Analysis, or COA, is the laboratory result sheet for one production batch, read against the specification that batch was released to.
With the offer and with the batch
- Finished-batch Certificate of Analysis, where included in the agreed testing scope
- Product specification the batch is released against, with the capsule shell material named
- Supplier declarations for the ingredients and processing aids in the formulation
- Copy of the vegan certificate, with the certifying organisation, certificate number, scope and valid until
- On site audit at Obrtna cona Potok pri Komendi 14, 1218 Komenda, Slovenia
Where to read more
A vegan mark sits next to the food safety documents rather than replacing them. Read the GMP page and the HACCP page, and the organic page if the same product is also organic.
The full document pack, all certificates, what we make in capsules.
Questions buyers ask about vegan certification
Is vegan a legally defined term on an EU food label?
No. Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 does not define it. The assurance comes from a private certification mark issued against the published standard of the certifying organisation, which is why the name of the mark matters more than the word vegan.
Which vegan mark does TS LAB hold?
TS LAB states V-CERT, Certified Vegan Products. Ask for the certificate copy with your offer and read the four fields on it: the certifying organisation, the certificate number, the covered product scope and the expiry date.
How is V-CERT different from the V-Label?
They are different private marks from different organisations. The V-Label is the mark established in Switzerland in 1996 and licensed through partner organisations in more than 50 countries, with audits delivered by certification bodies such as Quality Austria, SGS and Control Union. Each mark has its own standard, so compare the standard, not the logo.
Are the capsule shells vegan?
Gelatin is animal-derived and is not suitable for a vegan product. A non-gelatin shell still needs to be checked in full, including its other components. Review the shell together with the formula, excipients, relevant processing aids and the requirements of the intended certification mark; the shell material alone does not establish the finished product’s vegan status.
Does the certificate cover my product automatically?
No. A vegan mark covers certified products inside a defined scope, not every product a site can make. Agree the route and the lead time for adding your product to the scope while you are still discussing the offer.
Ask for the vegan scope with your offer
Send the product and the quantity, and receive an offer within 1 to 3 business days.
Registered company since 2011, credit rating AA+ (2026), registered data on the proof page.