How We Rate Products

At Whole Bunch Club, we believe that parents deserve clear, honest, and research-backed information when choosing products for their families. However, when researching for our own family, we quickly learned how difficult and time consuming this can be. Most companies are not transparent about their products (and can you really take only their word for it?) We often had to search across multiple sites to find all the information we were looking for. So, we decided to aggregate all our research in ONE place and share it with our WBC family FOR FREE! 

You can find all the information we have gathered on this spreadsheet. This is a living document that we are consistently updating. 

BUT we then realized that this was a TON of information and it was hard to keep track of the pros and cons of each product. So, we wanted to make things even simpler. That’s why we devised our own WBC Scorecard, a straightforward and transparent system designed to evaluate products based on their safety, quality, and sustainability. Each product we have investigated gets a unique WBC Rating from 1-5, which you will find noted on each blog post featuring a rated product. 

In a market flooded with labels like “non-toxic,” “organic,” and “eco-friendly,” it’s often hard to separate fact from marketing fluff. Our rating system helps cut through the noise, ensuring that the products we recommend meet the highest standards.

Here’s how we rate and why each factor matters:

1. Transparency

Why it Matters: If a company is confident in the safety and quality of its products, it should have no problem sharing lab results and detailed information about its manufacturing process. Transparency helps parents make informed decisions and holds brands accountable.

What We Look For:

  • Lab Results Published – Independent testing confirms safety and quality

  • Clear Manufacturing Details – How and where the product is made

  • Safety Commitments – Company policies on harmful chemicals and sourcing

2. Ingredients

Why it Matters: Many products claim to be “clean” but still contain harmful additives. We look at whether the product meets high standards for safe, non-toxic, and effective ingredients.

What We Look For:

  • Key Nutrients – Does the product deliver real benefits? (e.g., essential vitamins in baby food, nourishing oils in skincare)

  • Organic and High-Quality Standards – Certified organic, non-GMO, responsibly sourced

  • Safe Ingredients – No known toxins, questionable preservatives, or synthetic additives

3. Safety

Why it Matters: Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and cadmium can be found in everything from baby food to cosmetics. Similarly, toxic plasticizers and chemical residues can pose hidden risks. If a product hasn’t been tested, we can’t assume it’s safe. In most cases, the company itself does not publish their lab tests online (even if they claim to be third party tested). In this case, we searched the web for others who had tested them. Certified lab results are linked on the spreadsheet and factored into our ratings score. 

What We Look For:

  • Lab Test Results – Independent testing for heavy metals and toxic substances

  • No Testing = 0 Points – If no test results are found, it gets a zero

  • Low or Non-Detectable Levels – Products should meet strict safety limits

4. Sustainablility

Why it Matters: As parents, we care about leaving a cleaner world for our children. Packaging plays a major role in environmental sustainability.

What We Look For:

  • Plastic-Free or Minimal Plastic – Preferably biodegradable, compostable, or reusable. Glass packaging rates highest, followed by aluminum

  • Recyclable or Refillable Options – Easy for consumers to dispose of responsibly

  • Sustainability Efforts – Use of FSC-certified paper, plant-based inks, or innovative waste-reduction practices

5. Pricing

Why it Matters: We believe safer, non-toxic products should be accessible to all families. While quality products often come at a higher price, we factor in whether a product offers good value.

What We Look For:

  • Fair Pricing for Quality – Not overly inflated due to marketing

  • Affordability Options – Discounts, bulk pricing, or budget-friendly alternatives

  • Comparable to Similar Products – Balancing cost with safety and sustainability

Each product is given a final score out of 25 points, broken down into a final rating of 1-5 stars. Higher scores indicate safer, cleaner, and more ethical choices for families.
Our goal is to empower parents with trustworthy, science-backed, and easy-to-understand product ratings.

At Whole Bunch Club, we do the research so you don’t have to—because your family deserves the best.

Stay tuned for our top-rated products and join us in making safer, smarter choices for a healthier home!

Look for this rating mark on our blog posts to identify our reviewed products!