Consumers today have high expectations about the content of the products they use. A “natural” or “green” label means so much to consumers that it is liberally used, subjecting companies to claims of “green washing.” At the other end of the spectrum is the endless use of warnings. Some would argue that product warnings have become so ubiquitous in society that they have lost their effectiveness. Nanotechnology is one emerging market that seems to contradict these trends. Products containing nanomaterials tend to use no content label either touting the benefits of the new technology or advising consumers of their presence.

Developments in Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is a cutting-edge manufacturing technology that involves the manipulation of materials on such a small scale that they are essentially invisible to the naked eye. Nanotechnology has improved many of the products that are part of everyday life, including technology, food, clothing, healthcare, office products and even sporting equipment. Increasingly, scientific literature shows that some applications of nanotechnology may have detrimental health and environmental impacts. Industry and government have acknowledged nanotechnology's tremendous benefit to society and have pursued product development while simultaneously funding research into the safety of these products.