ISO 22716 is usually mentioned in the same breath as ASEAN GMP, so many people assume they are the same thing. This article explains what the standard covers, what auditors actually look at, and how it relates to the other certificates a factory holds.
What ISO 22716:2007 is
ISO 22716:2007 is the international standard for Good Manufacturing Practices for cosmetic products. It covers the production, control, storage and shipment of cosmetics.
An important limit: the standard does not cover research and development, and it does not address employee safety or environmental management. It focuses on product quality during manufacturing and on systems that make a batch traceable.
What the audit looks at
- Organisation and personnel — responsibilities, training, hygiene
- Premises — production zones suitable for the work, separated and controlled
- Equipment — cleanable by design, maintained and calibrated
- Raw and packaging materials — receipt checks, identification, segregated storage
- Production — weighing, mixing and filling procedures with batch records for every run
- Quality control and laboratory — sampling, testing, release criteria
- Finished products and documentation — records that allow reconstruction of what happened, plus deviation handling
- Complaints, recalls and internal audits — a system for handling issues and reviewing your own performance
How it differs from ISO 9001 and ASEAN GMP
- ISO 9001:2015 — a general quality management system (processes, customers, continual improvement) applicable to any business
- ISO 22716:2007 — cosmetic GMP, focused on real production and quality during manufacturing
- ASEAN GMP — the cosmetic GMP guideline inside the ASEAN framework, running along the same lines as ISO 22716 (read the ASEAN GMP article)
Because each one covers a different angle, holding all three answers both the buyer who asks about a quality system and the buyer who asks about cosmetic manufacturing standards.
What Argosy holds
ISO 22716:2007 certificate no. 2024070229 · ISO 9001:2015 no. 2024070228 · ASEAN GMP no. 2024070230 — issued by QRO, an independent certification body, on 2 July 2024, valid until 1 July 2027, scope “MANUFACTURE OF COSMETICS (SKINCARE & PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS)”. A surveillance audit was completed in July 2026. Certificate images are on our standards page.
What an OEM buyer should ask
- The certificate number, so it can be verified with the issuing body — not just a photo of the certificate
- Whether the certification scope covers the category you want to produce
- How batch records and deviations are handled
- Which documents you receive after production (for Argosy, the Thai FDA cosmetic notification certificate in your brand name)
Frequently asked questions
Does ISO 22716 expire?
The standard itself does not expire; the certificate does. Argosy’s set runs for three years, to 1 July 2027, with surveillance audits in between.
Do I need ISO 22716 before notifying a product with the Thai FDA?
They are two separate steps — notification concerns the product, GMP concerns the manufacturing site — but both are checked when a customer or partner verifies the supply chain (read the notification article).
Does the standard apply to small businesses?
Yes. It applies to anyone carrying out production, control, storage or shipment of cosmetics, with no size threshold.
Talk to us about your product
Phone +66 93-593-9929 · LINE @ARGOSY · email [email protected] (Monday–Saturday, 09:00–18:00) — factory in Bang Yai district, Nonthaburi, Thailand · our services
Written 16 October 2026. Government procedures and lead times can change — please confirm the current requirements with the Thai FDA before you file.
