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Botanical WatersThe science of water-extraction.

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Affiliate disclosure

Last updated: April 29, 2026

This document describes the affiliate relationships that exist on the Botanical Waters platform, in compliance with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's endorsement guides (16 C.F.R. Part 255) and to be clear with our readers about how the site sustains itself.

1. What an affiliate link is

An affiliate link is a hyperlink to a third-party retailer that includes a tracking parameter unique to us. When you click an affiliate link and complete a purchase at the third-party retailer, the retailer pays us a small commission (typically 3-15% of the purchase price, depending on the program). This commission comes out of the retailer's margin. It does not change the price you pay.

2. Where affiliate links appear on this site

Affiliate links appear on the following surfaces:

  • Product cards in /mushrooms/shop for products marked with the "Curated affiliate" badge — these are functional-mushroom supplements (lion's mane, reishi, cordyceps, chaga, turkey tail, etc.) and spore + grow-kit products where Joe doesn't yet have a direct-fulfillment SKU.
  • Product cards in /mushrooms/grow/supplies for the home-cultivation supplies catalog. Most supplies link out to Amazon (with our affiliate tag) or specialty mycology retailers (North Spore, Sporeworks, Out-Grow) with referral parameters.

Products on the platform that are direct-fulfillment (Joe's OMGX-line CBD products under the Hemp Botanical Water line) are not affiliate links — they are direct purchases via Stripe and revenue flows directly to Verdone Wellness Inc..

3. Specific affiliate programs we participate in

  • Amazon Associates — for general-purpose home-grow supplies (kitchen scales, pressure cookers, fruiting chambers, etc.). Commission rates 1-10% depending on category.
  • North Spore affiliate program — for high-quality beginner grow kits and intermediate-tier liquid culture syringes.
  • Out-Grow affiliate program — for advanced-tier spawn substrates, liquid cultures, and lab-grade agar slants.
  • Sporeworks affiliate program — for spores (microscopy-grade per relevant federal/state law).
  • Hielscher Ultrasonics + Cole-Parmer + Branson — for advanced bench-scale extraction equipment referenced in our research writeups.

4. How we choose what to recommend

We do not recommend a product just because it has an affiliate program. The bar for inclusion in the platform is:

  • Quality. The product has to be one we'd use ourselves or that meets criteria laid out in the cultivation curriculum (e.g. genuine 99.99% HEPA filters, true 15-PSI pressure cookers, etc.).
  • Lab-tested where applicable. Anything ingestible (functional mushrooms, supplements) must come from a supplier that publishes lab results. We do not link to opaque suppliers.
  • Transparency. The affiliate program operates on public commission rates, not on negotiated kickbacks for favorable placement.

When we add a product to a "Curated affiliate" listing, the product's description, citation list, and use-case is written by us — not the manufacturer. Manufacturers do not have editorial input.

5. Editorial independence

Affiliate revenue does not buy editorial placement. If we cite a peer-reviewed paper that contradicts the marketing of a product we link to, we cite the paper anyway. If a product we link to is recalled or its quality drops, we remove or update the link.

6. Commission ranges (transparent)

Approximate commission ranges across our affiliate programs:

  • Amazon: 1-10% depending on category (typically 3-4% for our linked items)
  • Mycology specialty retailers: 5-15%
  • Lab-equipment vendors: typically 0-5% (B2B sales rarely have public affiliate commissions)

7. What this revenue funds

Affiliate commissions help fund:

  • The cost of building, hosting, and maintaining the platform
  • Bench-scale research trials (e.g. the $2,500 ultrasonic-extraction trial protocol described at /mushrooms/research/extraction)
  • Third-party lab testing of products we eventually move to direct-fulfillment
  • Editorial work — long-form articles, citation research

8. Contact

Questions about our affiliate relationships: hello@verdonewellness.com