Post sul blogIf your brand makes recycled content claims, you need a way to prove them. The global recycled standard grs gives companies an auditable, internationally recognized framework to do exactly that-verify recycled content from raw materials through to the final product.
Key Takeaways
- The global recycled standard is an international, voluntary product standard owned by textile exchange since 2011 that verifies recycled content and chain of custody across the entire supply chain.
- Products must contain at least 50% certified recycled content to carry the grs logo, and all certified facilities must meet strict chemical restrictions and comply with social and environmental practices.
- Verifying grs certification involves checking scope certificates, transaction certificates, and cross-referencing Textile Exchange’s public database to avoid greenwashing.
- The grs certification process includes application, documentation, and audits conducted by an accredited certification body-with annual audits required to maintain certification integrity.
- Obtaining grs certification strengthens brand credibility, supports circular economy goals, and provides a credible certification framework that enhances marketability by demonstrating commitment to sustainability.
What Is the Global Recycled Standard (GRS)?
The global recycled standard is a voluntary standard developed by textile exchange that verifies recycled content in products and controls social responsibility, environmental practices, and chemical practices across the supply chain. It is a voluntary product standard that sets requirements for any product containing recycled materials.
GRS was first developed by control union certifications in 2008 and transferred to textile exchange (a global non-profit and global leader in preferred fiber standards) in 2011 to harmonize recycled content verification globally. The standard applies not only to textiles like polyester, cotton, and nylon but to any product with recycled input-the grs can be applied beyond textiles to include products made from recycled plastics and other materials. It covers processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and distribution stages.
GRS integrates a content chain of custody system based on Content Claim Standard (CCS) principles, ensuring every recycled input is tracked from recycler through each certified site to finished grs certified products. Certified products must have documented evidence of the origin of recycled materials. The standard requires a minimum of 20% recycled content in each input, while a minimum percentage of at least 50% verified recycled content in the final product is needed to carry the grs logo on-pack.
GRS is built around five scope areas: verified recycled content, social responsibility, environmental management, chemical restrictions, and custody social and environmental controls-each detailed in the sections below.
Core Requirements of the Global Recycled Standard
GRS goes beyond simple recycled claims. It sets specific, auditable requirements for recycled content, worker protection, environment, and chemical use-making it far more than a label.
Verified recycled content: A product must contain at least 50% certified recycled content for grs labeling. Both pre-consumer and post-consumer waste are accepted. Third party verification of material origin and volumes is required through documented inputs and outputs, ensuring grs certification requires third-party verification of recycled content at every stage.
Social responsibility: GRS ensures fair labor practices and safe working conditions in certified facilities. Requirements include prohibition of forced and child labour, non-discrimination, freedom of association, fair wages compliant with local laws, and safe workplaces. GRS certification requires third-party verification of social practices through regular social audits. Companies must adhere to social and environmental guidelines for grs, and grs certification ensures compliance with social and environmental practices across all facilities.
Environmental management: The certification requires stringent environmental management practices for certified facilities, including tracking of energy and water use, emissions, wastewater treatment, and solid waste disposal. Environmental permits are mandatory, and continuous improvement targets must be implemented. GRS certification reduces resource usage and carbon emissions through these controls.
Chemical restrictions: GRS enforces practices and chemical restrictions aligned with the ZDHC MRSL, banning harmful chemicals such as certain heavy metals, azo dyes, and hazardous substances. Rules cover wet processing, effluent treatment, and chemical storage. Chemical restrictions are a core part of the grs certification criteria.
Only facilities successfully audited against all criteria receive a scope certificate. Only products with a fully certified chain can use the standard logo or be marketed as grs certified.
Chain of Custody: How GRS Verifies Recycled Content from Source to Store
The chain of custody is the backbone of the recycled standard, ensuring recycled materials are traceable and never mixed with uncertified input without proper controls. A robust chain of custody system is required for grs certification.
GRS uses a transaction-based system. Every transfer of certified material between certified companies is documented with a Transaction Certificate (TC) issued by an accredited certification body, referencing batch numbers, weights, and product descriptions. This content chain of custody system ensures that grs verifies recycled materials through a strict audit process by independent certification bodies.
Every site in the supply chain-recyclers, spinners, fabric mills, dyers, garment manufacturers, distribution centers-must hold a valid scope certificate for the chain to remain intact. The entire supply chain must be audited for grs certification, and the grs includes traceability requirements throughout the entire supply chain.
The Content Claim Standard (CCS) serves as the underlying framework, ensuring mass balance, segregation, and record-keeping are handled consistently. GRS promotes transparency in the supply chain through these controls.
Example: A post-consumer PET bottle recycler sells certified flakes (with a TC) to a yarn spinner. The spinner processes and sells grs certified yarn to a knitting factory. The knitting factory produces fleece fabric, which is cut and sewn by a garment manufacturer. Each site is certified, and each transaction is documented-enabling a retailer to confidently label a fleece jacket as grs certified.
Certification bodies verify inventory reconciliations, production records, and sales documentation to confirm that no more grs certified products are sold than recycled material received.
The GRS Certification Process: How Companies Obtain and Maintain Certification
To obtain grs certification, companies follow a structured, multi-step certification process: preparation, audit, correction of non-conformities, and annual renewal.
Preparation: Companies start with a gap analysis against the current standard version. This involves mapping material flows, reviewing supplier lists, and developing or updating policies on social responsibility and environmental management. All raw materials and recycled input sources must be documented.
Application: The company selects a Textile Exchange–approved certification body-such as control union, Bureau Veritas, or SGS-and submits details on sites, processes, products, and estimated volumes of recycled input.
Initial audit: Certification auditors review documents (supplier invoices, chemical safety data, labour records), interview management and workers, inspect production areas, and verify chain of custody controls and chemical restrictions. The entire supply chain must be audited. GRS certification requires third-party verification of recycled content and third party certification of social and environmental practices.
Corrective actions: Non-conformities result in a corrective action plan with deadlines. Companies must provide evidence of remediation-revised procedures, training records, engineering improvements-before the certification decision is issued.
Post-certification: Annual audits are required to maintain grs certification integrity. Unannounced visits may occur. Companies must maintain accurate records and update the certification body if significant changes happen. The grs certification process is ongoing, not a one-time event.
Verifying GRS-Certified Products and Avoiding Greenwashing
Growing consumer demand for sustainable choices in 2024–2026 has increased misleading recycled claims. Verifying grs certification helps avoid greenwashing claims by companies and protects both consumers and legitimate brands.
How to verify: Request the current scope certificate from a supplier, check validity dates and certified product categories, and confirm the issuing certification body is approved by textile exchange. For individual products, ask for Transaction Certificates listing product names, quantities, and buyer/seller details-these should align with purchase orders. Cross-check company names against the textile exchange standards public database.
Red flags to watch for:
- Vague phrases like “GRS compliant” without certificates
- Missing certification body logos on packaging
- Expired or outdated certificates
- Claims of “100% GRS” when the product clearly contains non-recycled trims
Consumers can easily identify eco-friendly products through grs certification, and grs aims to reduce greenwashing risks for brands by providing third-party validation of sustainability claims.
Robust third party verification protects brands from reputational harm caused by false claims, supports legitimate grs certified suppliers, and enables confident communication products genuinely contain the recycled content advertised.
Business Benefits of GRS Certification and Strategic Use Cases
GRS certification connects directly to corporate sustainability strategies, ESG reporting, and regulatory expectations around recycled content in the EU, UK, and North America. It supports responsible sourcing, stakeholder engagement, and a responsible future for manufacturing.
GRS-certified companies gain a competitive market advantage. Consumers and B2B buyers increasingly look for credible eco-labels, and independently verified recycled content supports informed decisions in fashion, workwear, and home textiles. GRS certification enhances marketability by demonstrating commitment to sustainability and sustainable practices.
On the compliance side, documented chain of custody and chemical restrictions help companies meet regulations like EU REACH and emerging due-diligence laws-reducing the harmful impact of non-compliance and the harm caused by unverified claims. Mapping material flows for the manufacturing process often uncovers efficiency opportunities and supports circularity initiatives.
Use cases include: brands launching grs certified collections from recycled polyester, manufacturers supplying certified workwear to corporate clients, and hospitality companies shifting to certified linens. These textile exchange standards support responsible wool standard holders and other credible certification programs looking to expand into recycled content.
Demand for grs certified products is projected to rise through 2030 as governments and retailers set minimum recycled content targets. A new standard from Textile Exchange-the unified “Materials Matter” standard-will further strengthen this ecosystem, with a standards claims policy update expected by December 2027.
FAQ: Global Recycled Standard and Verifying Recycled Content
These FAQs address practical questions that go beyond the main sections, focused on implementation and real-world decision-making.
How is GRS different from the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)?
Both the grs and the recycled claim standard rcs are owned by textile exchange and verify recycled content through chain of custody. However, the recycled claim standard focuses only on content verification, while GRS adds chain of custody social and environmental criteria plus chemical restrictions. RCS allows products with as little as 5% recycled content (including rcs blended claims), whereas GRS requires at least 50% in the final product to carry the grs logo. Brands often start with RCS for basic claims and move to GRS for higher-credibility certification.
Can non-textile products be certified under the Global Recycled Standard?
Yes. Although GRS was developed with textiles in mind, it can apply to any product with eligible recycled content-including accessories, home goods, and certain packaging materials. The same rules apply: every step in the supply chain must be certified, recycled content must be verifiable, and environmental practices and chemical restrictions must be met. Companies with mixed product ranges should work with their certification body to define which lines fall in scope, keeping in mind animal welfare and responsible sourcing considerations where applicable.
How long does it typically take to obtain GRS certification?
A first-time certification for a single site often takes between 3 and 6 months from initial application to receiving the scope certificate, assuming prompt closure of non-conformities. Complex, multi-site supply chains or brands adding many product categories may need 6–12 months to map materials, implement procedures, and coordinate audits across countries. Start planning several months before major product launches or sustainability reporting deadlines.
Does GRS certification guarantee that a product is 100% recycled?
No. GRS certification ensures products contain at least 50% recycled content, but it does not automatically mean 100%. Some brands do offer fully recycled grs certified products-especially in categories like recycled polyester fleece-but trims, prints, and processed accessories may contain non-recycled components. Always ask for the declared percentage in writing, supported by Transaction Certificates, rather than relying solely on the presence of the standard logo.
What should small brands or manufacturers do if they are not ready for full GRS certification?
Start by mapping current material flows, increasing the share of recycled input from credible recyclers, and aligning basic social and environmental practices with GRS expectations. Small companies can begin by sourcing from a grs certified supplier, using their certificates to support claims like “made with GRS certified materials” before obtaining their own site certification. As volumes grow and the use of recycled materials stabilizes, moving to full certification becomes easier-positioning the brand to label products as grs certified and build long-term credibility in the environment and sustainability space.
