Read: 14
A plain-language guide to the Global Recycled Standard, who runs it, and how recycled content claims work.
Brands and manufacturers are under growing pressure to prove the recycled content in their products. The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is one of the most recognised third-party standards for doing exactly that. This guide explains what GRS certification is, what it covers, how recycled content claims are defined, and how it differs from its companion standard, the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS).
What Is the Global Recycled Standard?
The Global Recycled Standard is an international, voluntary standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of recycled input and chain of custody. Its goals are to align definitions of "recycled" across applications, track and trace recycled input materials through the supply chain, provide a credible tool for brands and consumers to make informed decisions, and drive innovation in the use of recycled materials.
Textile Exchange, the organisation that owns and administers the GRS, describes it as a tool that provides assurance that materials in the final product are actually recycled and processed more sustainably.
Who Owns and Administers GRS?
The GRS is owned and administered by Textile Exchange, a non-profit that develops and manages a family of material standards. Alongside the GRS, Textile Exchange also owns the Content Claim Standard (CCS), the Organic Content Standard (OCS), the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS), the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), and the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS). These standards are designed to ensure chain of custody for preferred materials and provide labelling tools for final-product claims.
Because the GRS, RCS and CCS share the same chain-of-custody backbone, a site already certified to one Textile Exchange standard can often extend coverage to the others with less duplication.
What Does GRS Certify?
GRS certification covers more than just a recycled percentage. The standard is structured around four areas:
- Recycled content and chain of custody — verified recycled input, tracked from the recycling stage to the final business-to-business seller.
- Social requirements (Section B) — prohibitions on forced and child labour, plus requirements on working hours, wages, health and safety, and non-discrimination.
- Environmental requirements (Section C) — an environmental management system, chemical management, and controls on energy use, water use, wastewater, air emissions, and waste.
- Chemical requirements (Section D) — restrictions on hazardous chemicals in GRS-certified products.
Importantly, the GRS does not address product quality or legal compliance; it is a voluntary standard that sits on top of — and does not replace — applicable laws and regulations.
Recycled Content Claims: The Core
The heart of any GRS claim is recycled content. The standard applies to any product that contains at least 20% Recycled Material by mass. Recycled Content is defined as the proportion, by mass, of Recycled Material in the product.
GRS uses the ISO 14021 definition of recycled content, with interpretations based on the US Federal Trade Commission Green Guides. Under this definition, only two material types count as recycled content:
- Pre-Consumer Material — material diverted from the waste stream during a manufacturing process. Rework, regrind or scrap that can be reclaimed within the same process that generated it is excluded.
- Post-Consumer Material — material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end-users, which can no longer be used for its intended purpose.
Both pre-consumer and post-consumer shares must be recorded separately and shown on the relevant transaction certificate. This separation matters: a buyer can see not just how much recycled material is present, but what kind.
GRS vs RCS: Two Textile Exchange Standards
The GRS is often confused with the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS). Both are owned by Textile Exchange and both verify recycled input and chain of custody, but they are not interchangeable:
- Recycled content threshold: GRS requires a minimum of 20% recycled content; RCS applies to products with at least 5% recycled content.
- Scope: GRS adds social, environmental and chemical requirements. RCS, by its own text, does not address the social or environmental aspects of processing and manufacturing, nor quality or legal compliance.
- Best fit: Use RCS when the priority is a lightweight, chain-of-custody recycled claim; use GRS when a brand also needs to demonstrate responsible social and environmental processing.
How to Get GRS Certified
The certification model below follows the GRS certification procedures, where a Textile Exchange-approved Certification Body (CB) issues a Scope Certificate (SC) and Transaction Certificates (TCs) track material through the chain.
- Confirm eligibility. Verify that your product contains at least 20% recycled material and that only pre-consumer and post-consumer inputs are counted.
- Engage a Certification Body. Select a Textile Exchange-approved CB to carry out the audit and issue your certificates.
- Certify every stage. Each stage of production must be certified — beginning at the recycling stage and ending at the last seller in the final business-to-business transaction. Material Collection and Material Concentration sites are covered through self-declaration, document collection and on-site visits.
- Use Scope and Transaction Certificates. Obtain a Scope Certificate for your site and issue Transaction Certificates for every shipment so the recycled content can be traced up the chain.
- Maintain through the cycle. Keep records, meet social and environmental requirements, and pass periodic on-site audits to keep certification active.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does GRS stand for?
A: GRS stands for the Global Recycled Standard. It is owned and administered by Textile Exchange, a non-profit organisation that develops material sustainability standards for the textile industry.
Q: What is the minimum recycled content required for GRS?
A: The GRS applies to any product that contains at least 20% Recycled Material by mass. Only pre-consumer and post-consumer materials count toward that percentage.
Q: Does GRS certify organic materials?
A: No. The GRS is a recycled-content standard. It verifies recycled input and responsible processing; it does not certify organic fibre production. For organic claims, Textile Exchange's Organic Content Standard (OCS) is the relevant tool.
Q: What is the difference between GRS and RCS?
A: Both are Textile Exchange standards for recycled content and chain of custody. GRS requires at least 20% recycled content and adds social, environmental and chemical requirements. RCS requires at least 5% recycled content and covers chain of custody only — it does not address social or environmental aspects.
Q: Who can make a GRS claim on a product?
A: Every stage of production — from the recycling stage to the last seller in the final business-to-business transaction — must be certified, and the recycled material must be backed by Transaction Certificates. Only then can a verified GRS claim be made.
Q: Does GRS cover social and environmental criteria?
A: Yes. In addition to recycled content and chain of custody, the GRS includes social requirements (such as prohibitions on forced and child labour), environmental requirements (energy, water, wastewater, emissions, waste) and chemical restrictions.
Q: How do I start GRS certification?
A: Confirm your product meets the 20% recycled-content minimum, then engage a Textile Exchange-approved Certification Body. The CB will audit your site, issue a Scope Certificate, and Transaction Certificates will track recycled material through your supply chain.
Conclusion
GRS certification gives brands a credible, third-party way to substantiate recycled content claims while also demonstrating responsible social and environmental processing. If your product contains at least 20% recycled material and you want a claim that goes beyond chain of custody alone, the Global Recycled Standard is the right fit. For lighter recycled claims, the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) may be sufficient.
Need help scoping GRS certification for your supply chain? Talk to our team at Tranwin for practical, standard-specific guidance.
References
- Textile Exchange — Global Recycled Standard (GRS) v4.0, Standard (GRS-101).
- Textile Exchange — GRS v4.0, Content Claim & Certification Procedures (GRS-102).
- Textile Exchange — Guide to Recycled Materials (GRS-202) v2.0.
- Textile Exchange — Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) 2.0.
Tag
