Standards & schemes
Textile Exchange
In brief
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) are Textile Exchange's recycled-content certifications, applying to textiles, plastics and other materials. The RCS verifies recycled content only (≥5%); the GRS adds social, environmental and chemical requirements to the processing chain and requires ≥20% recycled content for certification, with ≥50% needed for on-product labelling. Both use transaction certificates to track certified material through the supply chain, which is the evidentiary basis for recycled-content claims — the claim attaches to the volume covered by a valid transaction certificate, not to a self-declared percentage. Both standards are being superseded: Textile Exchange published the unified Materials Matter Standard V1.0 in December 2025, with GRS/RCS transitioning into it over a defined period. The standards apply to any product containing recycled material, not only apparel — packaging, furniture and plastics are certified under the same rules. Verification covers both the recycled input's origin (pre- or post-consumer) and the integrity of material flow through each processor, which is what gives the percentage claim its evidentiary chain. Certification supports a recycled-content claim only within the certified scope and chain-of-custody documentation; it does not by itself prove outcomes or validate wording beyond that scope.
Conditional relationships
A relationship does not mean that the standard proves or validates every use of a claim.
Recognition & legal context
No reviewed law references are published.
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