As part of the Textile Exchange, the Global Recycle Standard are international, voluntary standards that set requirements for third-party certification of recycled input and chain of custody. The shared goal of the standards is to increase the use of recycled materials. The GRS includes additional criteria for social and environmental processing requirements and chemical restrictions. The GRS aims to increase the use of recycled materials in products and reduce/eliminate the damage caused by production. This international product standard was created by Control Union Certifications in 2008 and is currently owned by Textile Exchange. The GRS outlines international, voluntary standards that set requirements for third-party certification of recycled input and chain of custody. The shared goal of the standards is to increase the use of recycled materials. The GRS includes additional criteria for social and environmental processing requirements and chemical restrictions. The GRS label is a comprehensive certification that not only guarantees the recycled content of the product (minimum: 20%), but also ensures sustainable production, the absence of harmful chemicals and ethical working conditions. The rise of global sustainable development and the low carbon economy has led to a growing interest from brands, buyers and retailers to make responsible use of renewable resources. Reusing and recycling materials helps to reduce reliance on non-renewable resources and minimize the environmental impact of disposing of emissions and waste. The GRS standard for recycled product components includes the following four sections:
Recycled Material Requirements Environmental Principles Social Principles Chemical requirements
To reduce certification costs for companies, RCS (Recycle Claim Standard) also accepts equivalent standards for the above mentioned sections, for example: For the social principles, if your company has passed a Social Responsibility audit such as BSCI, SA8000, GSCP, following assessment by a GRS certification body, the corresponding assessment can be exempted from the GRS on-site audit. While the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) certifies that products with this seal contain a minimum of 5% recycled material, the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certifies from 20% recycled material and also places special emphasis on social and environmental criteria. Both are in favor of recycling. Companies that successfully pass the certification can promote products certified according to the GRS standard. For each batch of products, companies can also obtain transaction certificates issued by the certification body and offer it to subsequent customers and buyers. Intertek Green Initiatives (China) participated in the development of the GRS&RCS standard, so it has extensive knowledge. Intertek offers you high quality, efficient and fair services for clients during the certification process.
What Kind of Recycled Materials Are Found in Textiles? We can find different types of recycled fabrics in the textile sector, but the most common are undoubtedly these:
Recycled polyester: also known as rPET, it gives a second life to materials such as plastic bottles or PET containers. Recycled cotton: obtained from leftovers from clothing manufacturing or used garments. Recycled organic cotton: gives a second life to organic cotton leftovers.
Promotion of Recycled Materials The Global Recycled Standard seal is based on the ISO definition of recycling to certify products. The seal ensures that the recycled content is present from the start of production until it reaches the consumer. This is a guarantee for the end buyer. The aim of the GRS is to promote the use of recycled materials and to make the production of garments and all kinds of ### Header 3products less harmful to the environment. Examples of companies that carry this prominent seal include: Boyish, Arielle, Banana Republic, Jigsaw Clothing and COS. The application process includes:
On-site audit Review of reports Certification committee audit reports.