WHAT IS GRS?
GRS (Global Recycled Standard) - Global Recycling Standard: developed by Control Union Certifications in 2008 and ownership taken over by Textile Exchange on January 1, 2011. Textile Exchange has begun revising the standard in early 2012. This is a voluntary product standard that tracks and verifies the recycled material content of final products.
The GRS standard applies to the full supply chain and covers traceability, environmental principles, social requirements, chemical content and labeling.
GOALS OF GRS CERTIFICATION
Increase use of recycled materials
Verify recycled content in products
Give consumers (both businesses and end consumers) a tool to make informed decisions.
Reduce harmful impacts of production on humans and the environment.
Ensure that the products are well disposed of in a more environmentally friendly manner.
Encourage increased percentage of recycled content in products.
KEY POINTS IN GRS STANDARDS
Recycled material verification: Materials are verified to meet the ISO definition of recycled. Both pre-consumer and post-consumer materials are acceptable.
Responsible Production: GRS sites are required to meet strict social and environmental requirements. Potentially harmful chemicals are not allowed on GRS products.
Supply chain management: GRS certification ensures transparency of the origin of recycled materials: from recycler to final product.
Trusted certification: A professional third-party certification body inspects each stage in the supply chain.
Building Reputation: Products that meet all the requirements can be labeled with the GRS symbol.
Stakeholder oversight: RS is managed with input from recyclers, suppliers, wholesalers and retailers from every corner of the world
SCOPE OF GRS CERTIFICATION
This standard applies to products containing 20% or more recycled materials. (Some exceptions may apply)
The standard applies to any verified Recycled Material and is applicable to any supply chain.
The standard provides chain of custody verification for Recycled Materials, in accordance with the Content Claims Standard (CCS)
The standard includes consumer-facing labeling; Only products that were certified to the seller in the most recent business-to-business transaction are eligible. Only products with at least 50% Recycled Content are eligible for product specific GRS labeling.
GRS establishes criteria for social and environmental principles in the processing of GRS certified products.
The standard limits the use of hazardous chemicals during the processing of GRS products; it does not address the chemicals contained in the Recovered Material or what may be present in the final GRS products.
