Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)

Textile Exchange is a global non-profit driving positive impact on climate change across the fashion and textile industry. It guides a growing community of brands, manufacturers, and farmers towards more purposeful production from the very start of the supply chain. Textile Exchange developed several important industry standards, including the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS).

GRS and RCS are international, voluntary standards that set requirements for third-party certification of recycled input (pre-consumer or post-consumer). It has a robust chain of custody from the source up to the final product.

GRS requires 20% minimum recycled content percentage, additional social and environmental requirements related to processing and chemical use, whereas RCS requires at least 5% of recycled input with no processing requirements.

GRS also aims to reduce the effect of harmful production on people and the environment and encourages higher use of proportions on recycled content in products.

Both standards rely on the foundation of the Content Claim Standard (CCS) which is a Chain of Custody for all Textile Exchange standards which makes sure the identity of the claimed material is maintained from feedstock to its final product.

RCS and GRS have three main objectives:

• Align definitions of “recycled” across different applications.
• Verify recycled content in products.
• Give brands and consumers a means to make informed buying decisions.

How Intertek can help

Intertek is an accredited certification body for GOTS and for the following Textile Exchange standards GRS, RCS, OCS and CCS, including supply chain companies for RDS, and RAF (RWS, RMS, RAS) with a secondary scope (i.e. all RDS sites after the slaughter site and all RAF sites after the farm). We aid all sites in the supply chain including brands in delivering end-to-end solutions that help organizations mitigate supply chain risk and boost confidence in their sustainable sourcing, brand and marketing claims.

Why choose Intertek for Textile Exchange and GOTS certification?

• Network of global experts in the textile processing industry: environmental, social, and chemical management audits
• Local experts in the countries where your suppliers are located, delivering consistently with precision, pace and passion on a global and local level
• Process management and guidance throughout the entire certification life cycle through our web-based platform SourceClear providing you visibility into your certifications and supporting faster business transactions (Scope Certifications, Transaction Certifications).

Intertek is a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Partner with Intertek and gain confidence in your sustainable sourcing, brand and marketing claims. With the largest auditor network around the world in more than 100 countries, Intertek can support your organisation's ethical sourcing goals wherever you do business.

Resources

For more information, please visit the Textile Exchange website at textileexchange.org/recycled-claim-global-recycled-standard