What Is the Global Recycle Standard (GRS)?

The Global Recycle Standard (GRS) was initially established by Control Union Certifications in 2008, and ownership was transferred to the Textile Exchange on January 1, 2011.

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international, voluntary, and comprehensive product standard that establishes requirements for third-party certification related to recycled content, supply chain, social and environmental practices, and chemical restrictions.

GRS aims to meet the needs of companies that wish to verify the recycled content of their products (finished and intermediate products) and to confirm responsible social, environmental, and chemical practices in their production.

The goal of GRS is to establish relevant requirements to ensure accurate content claims and a positive working environment, while minimizing harmful environmental and chemical impacts.

This includes companies involved in spinning, weaving, knitting, printing, and weaving in over 50 countries/regions.

Products certified by GRS must meet the following requirements:

Products must contain at least 50% recycled materials and comply with environmental and social responsibility standards, including the prohibition of harmful chemicals, protection of workers’ rights, and ensuring fair trade, among others. They also need to be audited and verified by a third-party certification body.

To obtain GRS certification, products must contain at least 20% of raw materials composed of recycled fibers, which must be 100% pollution-free. The recycled fibers should clearly indicate whether they are pre-consumer waste or post-consumer waste, as well as the proportions of pre-consumer and post-consumer waste in the recycled fibers. In addition to the requirements for raw materials, standards for corporate social responsibility, pollution prevention and treatment in the production process, and chemical restrictions are also enhanced.

To use the GRS certification mark (hang tag), the product’s raw materials must contain at least 50% recycled content.

GRS

Why Was the Global Recycle Standard (GRS) 4.0 Developed?

The purpose of the GRS standard is to provide the textile industry with a standard that can verify the following items:

1.Standards for recycled content in products (finished/intermediate products)

2.Implementation of social responsibility (human rights, basic welfare, anti-discrimination, etc.)

3.Environmental protection

4.Chemical control

5.Harmonization of terminology definitions in different application fields

6.Tracking and tracing the input of recycled biomaterials

7.Providing customers (manufacturers or consumers) with a tool to make more informed decisions

8.Reducing harm to human health and the environment caused by production

9.Ensuring that the materials in the final product are recyclable

10.Encouraging innovation to solve quality issues with recycled materials.

The GRS Certification Audit Consists of 4 Parts: Product Regeneration and Supply Chain Requirements, Social Responsibility, Environmental, and Chemical.

Product Regeneration and Supply Chain Requirements:

1.Products with a recycled content of 20% or more.

2.Declared recycled materials should follow a complete and verified regulatory chain from input to final product.

Social Responsibility:

1.Workers employed by companies involved in GRS product production are protected by strong social responsibility policies.

2.GRS social requirements are based on the principles of a global social responsibility compliance program. In all cases, the applicability of international labor standards, national and/or local legislation, or the strictest GRS requirements should not violate applicable laws.

Environmental:

1.Companies involved in GRS product production should have a high level of environmental awareness.

2.GRS environmental requirements apply to all operations within the certification organization. In all cases, the strictest national and or local regulations or GRS requirements should be applied.

3.Wastewater generated by factories should be regularly monitored or tested.

Chemical:

1.Chemicals used in the production of GRS products should not cause unnecessary harm to the environment or workers.

2.GRS only applies to the use and management of chemicals in the production process of GRS products. The standard does not apply to the entire facility, but only to the production of GRS products. GRS does not address chemicals present in the final product because it cannot control any chemicals that may be present in recycled products used as initial inputs in the GRS production chain.