company news about Global Recycled Standard Boosts Textile Industry Sustainability

Imagine clothing that's not only stylish but also made from recycled waste, produced under strict environmental and social responsibility standards. This isn't a distant ideal but a vision being realized through the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), which is becoming an increasingly important force for sustainability in the textile industry and beyond.

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international, voluntary product standard that verifies recycled material content in products while ensuring environmentally and socially responsible production processes. Developed and promoted by Textile Exchange—a leading non-profit organization in textile sustainability—GRS aims to increase recycled material usage, reduce resource consumption, and improve the quality of recycled products to foster sustainable production and consumption patterns.

GRS serves several crucial purposes:

• Promoting circular economy: Encourages businesses to use recycled materials, reducing dependence on virgin resources.
• Reducing environmental impact: Limits harmful chemical use and controls waste emissions during production.
• Ensuring social responsibility: Addresses worker rights and welfare, guaranteeing ethical production standards.
• Enhancing transparency: Provides third-party verification to help consumers identify sustainable products.

The standard's primary objectives include:

• Increasing recycled material usage in products
• Reducing resource consumption (materials, water, energy)
• Minimizing environmental and social harm from production
• Establishing a clear, transparent certification system
• Building consumer awareness and trust in sustainable products

GRS certification applies to all products containing recycled materials, including intermediate and finished goods. To qualify, products must contain at least 20% recycled content (either pre-consumer or post-consumer waste).

The certification evaluates five key areas:

GRS requires verification of recycled material percentages through comprehensive management systems that track material sources, types, quantities, and usage. The standard distinguishes between:

• Pre-consumer materials: Industrial waste reused in manufacturing (e.g., textile cutting scraps)
• Post-consumer materials: Recycled consumer waste (e.g., plastic bottles, used textiles)

Companies must establish complete material tracking from source to final product, using a "mass balance" approach for mixed recycled/virgin materials while maintaining accurate content claims.

GRS prohibits harmful chemicals, referencing the Restricted Substances List (RSL) for textiles. Companies must implement chemical management systems and are encouraged to use eco-friendly alternatives.

Certified facilities must:

• Treat wastewater to meet local standards
• Control air emissions
• Implement waste reduction and recycling programs
• Reduce energy and water consumption

GRS requires compliance with labor standards including:

• Safe working conditions
• Fair wages and benefits
• Reasonable working hours
• Prohibition of child/forced labor
• Freedom of association
• Non-discrimination policies

GRS certification involves:

1. Initial assessment of eligibility
2. On-site audit of operations
3. Audit report with corrective actions
4. Implementation of improvements
5. Certificate issuance
6. Annual surveillance audits

GRS certification offers multiple advantages:

• Enhanced brand reputation
• Competitive market differentiation
• Potential cost savings through efficiency
• Improved supply chain management
• Compliance with buyer requirements

However, challenges include:

• Certification costs for small businesses
• Implementation complexity
• Ongoing standard updates

GRS is expected to evolve by:

• Expanding to additional product categories
• Raising material and process standards
• Incorporating advanced traceability technologies
• Integrating with other sustainability certifications

As sustainability concerns grow globally, the Global Recycled Standard continues to gain importance as a tool for transforming waste into valuable resources while promoting responsible production practices across industries.