Certifications, chemical rules and audits shape which suppliers a buyer can use and what claims a product can carry. This section explains the common standards and programs in practical terms: what they cover, what a garment factory has to do, and where the usual gaps are.
These pages summarise; they do not replace the standards. Always check the current version of a standard and the documents of your certification body. For product safety, see OEKO-TEX and restricted substances lists. For organic and recycled claims, see GOTS, GRS and RCS. For chemical management in production, see ZDHC, and for audits, buyer compliance audits.
The Global Recycled Standard verifies recycled content and adds social, environmental and chemical requirements for the sites that process it. What GRS covers, how chain of custody and transaction certificates work, and how it differs from RCS.
The Recycled Claim Standard tracks recycled material through the supply chain to support a recycled content claim. What RCS covers, the label categories, how it differs from GRS, and what a garment factory needs to do.
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Garment factories face social, environmental, security, quality and chemical audits from buyers and third parties. What each type looks at, common audit schemes, how to prepare, and how to handle findings with corrective action plans.
What GOTS certification requires across the supply chain, the difference between the organic and made-with-organic label grades, scope and transaction certificates, and what a garment factory must do to stay compliant.
The Global Recycled Standard verifies recycled content and adds social, environmental and chemical requirements for the sites that process it. What GRS covers, how chain of custody and transaction certificates work, and how it differs from RCS.
What OEKO-TEX certification means in practice: what STANDARD 100 tests for, how product classes work, how the other OEKO-TEX labels differ, and what a factory or brand needs to do to use them correctly.
The Recycled Claim Standard tracks recycled material through the supply chain to support a recycled content claim. What RCS covers, the label categories, how it differs from GRS, and what a garment factory needs to do.
An RSL lists substances that are restricted or banned in finished products, usually based on laws in the markets where products are sold. How RSLs are built, common substance groups, how compliance is tested, and how factories manage risk.
The ZDHC Programme sets tools and guidelines to reduce hazardous chemicals in textile and leather production. What the MRSL is, how wastewater guidelines work, what suppliers are asked to do, and how it differs from product RSLs.