The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is a voluntary product standard owned by Textile Exchange. It verifies the recycled content of products and sets requirements for the social, environmental and chemical practices of the sites that process them. Garment factories usually meet GRS when a buyer wants to sell products with a certified recycled claim, commonly for recycled polyester, recycled cotton or recycled nylon.
This page is a practical overview. The standard itself, and the documents of your certification body, are the authority. Check the current version on the Textile Exchange website.
What GRS covers#
- Recycled content: the recycled input material must be verified back to the recycling stage.
- Chain of custody: every stage that takes ownership of and processes the material must be certified, so the recycled material is traced and kept separate from non-certified material.
- Social requirements: labour and working condition criteria for certified sites.
- Environmental requirements: environmental management, including water, energy and wastewater.
- Chemical requirements: restrictions on certain chemicals used in processing.
Minimum recycled content#
GRS sets minimum recycled content levels for certification and for use of the GRS label on products. The label threshold is higher than the certification threshold. Confirm the current thresholds in the standard before making product or label decisions.
Chain of custody and transaction certificates#
- Each certified organisation holds a scope certificate issued by an accredited certification body, listing the processes and products covered.
- When certified material is sold to the next certified stage, the seller requests a transaction certificate (TC) from its certification body. The TC documents the quantity and recycled content of that shipment.
- The garment factory needs incoming TCs (for fabric and, where relevant, trims) to support its own outgoing TC for the finished goods.
Without continuous certification from recycler to final seller, the claim is not valid.
What a garment factory must do#
- Get certified by an accredited certification body, with the relevant processes in scope (cutting, sewing, printing, washing, and so on).
- Buy from certified suppliers and collect TCs or supplier scope certificates as required.
- Keep certified material separate and identified in stores, cutting and production.
- Keep records: purchase, receipt, consumption, waste and sales, so a mass balance can be shown.
- Label correctly, following the standard's labelling rules and the buyer's instructions.
- Meet social, environmental and chemical requirements at the site.
- Request TCs for shipments sold as GRS.
GRS vs RCS#
| GRS | RCS | |
|---|---|---|
| Recycled content verification | Yes | Yes |
| Chain of custody | Yes | Yes |
| Social requirements | Yes | No |
| Environmental requirements | Yes | No |
| Chemical restrictions | Yes | No |
See Recycled Claim Standard (RCS).
Common problems#
- Fabric supplier certified, but garment factory not certified, so no TC can be issued for the garments.
- Records do not show where certified fabric went; mass balance does not reconcile.
- Certified and non-certified fabric mixed in cutting.
- Product labels using GRS wording without meeting the labelling rules.
Related: GOTS for organic fiber, OEKO-TEX for product safety testing, and ZDHC for chemical management.
Related guides#
- Restricted substances lists: the product chemical requirements alongside GRS.
- Buyer compliance audits: how GRS audits fit with other buyer audits.
Frequently asked questions#
Does every subcontractor need GRS certification? Sites that take legal ownership of the material or process it within the scope usually need to be covered. Check the certification body's rules for subcontractors.