The Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) is a voluntary standard owned by Textile Exchange. It verifies the presence and amount of recycled material in a product through a certified chain of custody. Unlike the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), RCS does not add social, environmental or chemical requirements. It is focused on tracking the recycled content claim.
Use the current standard and your certification body's rules as the authority. Thresholds and label rules can change between versions.
What RCS covers#
- Verification of recycled input at the recycling stage.
- Chain of custody through each stage that processes and sells the material.
- Transaction certificates (TCs) documenting certified shipments between stages.
- Labelling rules for products that carry an RCS claim.
Label categories#
RCS uses two label categories, based on recycled content:
- RCS 100: products made with a very high share of recycled material.
- RCS Blended: products with a lower share of recycled material, blended with other material.
The exact percentage thresholds for each category, and the minimum recycled content for certification, are set in the standard. Check the current version before deciding on labels.
What a garment factory must do#
- Certification: the garment factory is certified by an accredited certification body if it takes ownership of the material and sells certified products.
- Certified inputs: buy fabric from certified suppliers and receive TCs or other required evidence.
- Segregation and identification: keep certified fabric and panels identified and separate from other material.
- Records: purchases, stock, consumption, waste, production and sales, so volumes reconcile.
- Labelling: follow the RCS labelling rules and the buyer's artwork approvals.
- Outgoing TCs: request TCs for shipments sold with an RCS claim.
RCS or GRS?#
| Choose | When |
|---|---|
| RCS | The buyer only needs a verified recycled content claim |
| GRS | The buyer also wants social, environmental and chemical requirements verified at each site |
Many facilities hold both, since the processes overlap.
Common problems#
- Recycled content in the product is below the level claimed on the label.
- Missing TCs from a fabric supplier.
- Subcontractors (printing, embroidery, washing) not covered by certification when required.
- Claims printed on hangtags without approval.
Related: GRS, GOTS and restricted substances lists.
How the chain of custody works in practice#
A simple example with recycled polyester T-shirts:
| Stage | What happens | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Recycler | Post-consumer bottles processed into recycled polyester chips or fiber | Recycler certified; recycled input documented |
| Spinner | Recycled fiber spun, blended with other fiber | Scope certificate; TC for yarn sold |
| Knitter and dyehouse | Yarn knitted and dyed into fabric | Scope certificate; TC for fabric sold |
| Garment factory | Fabric cut, sewn and packed | Scope certificate; incoming TCs; TC requested for garments sold |
| Brand | Sells finished goods with the claim | Uses TCs to support the claim |
If any stage in the chain is not certified, the claim cannot continue past that stage.
Record keeping for the garment factory#
- Receiving records for certified fabric, linked to supplier TCs or invoices.
- Stock and issue records separating certified from non-certified fabric.
- Cutting and production records showing which orders used certified fabric.
- Waste records (cutting waste, rejects).
- Shipment records matching outgoing TCs.
A certification body will check that volumes reconcile: what came in, what was used, what was wasted and what was sold.
Related guides#
- OEKO-TEX: product safety certification, which RCS does not cover.
- ZDHC: chemical management, also outside the scope of RCS.
- Buyer compliance audits: how certification audits fit with other buyer audits.
Frequently asked questions#
Is RCS a product safety standard? No. It verifies recycled content only. Product safety and chemical requirements need other programs, such as the buyer's RSL.
Can pre-consumer waste count as recycled? The standard defines which pre-consumer and post-consumer materials qualify. Check the definitions in the current version.