Our growing list of standards and certifications
Type
Standard
Other
Sustainable Production Standard
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Farmers, Ginners, Spinners, Suppliers, Manufacturers, Brands, Retailers, Civil Society Organizations, Donors, Governments
Description
The Better Cotton Initiative is the largest cotton sustainability program globally, with over 2,500 members and almost a quarter of the world’s cotton is produced under the Better Cotton Standard. The Better Cotton Standard System covers all three sustainability pillars (environmental, social and economical) and trains farmers in sustainable practices. The system has 7 principles and criteria, regular farm assessments, and monitoring mechanisms to measure progress. Recently, the program revised its principles and criteria to align with their 2030 strategy and will become effective for licensing in the 2024/25 season. Better Cotton establishes its standards in compliance with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice on Standard Setting. ISEAL acts as the overseer of certifiers, ensuring that their certification scheme is trustworthy and effective.
Consumers see
Badge on Product Label (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to consumers that the organization is a Better Cotton Member, demonstrating their strong commitment to sustainable cotton farming practices. With this commitment, they have pledged to source a minimum of 10% of their cotton as Better Cotton, with a plan to increase this to a minimum of 50% within five years.
Type
Standard
Other
Sustainable Production Standard
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Farmers, Ginners, Spinners, Suppliers, Manufacturers, Brands, Retailers, Civil Society Organizations, Donors, Governments
Description
The Better Cotton Initiative is the largest cotton sustainability program globally, with over 2,500 members and almost a quarter of the world’s cotton is produced under the Better Cotton Standard. The Better Cotton Standard System covers all three sustainability pillars (environmental, social and economical) and trains farmers in sustainable practices. The system has 7 principles and criteria, regular farm assessments, and monitoring mechanisms to measure progress. Recently, the program revised its principles and criteria to align with their 2030 strategy and will become effective for licensing in the 2024/25 season. Better Cotton establishes its standards in compliance with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice on Standard Setting. ISEAL acts as the overseer of certifiers, ensuring that their certification scheme is trustworthy and effective.
Consumers see
Badge on Product Label (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to consumers that the organization is a Better Cotton Member, demonstrating their strong commitment to sustainable cotton farming practices. With this commitment, they have pledged to source a minimum of 10% of their cotton as Better Cotton, with a plan to increase this to a minimum of 50% within five years.
Type
Certification, System
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
1 to 3 years, depends on circumstances
Who is this for?
Brands, Retailers, Manufacturers, Chemical Suppliers
Description
bluesign® is a sustainability standard that focuses on the chemical composition of textile products to ensure safety for consumers. To be certified, manufacturers must be transparent and disclose all relevant information about their production process from the factory to the final product. If a textile product meets all of bluesign’s criteria, it may receive the label bluesign® PRODUCT. bluesign® offers a range of services to support brands, retailers, and manufacturers in improving their sustainability practices. These services include data management, impact supply chain reporting, and analyses, as well as expert support. They also provide valid chemical management and a training academy with customized courses to help businesses meet sustainability goals.
Consumers see
Badge on Product Label (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to consumers that the entire production process has been verified and traced, ensuring that every step is free from harmful chemical substances, which in turn reduces the impact on human health, the environment and on the workers who make the product. By choosing a bluesign® PRODUCT, consumers have the assurance that the product they are buying has been made with care for the environment, with minimal impact on human health.
Type
Certification
Other
Carbon Accountability Certification
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Brands, Retailers, For-Profit Businesses
Description
The Climate Neutral Certified label is a globally-recognized trusted, independent climate label for carbon accountability. The certification process begins with measuring emissions and assessing the carbon impacts of all products and services from cradle to customer. Brands are required to develop and implement reduction action plans (RAPs) to reduce emissions over the next 12-24 months, and those with over $100M in annual revenue must set science-aligned reduction targets to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030. Guides, templates, and tools are available to help determine where and how to reduce emissions. Lastly, brands must compensate for all previous year’s emissions by purchasing eligible verified carbon and clean energy credits to become “neutral.” Once a brand is certified, they will have a certification profile in Climate Neutral’s brand directory.
Consumers see
Certification Badge
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to consumers that the brand’s business activities are carbon neutral.
Type
Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Standard / Foundation
Valid for
2 years
Who is this for?
Farmers, Ginners, Spinners, Suppliers, Manufacturers, Brands
Description
Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) was established by The Aid by Trade Foundation, the largest cotton initiative in Africa. The CmiA standard aims to improve the living conditions of African cotton farmers, protect the environment, and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources. It sets principles, criteria, and indicators defined in social, ecological and economic parameters that are suitable for the African context.
The Aid by Trade Foundation helps cotton companies achieve the stated sustainability goals. Based on the audit findings, each cotton company creates a continuous-improvement plan and establishes concrete goals to be achieved by the next verification.
Consumers see
Red Quality Seal along side brand (not a product label)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates that the cotton in branded products uses African cotton and complies with the high standards of CmiA.
Type
Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Standard / Foundation
Valid for
2 years
Who is this for?
Farmers, Ginners, Spinners, Suppliers, Manufacturers, Brands
Description
The Cotton made in Africa-Organic (CmiA-Organic) standard was developed on the initiative of The Aid by Trade Foundation in close cooperation with independent experts for standard development, organic cotton farmers, local actors, and Textile Exchange.
To be certified under the CmiA-Organic program, cotton must meet the criteria for both the Cotton made in Africa program and the Textile Exchange’s Organic Content Standard (OCS). This means that the cotton must be grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and must meet strict social and environmental standards throughout the supply chain.
Consumers see
Red Quality Seal along side brand (not a product label)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates that the organic cotton in branded products uses African organic cotton and complies with the high standards of CmiA.
Type
Certification
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
3 years
Who is this for?
Brands, For-Profit Businesses
Description
The Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program has certified over 34,000 products across categories such as building materials, textiles, cosmetics, and paper, among others. The certification assesses materials and products across five sustainability categories: material health (materials are safe for humans and environment), product circularity, clean air and climate production, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness (safe, fair and equitable labour practices). Eligible products that meet the requirements can receive certification at four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Companies work with an independent assessment body to verify a product’s performance across each category, and certified products are listed in the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Registry.
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark), Certification Badge
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to consumers that the product has been designed for circularity with a commitment to protect human rights and health while minimizing environmental impact.
Type
Certification
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
3 years
Who is this for?
Brands, For-Profit Businesses
Description
The Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program has certified over 34,000 products across categories such as building materials, textiles, cosmetics, and paper, among others. The certification assesses materials and products across five sustainability categories: material health (materials are safe for humans and environment), product circularity, clean air and climate production, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness (safe, fair and equitable labour practices). Eligible products that meet the requirements can receive certification at four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Companies work with an independent assessment body to verify a product’s performance across each category, and certified products are listed in the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Registry.
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark), Certification Badge
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to consumers that the product has been designed for circularity with a commitment to protect human rights and health while minimizing environmental impact.
Type
Certification
Other
Sustainable Certifications / Certification Body
Who is this for?
Brands, Retailers, Manufacturers, For-Profit Businesses
Description
Ecocert is a global audit and certification body that provides sustainable development consulting, training and certifications for food, farming, forestry, textiles, cosmetics and eco-products sectors. Ecocert certified according to more than 150 programs, selected for their environmental and societal criteria. These certification include: Fair For Life – FFL, Regenerative Organic certified standard – ROC, Climate Neutral Certification Standard – CNG, Ecoresponsible Program – CID, Global Organic Textile Standard – GOTS, Ecological and Recycled Textile standard – ERTS, Forest Stewardship Council® – FSC®, Recycled Claim Standard – RCS and more!
What does this tell consumers?
Depends on the certification
Type
Advocacy Organization
Other
Advocates Fair Labour Conditions
Who is this for?
Brands, Civil Society Organization, Factories, Manufacturers, Trade Unions, Governments
Description
Fair Wear works with companies to help them implement fair labor practices, and they provide labour standards for assessing and improving working conditions in the factories that produce their clothing. They address fair labour issues based on internationally recognized standards and conventions, including the Code of Labour Practices (CoLP), UN’s Declaration on Human Rights, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct and Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD). The organization has a risk-based approach to ensure alignment with responsible supply chains in the industry and supports a worker-centric approach to drive improvement.
Consumers see
Member Brand Directory on Fair Wear Website
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to consumers that the brand practices fair labour standards and shows the percentage of factories disclosed, sourcing countries, benchmark score and performance report on labour practices, monitoring production locations and demonstrated remediation at the factory level.
Type
Certification
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
3 years
Who is this for?
Brands, Producers, Suppliers, Traders, Manufacturers, For-Profit Businesses
Description
Fairtrade certification is a label given to products that meet certain standards of fair trade, such as paying a fair price, providing safe working conditions, and prohibiting the use of forced or child labour. It aims to promote fair and sustainable trading practices for farmers and workers in developing countries, empowering them to invest in their communities and improve their standard of living. Products that are certified Fairtrade include food (bananas, cocoa, coffee. tea..etc), cotton, sport balls and more. Fairtrade International establishes its standards in compliance with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice on Standard Setting. ISEAL acts as the overseer of certifiers, ensuring that their certification scheme is trustworthy and effective. As part of this process, a diverse range of stakeholders, including farmers and workers, local authorities, experts in the field, businesses, non-profit organizations, and other groups, are consulted to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach.
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark), Certification Badge
What does this tell consumers?
If consumers see the Fairtrade logo on clothing and textiles labels, it communicates that the cotton used in their production is Fairtrade certified – meaning it meets the highest standards of economic, social, and environmental responsibility. It also means they are supporting not only sustainable and ethical practices, but also cotton farmers and their communities, who benefit from Fairtrade’s commitment to improving their quality of life.
Type
Advocacy Organization, Certification
Other
Sustainability Management And Sourcing Certification
Valid for
depends, typically up to 5 years
Who is this for?
Forest Owners, Forest Managers, Forest License holders, Manufacturers, Brands, Construction companies
Description
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international non-profit organization that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC certification is a voluntary, third-party certification system that verifies that forest products have been produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way. FSC certification covers both natural and planted forests, and can be applied to a range of forest products, including timber, paper, and other forest-based materials. There are three certifications: 1.) Forest Management Certification (for forest owners and managers), 2.) Chain of Custody Certification (businesses manufacturing or trading forest products), 3.) Project Certification (buildings and construction projects).
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark), Certification Badge
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to consumers that the product was responsibly sourced from well-managed forests
Type
Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Standard
Valid for
Leather Trader: 1 year, Commissioning Manufacturer Standard / Subcontractor Standard: 2 years
Who is this for?
Leather Manufacturer, Leather Trader, Commissioning Manufacturer, Subcontractor
Description
Leather Working Group drives high standards in leather production through their four auditing standards. Their members and technical experts guide the development of their leading global standard to ensure it continually raises the bar for best practice in the industry.
If a business is a 1.) leather manufacturer, 2.) leather trader, 3.) commissioning manufacturer, or 4.) subcontractor, the organization is eligible to achieve LWG Certification. These four LWG standards cover raw material traders through to leather manufacturers and subcontractors, to traders of finished material.
Each LWG audit standard covers a comprehensive range of specific business aspects, tailored to their unique requirements. These include vital areas such as environmental management, chemical and waste management, traceability, social responsibility, governance, and more.
Consumers see
LWG logo on brand communications and product labelling
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates that they are a member of LWG and meet LWG leather standards and/or committed to sourcing leather from LWG certified leather manufacturers and operations.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Standard
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Suppliers, Manufacturers, Brands, Retailers
Description
OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT is an independent certification system for chemicals, colourants and auxiliaries used in the textile and leather industry. During a multistep process, they analyse whether each individual ingredient in the chemical product meets the statutory requirements and that it is not harmful to human health. The label also gives transparent proof of which articles meet the criteria for ecologically responsible textile and leather manufacture. Once per year, OEKO-TEX® updates the banned substances and limit values and expands them to include new scientific findings or statutory requirements. ECO PASSPORT is recognized as a pre-certificate for STANDARD 100 and LEATHER STANDARD. It is a reliable solution for publishing the chemical ingredients for products.
Consumers see
Badge on Product with QR Code (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to the consumer that each individual substance in the chemical products meets government regulations and that it is not harmful to human health. Consumers can use the product ID to view if the certificate is still valid through OEKO-TEX’s Label Check.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Standard
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Processors, Manufacturers, Traders, Suppliers, Brands
Description
OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD is an internationally standardised testing and certification system for leather and leather goods at all production levels, including accessory materials. The certification serves as legally binding verification of successful product certification in all business processes in accordance with LEATHER STANDARD. Leather and leather articles from all processing levels can be certified: from semi-finished leather products (wet-blue, wet-white, etc.) to finished articles. This includes leather fibre materials, leather clothing, leather accessories such as leather gloves, leather bags and leather shoes and also some skins (e.g. sheepskin, lambskin, cowskin). They do not certify the leather from exotic or protected animals such as crocodiles, snakes and armadillos.
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to the consumer that the leather product has successfully passed a test for chemicals that are harmful to health. Consumers can use the QR Code or product ID to view the certificate validity through OEKO-TEX’s Label Check.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Standard
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Processors, Manufacturers, Traders, Suppliers, Brands
Description
The OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN label identifies textiles and leather goods tested for harmful substances and which have been manufactured under sustainable and socially responsible conditions. In order to receive this certification, the product must be certified in accordance with OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 or OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD and the production facilities must be certified in accordance with OEKO-TEX® STeP.
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 or OEKO-TEX® LEATHER + OEKO-TEX® STeP = OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN
Consumers see
Badge on Product with QR Code (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to the consumer that the textile or leather product is made of materials that have been tested for harmful substances and can use the QR Code or product ID to view the traceability of the product.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Standard
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Processors, Manufacturers, Traders, Suppliers, Brands
Description
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON certification offers verification from farm to product. Products bearing this label have been manufactured without the use of GMOs and tested for pesticides and other harmful substances. There are 3 types of certification: ORGANIC COTTON (100% Organic Cotton), ORGANIC COTTON Blended (min 70% Organic Cotton), STANDARD 100 (<70% Organic Cotton)
Consumers see
Badge on Product with QR Code (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to the consumer that organic cotton product was manufactured without the use of GMOs and tested for pesticides and other harmful substances. Consumers can use the product ID to view if the certificate is still valid through OEKO-TEX’s Label Check.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Supply Chain Management Certification
Valid for
3 years
Who is this for?
Traders, Brand Groups, Brands, Retailers
Description
OEKO-TEX® RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS certifies the management system of a company and assesses to which extent due diligence obligations with regard to human rights and environmental criteria are implemented in the company and in their supply chains.
Consumers see
The certification being mentioned in corporate communication and reporting
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates that the company is responsibly addressing human rights and environmental due diligence.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Processors, Manufacturers, Traders, Suppliers, Brands
Description
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. The STANDARD 100 label guarantees that every component of a textile article, including threads, buttons, and accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and is safe for human health. The certification process is conducted by independent OEKO-TEX® partner institutes using a comprehensive criteria catalog. All textile articles in every stage of processing are eligible for certification, and each component is tested before the final article is labeled. This includes testing of prints and coatings on outer materials.
Consumers see
Badge on Product with QR Code (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to the consumer that every component of the textile product does not have any substance harmful to human health. Consumers can use the QR Code or product ID to view the certificate validity through OEKO-TEX’s Label Check.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Who is this for?
Processors, Manufacturers, Traders, Suppliers, Brands
Description
The OEKO-TEX® standards are a series of globally recognized independent third-party certifications that verify the safety and sustainability of textile products. The OEKO-TEX® certification system tests for harmful substances and chemicals in every stage of textile production, from raw materials to finished products.
There are 7 OEKO-TEX® standards available: MADE IN GREEN, STANDARD 100, ORGANIC COTTON, LEATHER STANDARD, STeP, ECO PASSPORT, RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS
What does this tell consumers?
Depends on the certification
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
3 years
Who is this for?
Suppliers, Manufacturers, Brands, Retailers
Description
OEKO-TEX® STeP stands for Sustainable Textile & Leather Production and is a modular certification system for the entire textile and leather production chain. It has 6 modules: chemical management, environmental performance, environmental management, social responsibility, quality management and health protection and safety at work. The goal of STeP is to implement environmentally friendly production processes in the long term, to improve health and safety and to promote socially responsible working conditions at production sites. OEKO-TEX® STeP recognises different standards and certifications from third-party providers, e.g. BSCI, FWF, SA8000, ISO 14001, ISO 9001.
What does this tell consumers?
This is a production facility certification and must be combined with a OEKO-TEX product certification to qualify for a OEKO-TEX® product label
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
3 years
Who is this for?
Suppliers, Manufacturers, Brands, Retailers
Description
OEKO-TEX® STeP stands for Sustainable Textile & Leather Production and is a modular certification system for the entire textile and leather production chain. It has 6 modules: chemical management, environmental performance, environmental management, social responsibility, quality management and health protection and safety at work. The goal of STeP is to implement environmentally friendly production processes in the long term, to improve health and safety and to promote socially responsible working conditions at production sites. OEKO-TEX® STeP recognises different standards and certifications from third-party providers, e.g. BSCI, FWF, SA8000, ISO 14001, ISO 9001.
What does this tell consumers?
This is a production facility certification and must be combined with a OEKO-TEX product certification to qualify for a OEKO-TEX® product label
Type
Certification
Other
Butterfly Mark
Who is this for?
Luxury Manufacturers/brands
Description
The Butterfly Mark certification is an independent, globally respected trust mark awarded to luxury brands, retailers and suppliers that meet the highest standards of verified ESG+ performance.
The Butterfly Mark certification has been created in consultation with the Positive Luxury Sustainability Council and is rigorous, independent, and is underpinned by the latest international standards, global legislation and best practice principles.
Brands must pass a stringent annual evaluation that examines sustainability from a holistic point of view, measuring important practices such as governance, social and environmental frameworks, philanthropy and innovation. Specifically, five key ares: governance of a business, taxation, duty to every stakeholder, community investment, and innovation.
The assessment process gets updated every two years, and companies have to re-apply to renew the rights to display the Mark.
What does this tell consumers?
Successful brands can display the interactive Butterfly Mark on branded content. Logo is a white circle with a butterfly outline.
Other
Social Accountability Certification
Valid for
3 years
Who is this for?
Brands, Retailers, For-Profit Businesses
Description
The SA8000 Standard is the world’s leading social certification program that helps organizations demonstrate their commitment to fair workplace practices and basic human rights. The SA8000 Standard is based on internationally recognized standards of decent work, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ILO conventions, and national laws. It covers nine areas of social accountability, requires companies to establish policies and procedures to ensure compliance, and helps build trust and credibility with stakeholders.
Consumers see
Certificate Badge
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to consumers that the products or services they are purchasing are produced or delivered by an organization committed to ethical and fair workplace practices, which can help them make informed decisions based on their social values.
Type
Certification
Other
Sustainable Certifications / Certification Body
Who is this for?
Brands, Retailers, Manufacturers, For-Profit Businesses
Description
SCS Global Services is a third-party certification, validation and verification body that provides sustainability and environmental certification services to various industries, including agriculture, forestry, apparel and textiles energy, and consumer products.
Apparel and textile certifications they do include: Global Recycled Standard, Life Cycle Assessment, Recycled Claim Standard, Recycled Content Certification, Responsible Source – Textiles and Sustainable Fabric Certification.
What does this tell consumers?
Depends on the certification
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainability Sourcing Certification
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Processors, Manufacturers, Traders, Suppliers, Brands
Description
The GOTS is the world’s leading processing standard for organic textiles and fibres.The GOTS quality assurance system certifies the entire textile supply chain through on-site annual inspections. All operators and wholesalers must hold a valid certification for their final products to be labeled as GOTS certified. An independent Certification Body must check and attest to a product’s compliance with GOTS standards before any claim of compliance is valid. There are two types of certification documents: Scope Certificates (SCs) and Transaction Certificates (TCs). SCs prove that a supplier meets all criteria to process GOTS goods, while TCs prove that the goods meet all GOTS product criteria. Ecocert is one for the certification bodies that can check and attest to the product’s compliance with GOTS standards.
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to the consumer that the product’s entire production process meets strict organic and sustainable standards, from the harvesting of raw materials to distribution, giving consumers the confidence that they are making an environmentally conscious purchase.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Processors, Manufacturers, Traders, Suppliers, Brands
Description
The GOTS is the world’s leading processing standard for organic textiles and fibres.The GOTS quality assurance system certifies the entire textile supply chain through on-site annual inspections. All operators and wholesalers must hold a valid certification for their final products to be labeled as GOTS certified. An independent Certification Body must check and attest to a product’s compliance with GOTS standards before any claim of compliance is valid. There are two types of certification documents: Scope Certificates (SCs) and Transaction Certificates (TCs). SCs prove that a supplier meets all criteria to process GOTS goods, while TCs prove that the goods meet all GOTS product criteria. Ecocert is one for the certification bodies that can check and attest to the product’s compliance with GOTS standards.
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates to the consumer that the product’s entire production process meets strict organic and sustainable standards, from the harvesting of raw materials to distribution, giving consumers the confidence that they are making an environmentally conscious purchase.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Suppliers, Manufacturer, Trader, Brands
Description
The RDS developed by Textile Exchange is a certification standard that ensures the ethical treatment of ducks and geese during the production of down and feathers. The standard prohibits live-plucking and force-feeding of birds, and it requires that birds are raised in healthy, humane conditions with access to clean water and food. The RDS also requires that the down and feathers are fully traceable throughout the supply chain, from farm to finished product, in order to ensure that they come from responsibly managed farms.
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates that the down and feathers don’t come from animals that have been subjected to unnecessary harm.
Type
Certification, Standard
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
1 year
Who is this for?
Farmers, Ranchers, Brands
Description
The RWS developed by Textile Exchange is a certification program that ensures wool is produced sustainably and responsibly. It sets animal welfare, land management, and traceability requirements for farmers to follow. RWS aims to promote responsible farming practices, improve animal welfare, and reduce the industry’s environmental impact.
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates that the wool comes from farms that take a progressive approach to land management and respect animal welfare.
Type
Advocacy Organization
Other
Advocates To Fight Climate Change
Who is this for?
Government, For-Profit Businesses, Civil Society Organizations, Citizens
Description
WRAP is a climate action NGO working around the globe to tackle the causes of the climate crisis and give the planet a sustainable future. WRAP textile initiatives are a series of programs aimed at promoting sustainable practices and reducing textile waste in the industry. These initiatives include Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP), Textiles 2030, and Textile Action Network.
SCAP is a collaborative initiative between WRAP and clothing retailers, brands, and manufacturers to reduce the environmental footprint of clothing. Textiles 2030 is a program that aims to reduce the environmental impact of the UK’s textile industry by 50% by 2030, focusing on circularity, waste reduction, and resource efficiency. The Textiles Action Network brings businesses, government, citizens across the globe together to share best practices and knowledge to work towards the goal of creating a circular economy for fashion textiles.
What does this tell consumers?
Not Applicable
Type
Certification
Other
Sustainable Product Certification
Valid for
3 years
Who is this for?
Producers, Manufacturers, Traders, Retailers, Brands
Description
The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) is a global network of over 300 organizations from more than 70 countries dedicated to promoting fair trade. To be a member, an organization must demonstrate that it meets the WFTO’s 10 Principles of Fair Trade, and WFTO offers a Fair Trade Guarantee System for independent verification of fair trade practices.
The WFTO Guarantee System (GS) combines Fair Trade and social enterprise verification into one. It is built to verify that an enterprise is mission-led, focused on the interests of its producers, and this is in the structure, systems and practices of the enterprise. If an organization successfully meets the WFTO GS criteria, it is awarded the WFTO GS Mark, a globally recognized symbol of fair trade that can be used on products and serves as an assurance to consumers.
Consumers see
Badge on Product (On-Product Mark)
What does this tell consumers?
Communicates that the product meets the WFTO’s 10 Principles of Fair Trade, including fair wages and working conditions, transparency and accountability, and environmental sustainability.