Sustainability is really important in today’s fashion scenario. To meet the growing fashion needs, it is only fair to take a circular route that focuses on and promotes the use of recycled materials. And hence, sustainability is not just a trend but a necessity.
To make sure that recycling is not just claimed but is practised in real life, the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) stands out as a benchmark in the textile industry. It ensures the ethical and environmentally responsible use of recycled materials. Kochartex is a GRS-certified fabric manufacturer and has a commitment to incorporate the core values of GRS to offer a product range that meets both quality and environmental responsibility.
The Global Recycle Standard (GRS) was first introduced in 2008 by Control Union Certifications before its ownership was taken over by Textile Exchange on 1 January 2011, which is a global nonprofit organisation that promotes sustainability in the textile industry.
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is a certification standard for products made from recycled materials. It provides a transparent framework for manufacturers to verify the recycled content in their products. GRS applies to various sectors, including textiles, apparel, and home furnishings.
GRS requires products to be certified by an independent third-party organisation. This ensures that the product meets the necessary criteria and has undergone a thorough evaluation process. This adds transparency to the claims made by the manufacturer regarding the recycled content of their product.
GRS strongly emphasises the importance of maintaining a clear and transparent chain of custody for recycled materials. To be verified, the entire supply chain must be documented. It ensures the recycled content can be traced back to its source, promoting transparency and accountability of the manufacturer.
GRS includes practices related to responsible manufacturing, social and environmental. This includes compliance with labour laws, fair treatment of workers, and safe working conditions.
Key Compliance Requirements for GRS Certification
1. Recycled Material Content Requirements
One of the primary criteria for GRS certification is to ensure that the product contains a minimum of 50% recycled material. To be sure of that, an organisation must maintain detailed records of the source, type, and quantity of recycled materials used. Ensure traceability from raw material suppliers to final product manufacturing and obtain proper documentation from suppliers certifying the authenticity of the recycled content.
2. Compliance with Chain of Custody (CoC)
GRS certification requires a strong Chain of Custody (CoC) system to track recycled materials throughout the supply chain. The system involves implementing a traceability system that tracks material movement from sourcing to finished products, maintaining segregation of GRS-certified and non-certified materials in production and storage and conducting internal audits to verify compliance at different stages of production.
3. Environmental Compliance
Companies seeking GRS certification must follow stringent environmental management practices to reduce their ecological impact. Key environmental compliance requirements include proper waste management practices, including hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal. efficient water and energy usage to minimise resource consumption, restricted use of chemicals, ensuring compliance with the GRS Restricted Substances List (RSL), and reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through sustainable manufacturing processes.
4. Social Responsibility & Ethical Practices
GRS certification mandates adherence to ethical labour practices. Businesses must comply with internationally accepted labour and human rights standards such as those set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Requirements include:
5. Chemical Restrictions & Safety Compliance
The GRS Restricted Substances List (RSL) prohibits the use of harmful chemicals in GRS-certified products. Companies must ensure that all chemicals used in production comply with global safety standards, maintain Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all chemicals, and conduct regular chemical testing to verify compliance. The final step is to implement a hazardous material handling policy for worker safety.
6. Documentation & Record-Keeping
A crucial part of GRS compliance is maintaining detailed documentation to verify all aspects of the certification process. Required records include purchase records for raw materials and recycled content, production records to track material usage and processes, supplier certificates proving compliance with GRS guidelines and finally audit reports and corrective action plans from previous assessments.
7. Third-Party Audits & Certification Process
GRS certification requires independent third-party audits for compliance. The process includes a pre-audit self-assessment to find out about potential gaps and then an on-site verification audit conducted by an approved certification body, followed by corrective action implementation for any non-compliance issues. The last step includes annual renewal audits to maintain certification status.
Is Kochartex GRS Certified?
Yes, Kochartex is GRS certified, and its legacy and commitment to excellence shine through in our dedication to crafting fabrics of the highest quality. A variety of our products are woven from recycled materials that hold the certification of the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).
To know about all of Kochartex’s certifications, read here.
Strengthen your brand’s sustainability practices by choosing Kochartex as your fabric supplier. Consumers are informed, aware and more demanding when it comes to sustainability and environmentally responsible fabrics. Labels, certifications, and third-party validation play a central role in purchasing decisions.
By partnering with a GRS-certified supplier like Kochartex, your brand can meet growing demand for certified sustainable materials and prepare for upcoming regulations and environmental labelling requirements. Also, it will make it really easy for your brand to communicate a clear and compelling story of impact to its customers.
Sustainability is nothing but meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It involves maintaining the balance between environmental health, economic development, and social well-being.
Recycled wool yarn is more than just a material at Kochartex. Over the years, it has been helping us lay a foundation for our sustainability commitment as a fabric manufacturer in India. We use recycled wool as one of our core products, which is possible due to wool’s inherently circular nature. We’ve been able to re-imagine waste as a resource by sourcing post-consumer and pre-consumer wool to spin new life into textiles.
This transformation process diverts wool from landfills and repositions it into high-value applications such as outerwear fabrics like melton fabric, wool tweed fabric, and jacquard weave fabric applied to everything from blazers to trench coats, etc. This is Kochartex’s effort to help neutralise the adverse effect of overconsumption. Every thread in our fabrics is a woven story of resourcefulness and responsibility.
Bottom Line
The Global Recycled Standard provides more than certification; it offers accountability, traceability, and trust. Working with a GRS-certified manufacturer ensures your sustainability claims are backed by verified practices, not just promises.
For brands looking to source responsibly and future-proof their supply chains, Kochartex is a dependable partner.
GRS stands for Global Recycling Standard, a voluntary certification owned by Textile Exchange. A variety of our products are woven from recycled materials that hold this certification. A certified vendor will produce products that comply with the guidelines of the certification.
Textile manufacturing provides its final products to the fashion industry to work on, and as per the current state, the fashion industry is a victim of overconsumption, and as a result, waste production is really high, causing landfills and failing sustainability.
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