The GRS label (Global Recycled Standard)

GRS Identity Card

Type of standard and scope

• International, voluntary, and “full product” standard: it covers the finished product as well as upstream processing steps (spinning, weaving, dyeing, manufacturing, etc.).
• Applicable to any product containing recycled material: textiles, plastic, paper, metal, etc., even if in practice it is overwhelmingly used in textiles.

Recycled content requirements

Two levels are important to distinguish:

• GRS eligibility: a product can enter the GRS system with as little as 20% recycled material.
• Product actually “labelled” / promoted as GRS: in practice, consumer guides indicate that the label on a garment guarantees at least 50% recycled fibers in the finished product.

The GRS accepts both pre-consumer (production scraps) and post-consumer (used garments or products) materials, as long as they meet the ISO definition of “recycled”.

Definition of recycled material and chain of custody

The GRS requires:

• a documented chain of custody covering every actor, from the recycler to the last certified seller,
• Transaction Certificates for each transfer of certified goods,
• audits by accredited third-party bodies.

This prevents brands from simply putting “recycled” on a label without solid proof — at least in theory.

Main GRS Criteria Blocks

Environmental criteria

Certified sites must:

• comply with regulations on water, air, waste, effluents, etc.,
• monitor and record their energy and water consumption, emissions, and waste,
• set improvement targets (reducing energy and water use, reducing waste, improving effluent treatment…).

This goes beyond “we recycle a bit,” moving toward cleaner production around recycled materials.

Social criteria

The GRS includes a set of social criteria, generally aligned with ILO conventions¹:

• prohibition of forced labor and child labor,
• safe and decent working conditions,
• freedom of association, non-discrimination, etc.

Important: the standard applies to certified sites, not the entire supply chain if not all factories are within scope.

Chemical criteria

The label imposes:

• restrictions on chemical substances used (dyes, auxiliaries, finishes),
• a ban on certain hazardous substances, in a logic similar to other frameworks (such as REACH²).

The idea: ensuring that recycled textiles are not only “clean on paper” but produced with controlled chemical processes.

Governance and evolution of the standard

Textile Exchange has launched a global revision of its standards (including GRS), with the upcoming “Materials Matter Standard” announced for late 2025 as part of a unified standards system.

Thus, today’s GRS fits within an evolving framework, driven by:

• regulatory pressure,
• demands for transparency,
• criticism of the limits of audits and certifications.

Strengths of the GRS Label

A relatively ambitious recycled-content threshold

Compared with other standards:

• RCS: from 5% recycled content, no strong social/environmental criteria.
• GRS:
• product eligible from 20% recycled content,
• products promoted / labelled with ≥ 50% recycled material, often communicated to consumers.

In practice, for a consumer, GRS means: “the share of recycled material here is genuinely significant.”

A “360°” approach: material + process

The main advantage over a simple marketing “recycled” logo:

• traceability of the recycled material,
• social criteria at sites,
• environmental criteria (water, energy, waste, effluents),
• chemical criteria (restricted or banned substances).

This makes it a rather comprehensive label for the “recycled materials” dimension of textile (and other) products.

Serious traceability and anti-greenwashing (at least partially)

Thanks to:

• Transaction Certificates,
• independent audits,
• chain-of-custody monitoring,

the GRS helps prevent unverified “recycled” claims, a crucial point as greenwashing cases multiply.

For brands, it is a proof tool for their claims, also useful in a regulatory context becoming stricter on environmental claims.

A recognized and widely adopted standard

The GRS is one of the reference standards for recycled materials in fashion (notably for recycled polyester and polyamide).

For professional buyers and consumers alike, it is a clear benchmark: it appears on many “recycled” collections from mainstream brands as well as more committed labels.

Limits of the GRS Label

Now for the part “what GRS does not do, or not completely”.

It says nothing about product performance or durability

The GRS does not guarantee:

• the strength of the product,
• its lifespan,
• nor its overall quality (seam strength, wash resistance, etc.).

A GRS T-shirt can be fragile or poorly designed: the label does not assess product design nor final technical quality.

It does not cover the entire brand, only certain products/sites

A brand may:

• certify only part of its range,
• certify only certain factories or supply chains.

Label explainers clearly remind that the label applies to the certified product or supply chain, not the entire brand.

Thus: a brand may have very clean GRS-certified products in some segments and remain highly problematic in others (volumes, ultra-fast fashion, etc.).

Product end-of-life is minimally addressed

The GRS focuses on:

• the recycled material used,
• production up to the last certified seller.

But it does not ensure full lifecycle management, particularly:

• the product’s recyclability at end-of-life,
• take-back, repair, resale systems, etc.

It is therefore a label for recycled content + production processes, not full circularity.

Structural limits of audits and certifications

Like all standards based on:

• occasional audits,
• documents provided by companies,

the system is not infallible:

• there remains a risk of hidden non-compliance,
• quality depends heavily on the auditing body and rigor of controls.

Even Textile Exchange notes that standards cannot solve everything and do not replace brands’ direct responsibility for their supply chains.

Technical complexity of recycling and physical limits

Even with a solid label:

• fibers degrade with each recycling cycle,
• material blends (polyester/cotton, etc.) are difficult to recycle,
• costs of recycled materials often remain higher than virgin ones.

The GRS helps ensure reliable “recycled content” claims, but it does not solve the technical limits of the sector.

A partial tool for a brand’s “sustainability”

In summary, GRS:

• does not address production volumes,
• does not address overconsumption,
• covers only one component of sustainability (recycled + process) among many others (sobriety, durable design, repairability, business model...).

An ultra-fast fashion brand can theoretically use GRS massively and remain problematic in the essential aspects: pace and quantity of production.

Summary: how to interpret the GRS label?

Key points to remember:

1. GRS = recycled + social + environmental + chemical + traceability, not just a percentage of material.
2. A GRS-labelled product contains at least 50% recycled material, with an eligibility threshold of 20%.
3. It is a good safeguard against greenwashing around “recycled”, thanks to chain of custody and audits.
4. But: GRS does not guarantee product durability nor overall brand responsibility, and does not cover full circularity (end-of-life).

Notes

1. ↑ ILO: International Labour Organization
   → The ILO is a specialized UN agency created in 1919. Its mission is to promote social justice and ensure fundamental rights at work.
2. ↑ REACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
   → The European REACH regulation is a legal framework of the European Union, implemented in 2007, aiming to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment against risks related to chemical substances.