GRS and RCS Recycled Textile Standards

Circularity in Textiles and Recycled Content Standards

Textile Exchange manages the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) for recycled content [1], [2].
Both standards verify recycled content across the supply chain; their scopes, however, are different [1], [2].

Comparative Analysis of RCS and GRS Standards

The RCS standard is a certification model based on chain of custody (Chain of Custody) that enables tracing recycled raw materials across the supply chain [2]. For a product to be certified under RCS, a minimum of 5% verified recycled content is required in the finished article [2], [4]. The RCS standard only audits the physical presence and traceability of the material; it does not cover the facility's social working conditions, environmental waste management or chemical input safety [2].
GRS, on the other hand, audits social, environmental and chemical requirements in addition to recycled content [1]. While a minimum 20% recycled material ratio is required on a product basis under GRS, having at least 50% recycled fiber content is mandatory for the product to be sold to the end consumer with the GRS logo and label [1], [3].
In GRS, environmental criteria (wastewater, water and energy), social requirements based on ILO principles and chemical restrictions (REACH, hazardous substance prohibition) are mandatory [1].

Chain of Custody, Transaction Certificate (TC) and Audit Process

Chain of custody is mandatory in both standards [1], [2]. The Scope Certificate (SC) is valid for 12 months and audits are conducted every year [5].
A Transaction Certificate (TC) is issued for each shipment; application for the TC must be made within 6 months at the latest [4]. Shipments lacking a TC document cannot obtain recycled product status [1].