εταιρικά νέα για Textile Industry Adopts Green Certifications Amid Sustainability Push

Imagine a garment labeled as "eco-friendly recycled" — how much of its content actually comes from recycled materials? Does its production meet environmental standards? Is its supply chain transparent and traceable? While consumer demand for green products grows exponentially, how can we ensure these demands aren't exploited by misleading claims? The textile industry faces an unprecedented green transformation, with RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) and GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification systems emerging as key drivers of this revolution.

Developed by Textile Exchange, RCS and GRS represent two crucial recycled material certification standards designed to regulate recycled material usage, enhance supply chain transparency, and empower brands and consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. While RCS focuses on verifying recycled content in products, GRS incorporates additional stringent requirements for social responsibility, environmental management, and chemical usage — essentially serving as an upgraded version of RCS with higher sustainability benchmarks.

The RCS/GRS certification system ensures recycled material traceability and sustainability through these critical components:

• Material Verification: Confirming compliance with ISO definitions for both pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled materials.
• Responsible Production: GRS mandates production facilities to meet rigorous social and environmental standards, prohibiting hazardous chemicals in certified products.
• Chain of Custody: Maintaining and tracing recycled material identity throughout the entire production cycle from raw materials to finished goods.
• Third-Party Audits: Independent certification bodies conduct comprehensive supply chain audits to verify standard compliance.
• Transparent Communication: Certified products may display RCS/GRS labels to communicate authentic environmental credentials to consumers.
• Stakeholder Engagement: The standards' development incorporates global input from manufacturers, suppliers, brands, and retailers to ensure practical applicability.

Despite their pivotal role in advancing textile sustainability, RCS/GRS certifications face upgrade pressures amid growing environmental awareness and technological advancements. Textile Exchange is actively working to unify and elevate these standards to better address climate change and ecological challenges.

In 2021, Textile Exchange initiated a comprehensive standards revision to integrate existing frameworks with climate and nature strategies. The newly approved Materials Matter Standard will officially launch on December 12, 2025.

• December 31, 2026: Eligible organizations may apply for new standard audits through accredited certification bodies.
• December 31, 2027: Mandatory compliance date requiring all relevant organizations to complete recertification under the new standard.

Textile enterprises should implement these strategies to navigate the RCS/GRS transition:

1. Monitor standard updates and transition plans from Textile Exchange
2. Conduct gap analyses between current certifications and new requirements
3. Strengthen supplier compliance management and traceability systems
4. Increase recycled material ratios while optimizing production processes
5. Invest in eco-technologies to reduce energy consumption and emissions
6. Implement employee training programs on sustainability standards
7. Participate in industry knowledge-sharing initiatives

Suppliers may offer RCS/GRS certified recycled materials, while brands can verify certification status through Textile Exchange's official directory.

The textile industry's future unquestionably lies in sustainable, eco-conscious practices. RCS/GRS certifications serve as vital instruments in this transformation, enabling businesses to meet escalating environmental expectations while maintaining market competitiveness through verifiable green credentials.