The direct answer
GRS - the Global Recycled Standard - is a Textile Exchange standard that verifies recycled content through the entire supply chain, from input material to finished product, with social, environmental and chemical requirements on top. It is not a single test; it is a certification system: certified organizations hold scope certificates, each certified shipment carries a transaction certificate, and the chain of custody proves that the recycled content claimed on the label actually travelled through certified production. Version 4.0 is the current edition, and it is the framework behind our lining supplier's certificate.
What GRS verifies
|
Layer |
What it verifies |
|
Recycled content |
The input material is genuinely recycled (for example post-consumer polyester) |
|
Chain of custody |
The certified content stays traceable through processing |
|
Social requirements |
Certified organizations meet social criteria in their operations |
|
Environmental requirements |
Environmental management criteria are met |
|
Chemical requirements |
Restricted substances are managed in the certified products |
GRS is therefore more than a recycled-content stamp: it is a management-system certification with a material claim at its centre.
Who runs it
Textile Exchange manages the GRS program. Certification bodies are licensed by Textile Exchange - our supplier's certificate was issued by Intertek, with the licensing code CB-ITS and accreditation by ANAB. The Textile Exchange certificate database is the verification route: a certificate either resolves there or it does not.
The two-certificate system
GRS works with two documents, and confusing them is the most common mistake in recycled claims:
|
Document |
What it proves |
|
Scope certificate (SC) |
The organization and its products/processes are certified |
|
Transaction certificate (TC) |
A specific shipment of goods is GRS certified |
The scope certificate proves the supplier's standing; the transaction certificate proves the goods. Our supplier's certificate states this in its own text: the SC provides no proof that delivered goods are GRS certified - TCs do.
Factory data: When our team selects recycled lining material, we check both documents for every order: the supplier's current SC and the TC covering the actual shipment. A supplier with an SC but no matching TC cannot make a claim on that delivery - and a buyer who accepts "we are GRS certified" without the TC is accepting a statement instead of evidence.
Version 4.0
The certificate cites GRS 4.0, the current version of the standard. Version matters because requirements evolve - a certificate citing an older version needs scrutiny, and a claim should reference the edition under which the chain was certified.
FAQ
What does GRS stand for?
Global Recycled Standard - a Textile Exchange certification for recycled content with chain-of-custody, social, environmental and chemical requirements.
Is GRS a test of the fabric?
It is a certification system, not a single test. It verifies recycled content, chain of custody and management criteria through certified organizations and shipments.
What is the difference between a scope certificate and a transaction certificate?
The scope certificate certifies the organization and its scope; the transaction certificate certifies a specific shipment of goods. Claims need both.
Who issues GRS certificates?
Certification bodies licensed by Textile Exchange, such as Intertek, issue them after auditing the organization and its sites.
Why does version 4.0 matter?
Standards evolve; GRS 4.0 is the current edition, and the certificate's version tells you which requirements the organization was audited against.
How do I verify a GRS certificate?
Search it on TextileExchange.org/Certificates - the official database and the verification route printed on every certificate.
About this report
The GRS framework in this article is documented in the supplier's scope certificate ITS-A11770-GRS-01908400 (Intertek, GRS 4.0) - with the SC/TC distinction explained exactly as the standard requires. We help buyers verify the recycled-content chain before claims are made. Contact clkbusiness@clkluggage.com or WhatsApp +86-18879628221.