The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is a voluntary international standard owned by Textile Exchange. It verifies recycled content in products and tracks that content through the supply chain.
What GRS covers
- Recycled content: verifying the amount of recycled material in a product.
- Chain of custody: tracking the material from recycler to final product.
- Social requirements: fair working conditions at certified sites.
- Environmental requirements: such as water and energy management.
- Chemical restrictions: limits on hazardous chemicals in processing.
Recycled content thresholds
Under GRS, a product must contain at least 20% recycled material to be certified, and at least 50% to carry the GRS label on the final product.
Why brands ask for GRS
- It backs up recycled claims with independent verification.
- Many UK and European brands require it for recycled polyester and cotton.
- Transaction Certificates document each shipment.
Learn more on our GRS / RCS / OCS page or see our recycled fabrics.