What Is GRS Certification and Why It Matters for Corporate Merchandise

When a merch supplier says a product is "made from recycled materials," that claim can mean almost anything. It could be 5% recycled content. It could be unverified. It could be a supply chain claim that hasn't been audited in years.

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is one of the few certifications that actually solves this problem — with independent third-party verification, full chain-of-custody tracking, and minimum content thresholds. Understanding what GRS means (and what it doesn't) helps procurement teams make defensible, ESG-reportable decisions.

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What Is GRS Certification?

The Global Recycled Standard is a voluntary product standard owned by Textile Exchange (a US-based non-profit), verified by accredited third-party certification bodies, and applicable to any product containing recycled content — not just textiles.

GRS sets requirements across five areas:

| Requirement area | What is verified | |-----------------|-----------------| | Recycled content | Minimum 20% recycled material; 50%+ required to use the GRS logo | | Chain of custody | Every stage from raw material to finished product is audited | | Social requirements | Safe working conditions, no child/forced labour, living wage | | Environmental requirements | Environmental management system at each facility | | Chemical restrictions | Substances of concern (SOC) limits aligned with ZDHC MRSL |

The critical word is chain of custody. GRS doesn't just certify the end product — it certifies every step of the supply chain that handles the recycled material. If a factory receives GRS-certified yarn and mixes it with uncertified material without disclosure, the certification is revoked.

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GRS vs. Other Recycled Content Claims

| Claim type | What it means | Verifiable? | |-----------|--------------|-------------| | "Made from recycled materials" (no cert) | Self-declaration, no audit | ❌ No | | Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) | Recycled content only — no social/environmental requirements | ⚠️ Partial | | Global Recycled Standard (GRS) | Recycled content + social + environmental + chain of custody | ✅ Full | | OEKO-TEX RECYCLED CASHMERE | Chemical safety only, specific fibre | ⚠️ Partial | | B Corp certification | Company-level sustainability — doesn't verify specific products | ⚠️ Partial |

For corporate merchandise procurement, GRS is the most comprehensive single certification for recycled content claims.

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What Materials Can Be GRS Certified?

GRS applies to any product with recycled content — it is not limited to textiles. Certified materials include:

• Recycled polyester (rPET) — from post-consumer plastic bottles, the most common in corporate merchandise
• Recycled cotton — from post-consumer textile waste (offcuts, garments)
• Recycled nylon — often from fishing nets (ECONYL® is the most recognised brand)
• Recycled wool — from post-consumer wool garments
• Recycled metal (aluminium, steel) — from post-consumer scrap
• Recycled plastic (HDPE, PP) — from post-consumer plastic waste

For branded merchandise, the most common GRS-certified materials are rPET (water bottles, bags, fleece) and recycled cotton (apparel, totes).

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How GRS Chain of Custody Works

This is what sets GRS apart from simple material claims. Every facility in the supply chain that handles the recycled material must hold its own GRS transaction certificate (TC). So for a GRS-certified hoodie:

1. Yarn spinner (e.g., The Tenth House) — holds GRS scope certificate for recycled cotton/polyester yarns
2. Fabric mill — must hold GRS TC to receive and process the certified yarn
3. Garment manufacturer — must hold GRS TC to cut and sew the certified fabric
4. Brand/distributor — may hold a GRS TC depending on the claim level

A certificate from step 1 does not automatically certify steps 2–4. Each step requires its own audit. This is why it's important to ask suppliers which steps in their specific supply chain are GRS certified — not just whether the raw material is recycled.

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Zintora's GRS Certification

Zintora works with The Tenth House (TTH), a GRS 4.0 certified yarn supplier.

• Certificate number: J22647-G06-2022-003370
• Issuing body: Optiknit Textil Technológia
• Certified materials: Recycled post-consumer cotton (RM0189) + post-consumer polyester (RM0156)
• Product category: Dyed fancy yarns (PD0072)

This means the recycled yarn used in Zintora's GRS-range apparel has been independently audited by Optiknit — a third-party certification body — for recycled content, chain of custody, social standards, and chemical restrictions.

Request certification documents →

We can provide this documentation directly to procurement teams for inclusion in ESG supplier reports.

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How to Verify a GRS Claim

When a supplier claims GRS certification, you can verify it:

1. Request the scope certificate number Every GRS-certified company holds a scope certificate with a unique number (example format: XXXXX-G06-YYYY-NNNNNN). Ask for this number.

2. Verify on the Textile Exchange database Textile Exchange maintains a public database of all valid GRS scope certificates at textileexchange.org. Enter the certificate number and verify it is current and covers the relevant product scope.

3. Check what is actually certified The scope certificate specifies which products and materials are covered. A company might hold GRS certification for one product line but not another. Check that the specific product you're ordering falls within the certified scope.

4. Ask for transaction certificates on request For high-volume or ESG-reportable orders, request transaction certificates (TCs) for your specific order. These prove that your specific batch was produced using GRS-certified materials.

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GRS for ESG Reporting and Scope 3 Emissions

Corporate ESG reporting — increasingly mandatory under frameworks like CSRD, TCFD, and SEC climate disclosure rules — requires companies to account for Scope 3 emissions, which include purchased goods and services.

GRS-certified merchandise gives procurement teams:

Verified recycled content percentage — reportable in Scope 3 avoided emissions calculations Supply chain social compliance documentation — reportable under social/governance pillars Third-party audited claims — defensible against greenwashing scrutiny Chain-of-custody records — traceable from raw material to finished product

Compared to conventional merchandise (which has no such documentation), GRS-certified merchandise is the strongest corporate gifting choice for companies with public ESG commitments.

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Common GRS Questions from Procurement Teams

Does GRS mean the entire product is recycled? No. GRS requires a minimum of 20% recycled content for certification, and a minimum of 50% to use the GRS logo on the product. Always ask for the specific recycled content percentage — it should be stated on the certificate and product documentation.

Is GRS the same as GOTS? No. GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certifies organic natural fibres (cotton, wool, linen). GRS certifies recycled content of any material. They address different sustainability claims and can both apply to the same product if it uses recycled organic material.

Can I claim GRS on my branded merchandise for marketing? You can reference your supplier's GRS certification and state the recycled content of the products you ordered. To use the GRS logo on packaging or marketing, your own company needs to hold a GRS scope certificate. Speak with a certification body like Control Union, Bureau Veritas, or Intertek.

How often are GRS certifications renewed? Annual surveillance audits; full recertification every three years. Always verify the certificate is current before referencing it in ESG reports.

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Summary: When to Specify GRS for Corporate Merchandise

✅ When you need documentable recycled content claims for ESG reporting ✅ When procurement policy requires third-party sustainability verification ✅ When you're targeting environmental certification in supplier diversity requirements ✅ When your brand makes public commitments to recycled or circular materials ✅ When you want a sustainability claim that withstands scrutiny

For orders where GRS documentation matters, contact Zintora — we can confirm which products in the catalogue use GRS-certified materials and provide documentation for your records.