Guide
Clarification
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Cruelty free
Ethically responsible
Free of plastics
Free of toxins
Minimal to zero waste
Organic cotton
Plant-based materials/ingredients
Recycled components and/or recycling or repair service
References food/the food industry
References health/the health industry
References or values farm life/the dairy industry
References or values forestation
References or values sea life
References or values soil
Vegan/vegan components
Certifications
There are quite a few standards out there that label a brand, company or product ethical or sustainable. Here we elaborate on a few common ones that you can look out for while browsing your next sustainable item.
Certified B Corporation
A Certified B Corporation is a company that has been verified by B Lab as meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. It signifies a company’s commitment to balancing profit with purpose and considering the impact of business decisions on all stakeholders including employees, communities, costumers and the environment. Companies have to be recertified every three years to maintain this status.
Fairtrade
The Fairtrade Mark signifies fair wages, safe working conditions and respect for human rights. It guarantees a minimum price for products and an additional premium for community development. It promotes sustainable farming practices and minimizing environmental impact. Products with the Fairtrade Mark are traceable from farm to shelf.
There are two main types of Fairtrade Mark. The original Fairtrade Mark (ATCB) is used on single-ingredient products where all possible ingredients are sourced as Fairtrade and traceable from farm to shelf. The Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient (FSI) Mark indicates that a specific ingredient within a product has been sourced as Fairtrade, while the other ingredients may not be.
Global Organic Textile Standard
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a comprehensive certification that verifies organic claims throughout the entire supply chain, from fiber to finished product. It includes social and environmental criteria. GOTS certification verifies that textiles are made from organically grown fibers, such as organic cotton, wool or linen. It sets strict requirements for chemical inputs, wastewater treatment and waste reduction throughout the textile processing and manufacturing stages. GOTS also includes social standards based on the International Labor Organization’s core norms, ensuring safe working conditions, fair wages and the prohibition of child and forced labor. This certification ensures traceability and promotes transparency.
Global Recycled Standard
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is a standard for tracking and verifying the recycled content of a finished product. The standard applies to the entire supply chain and addresses traceability, environmental principles, social requirements, chemical content and labeling. GRS covers the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, trading and distribution of all products made with at least 20% recycled content. The standard supports companies that want to verify the recycled content of their products, as well as responsible social, environmental and chemical practices in the production of these products. Although GRS is owned by Textile Exchange, its product offering is not limited to textiles and can include any type of product that contains recycled content.
OEKO-TEX®
OEKO-TEX® is a globally recognized certification system that ensures textile and leather products are tested for harmful substances. Certification verifies that products meet specific human ecological requirements and are free from harmful chemicals, colorants, heavy metals, and other potentially harmful substances. OEKO-TEX® holds a range of standards. You can find all labels and their specifics below.
Organic Cotton Standard
The Organic Cotton Standard (OCS) is an international certification that verifies the organic content of non-food products throughout the supply chain. It ensures that products containing organic materials, from 5% to 100%, are traceable and meet specific criteria. OCS focuses on the integrity of the organic material itself, tracking it from the farm to the final product, without addressing other aspects like chemical usage or social standards.
While both OCS and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) focus on organic materials, GOTS includes additional criteria, such as social and environmental standards for processing, and requires a minimum of 70% organic fibers. OCS on the other hand focuses solely on the organic content of the material itself.
PETA-Approved Vegan
The PETA-Approved Vegan certification indicates that a product is free of animal-derived ingredients and has not been tested on animals. It signifies that a product, including its components and production process, does not involve any animal exploitation.
Regenerative Organic Certified®
Regenerative Organic Certified® is a certification for food, fiber and personal care ingredients. It represents the highest standard for organic agriculture in the world, with stringent requirements for soil health, animal welfare and social fairness. This certification uses the USDA Certified Organic standard as a baseline and adds important criteria and benchmarks that go beyond organic and incorporate the three major pillars of regenerative organic agriculture into one certification.
Responsible Down Standard
The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) is a global certification program ensuring ethical treatment of ducks and geese in the down and feather supply chain. It verifies that down and feathers used in products are sourced from farms and slaughterhouses that meet strict animal welfare criteria, prohibiting harmful practices like live-plucking and force-feeding. RDS also ensures traceability from the farm to the final product through a chain of custody system and promotes transparency in the supply chain.
Responsible Wool Standard
The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is an independent, voluntary certification for wool farms and subsequent stages of the wool supply chain, ensuring animal welfare, land management and social responsibility. It verifies that wool is sourced from farms with a progressive approach to land management and responsible sheep care. The RWS encompasses the entire supply chain, from farm to final product, promoting transparency and ethical sourcing.
Materials
Cotton
Cotton comes from the boll of the cotton plant and is known for its softness, breathability and durability.
The process of conventional cotton farming is rather environmental unfriendly. It relies on using pesticides, fertilizers, defoliants and genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). This to manage pests, enhance growth and prepare crops for harvest. The use of these synthetic chemicals can lead to soil and water pollution and be harmful to human health. The crops are typically grown in large-scale monocultures which can lead to soil degradation and reduced biodiversity. On top of that the production is water-intensive and often relies on irrigation.
Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic chemicals. Organic cotton farms prioritize soil health, water conservation and biodiversity. They use methods like crop rotation and natural pest control. Organic cotton fibers are often stronger and longer-lasting due to the absence of harsh chemical treatments. It’s certified by recognized standards like the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
Hemp
Hemp is a bulky, durable fiber known for its breathability and resistance to mold, mildew and UV light. It’s strong and highly absorbent. Hemp fabric starts out rough and stiff but softens through wash and wear.
Hemp is considered a sustainable material due to its fast-growing nature and soil-enriching qualities. It requires less water and pesticides than for example cotton and produces more fibre per acre. It’s naturally pest-resistant and biodegradable.
Due to its bulkiness it is however energy intensive to process and transport. While hemp is naturally pest-resistant, some farmers may still use fertilizers or pesticides, so look out for organic certification to make a truly sustainable choice when you purchase.
Linen
Linen is a fabric made from the flax plant’s fibers. It’s strong, breathable, absorbent and can help regulate body temperature. It’s stronger and dries faster than cotton. With proper care, linen items can last a long time.
The production of linen is a little less damaging than other fabrics, as the flax plant requires fewer pesticides and fertilizers. Its fibers are biodegradable.
Organic linen production minimizes the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and genetically modified organisms (GMO’s).
Nylon
Nylon is a type of plastic derived from petroleum-based products making it a synthetic material (polyamide). It’s known for its strength, elasticity and resistance to wear, which is why it’s being used in the fashion industry as much as it is.
Nylon is not a sustainable material. Its water and energy-intensive production relies on fossil fuels, the fabric is non-biodegradable and releases microplastics when washed, worn and during recycling efforts. Although there are a number of recycling initiatives going on, recycled nylon sheds even more (micro)plastic waste and contributes to pollution of waterways and oceans.
You can minimize its environmental impact by washing nylon garments in cold water and letting them air dry instead of tumble dry.
Polyester
Polyester is a synthetic fabric known for its strength, durability, crease-resistance and quick-drying properties. It’s less breathable than natural fabrics and way less sustainable.
Virgin polyester is made from newly produced, unprocessed petrochemicals. Essentially it’s brand new plastic produced from fossil fuels. When combined with other materials, items are difficult to recycle. These days there are a number of recycling efforts concerning polyester, but the problem with recycled polyester is that it sheds a great deal of microplastics, often more than virgin polyester. This because the recycling process can shorten the polymer chains, making the fibers weaker and more prone to breaking during washing, contributing significantly to textile microplastics polution. It’s being applied in the fashion industry more and more as a sustainable alternative, but it’s not an actual sustainable choice.
You can minimize environmental impact by washing polyester garments less frequently and in cold water, letting them air dry and opt for a washing machine filter that catches microfibers and prevents them from entering waterways.
Silk
Silk is a luxurious, natural protein fiber obtained from silkworm cocoons. Silk is known for its softness, sheen, strength and breathability and often used in high-end fashion, bedding and decor. It’s hypoallergenic and absorbs moisture well. Silk is known as an expensive material, because it’s highly labor-intensive. Many threads – and many cocoons – are required for just a small piece of fabric. On top of that, the cocoons are boiled in water while the larve are still inside, effectively killing them. The proces of sustainable silk, so-called peace silk, allows silkworms to complete their lifecycle and emerge naturally from their cocoons, avoiding boiling them alive. Look out for certifications such as GOTS, OCS and Oeko-Tex to ensure chemical safety (during dyeing stages), animal welfare and responsible production of this material.
TENCEL™
TENCEL™ is a cellulose fiber brand producing natural lyocell and modal fibers. They’re both created from wood pulp, typically eucalyptus, beech or spruce trees. TENCEL™ fibers are known for their softness, breathability and moisture-wicking properties. Fabrics tend to wrinkle more than other materials and require gentle care such as washing and drying on low temperatures and gentle cycles.
Similar to rayon with both being generated cellulose fibers, TENCEL™ production uses a more environmentally friendly process with less toxic chemicals and a closed-loop system where solvents are recycled and reused, minimizing waste. The wood is sourced from responsibly managed forests.
Viscose
Viscose (or rayon) is a semi-synthetic fibre that finds its origin in wood pulp or bamboo. It’s smooth, absorbent, strong and breathable. Viscose is often offered as a more affordable alternative to silk. While originating from a natural source, the production process involves adding chemical treatments, making it semi-synthetic. These chemical treatments pollute air and water and pose a health risk to workers. Unsustainable viscose production also contributes to deforestation, providing a risk for habitats and biodiversity. You can minimize its environmental impact by choosing certified sustainable sources and shopping at brands that prioritize closed-loop systems (capturing and reusing chemicals) and ethical practices.
Wool
Wool is a natural, biodegradable fiber derived from the fleece of animals such as sheep, goats and rabbits. It’s known for its warmth (it’s a great insulator), elasticity and ability to absorb moisture and is odor- and wrinkle-resistant.
Organic wool comes from farms that prioritize animal welfare and environmental sustainability. Organic wool farms prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). The animals are typically raised in free-range conditions with ample space and minimal use of antibiotics and they’re protected from harmful practices such as mulesing.
Links
Links to other sources that can assist and inform you.