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Sustainability Labels & Certifications
Certifications List
Sustainability certifications vary across industry and regions. Some of them are focused on materials, others are focused on processes and labor standards.
Here below is a comprehensive list of sustainability certifications.
B Corp
Brands with a B Corp Certification have demonstrated that they meet a long list of social and environmental performance standards, and have a legal structure focused on corporate accountability. It takes 2 years to get a B Corp certification.
B Corp
Social & Environmental
bluesign
Certification for textile industry focused on legal compliance on environmental health and safety, focused on reduction of harmful substance usage at early stages of production It combines aspects of consumer safety, water & air emissions, occupational health.
Blue Sign
Social & Environmental
Ecocert
Ecocert offers over 150 certifications addressing social and environmental practices. This certification evaluates organic agricultural products that could comprise garments. Think: organic cotton, hemp or linen, for example.
Ecocert
Social & Environmental
GOTS
Most common processing standard for testing & verifying organic materials, most often used for organic cotton. It unifies standards between countries and production stages, has detailed social, technical and ecological criteria for certified entities. Also includes consumer label. To qualify for certification textile products must be at least 70% organic fibers.
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)
Social & Environmental
FairWear Foundation
Independent verification that works to improve labor conditions in garment workers & supply chains. Works with brands, factories, trade unions, NGOs and governments to verify and improve workplace conditions. Over 120 brands certified. Brands should check if their manufacturers are certified by FWF, and for safe working conditions where products are made.
Fairwear Foundation
Garment Workers Labor Standards
Cradle to Cradle
Cradle to Cradle Certification is a third-party sustainability label requiring achievement across a product's whole life cycle: environmental, recyclability, renewable energy use, water efficiency, and social responsibility behind its production. Four-tiered program (Basic, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels) applies to materials, sub-assemblies and finished product.
Cradle to Cradle
Social, Environmental, Whole Product Life Cycle
ETI
ETI was launched to better oversee manufacturing centers with this mission: protect workers’ rights in global supply chains. They focus on the same nine principles as the Fairwear Foundation. Brands that are a part of the ETI indicate they are willing to start making ethical improvements.
Ethical Trading Initiative
Social & Environmental
WFTO Standard
Independent consumer label created by World Fair Trade Organization that signifies that fairer terms of trade, better prices and longer lead times promote economic security & self-sufficiency, as well as sustainable production practices across the whole supply chain. Most often applies to food, but also to clothing.
WFTO Fair Trade Standard
Social & Environmental
Fair Trade Certified
Fair Trade Certified™ is a globally recognized sustainable sourcing model that improves livelihoods, protects the environment, and builds resilient, transparent supply chains. Fair Trade USA is the leading nonprofit, third party certifier of fair trade products in North America for 30 product categories, including food, home goods, and apparel.
Fair Trade Certified
Social & Environmental
Fair Trade America
The US member of Fairtrade International, which unites 23 certification initiatives across Europe, Asia, North & South America, Africa, & Australia, formerly known as Max Havelaar. Most common processing standard for testing & verifying organic materials with detailed social, technical and ecological criteria for certified entities.
Fair Trade America
Social & Environmental
Fair Mined Gold Certification
A new certification, combining Fairtrade International and the Alliance for Responsible Mining, that assures consumers that gold jewelry is responsibly sourced, also allowing small-scaled minors to improve their living situation.
Fair Mined Gold Certification
Social & Environmental
Fair for Life
Part of Ecocert Group. This certification assures that human rights are safeguarded at any stage of production, workers enjoy good and fair working conditions and smallholder farmers receive a fair share. Fair trade improves the livelihood of thousands of smallholder farmers and workers by providing the means for social community projects and empowerment of people.
Fair for Life
Social & Environmental
Fair Labor Practices & Community Benefits Certification
Social responsibility certification, complements Organic & other environmental certifications developed by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). Validates socially responsible practices in agricultural production & processing, meeting growing consumer demand for products produced in accordance with fair labor practices.
Fair Labor Practices & Community Benefits Certification
Social & Environmental
Fair Labor Association
A nonprofit org dedicated to ending sweatshop conditions in factories & improving lives of workers' worldwide. Collaboration of socially responsible companies, universities, & civil society organizations. FLA offers tools & resources to companies, training for workers & management. Makes independent assessments and pushes for accountability and transparency from companies, manufacturers, and factories in global supply chains.
Fair Labor Association
Labor & Social
Fashion for Good
Global initiative to drive change & make fashion a force for good. Work directly with fashion industry companies for sustainable solutions & create behavior change through sustainable fashion Museum and Innovation platform.
Fashion for Good
Sustainability Platform
Fashion Revolution
Fashion Revolution Transparency Index that reviews and ranks fashion brands and retailers globally for sustainability, labor standards, social & environmental responsibility.
Fashion Revolution
Brand listing & ranking
Standard 100 (Oeko-Tex)
Worldwide independent testing and certification system for raw, semi-finished, and finished textile products at all processing levels. Textile goods with this label have been tested by independent partner institutes and found to be free of harmful substances that could impact human health. Includes illegal chemicals, chemicals that are legal, but which are considered harmful to health, chemicals considered generally safe, and safe chemicals.
Standard 100 (Oeko-Tex)
Textile Safety
PETA Approved Vegan
Ethical Fashion Certification issued by
global animal welfare organisation PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) ensuring brands & stores sell 100% vegan, zero animal products in all their collections: clothing, accessories, shoes & home products. Good-faith declaration, no strict monitoring of compliance with requirements.
PETA Approved Vegan
Ethical Fashion
CMiA
Cotton Made in Africa is a certification that aims to combat poverty and promotes protecting the environment while providing on-site training courses
CMiA
Social & Environmental
EU Ecolabel
A voluntary scheme for encouraging businesses to market eco-friendly products & services for European consumers - including public and private purchasers - to easily identify them. Criteria based on environmental impact of products through its lifecycle.
EU Eco-Label
Environmental
IVN Naturtextil
Quality standard, known primarily within Europe, has 2 seals. Safeguards & reviews entire textile chain for environmental standards & social accountability, defines highest level of textile sustainability by maximum achievable parameters for production & product. Maintain a supplier database.
Social & Environmental
LEED
LEED provides a framework to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings. Its certification is globally recognized sustainability symbol in 165 countries and territories & works for all building types anywhere. These buildings save energy, water, resources, generate less waste and support human health.
Environment (Buildings & Construction Products)
Made In Green (Oeko-TEX)
This label verifies that a product is made in a fully traceable supply chain, and has been manufactured in factories that are respectful to the environment and the workers.
Social & Environmental
Nordic Swan Ecolabel
The "Swan" label, as it is known in Nordic countries, is available for 65 product groups.
It checks that products are a good environmental choice and meet certain criteria using samples from independent laboratories, certificates, and control visits.
Social & Environmental
R Cert (Redress)
Environmental sustainability certification issued by non-profit NGO for fashion industry: reduce textile waste, pollution, water & energy consumption. Reviews brands' entire supply chain & textile waste sources, independently audits brands with series of self-declaration forms & documentation on brand’s management of all its textile waste & garment recycling, issues hangtags with QR codes to website where consumers can track the clothing.
R Cert (Redress.com)
Environmental
SAI 8000
Manufacturers with this certification are audited to develop, maintain, and apply socially acceptable labor practices in the workplace, and protect workers' rights worldwide.
Although this is not a consumer-facing label, this social accountability certification is an ideal standard for apparel & textile buyers.
Social & Labor
Textile Exchange
Non-profit, member-based organization focused on the expansion of the organic cotton market. It offers benefits to its members, especially those working in the areas of organic farming engagement and public education.
Textile Exchange
Environmental & Educational
ZDHC MRSL
Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals list covers banned chemical substances from use in facilities processing textile, leather & footwear materials. Focused on widespread implementation of sustainable chemistry & best practices to protect consumers, workers and the environment. Includes collaboration of 27 signatory brands, 81 value chain affiliates & 17 associates. Three contributor categories: Signatory Brands, Value Chain Affiliates and Associates.
Environmental & Consumer Safety
SMART Certified
Sustainable Materials Rating Technology or SMaRT, is the consensus sustainable products standard and label for building products, fabric, apparel, textile & flooring, covering over 80% of the world’s products with environmental, social, & economic criteria.
It is the result of 17 years of standardization with six national votes of consensus approvals involving thousands of professionals.
Sustainability Certification
SEE What You Are Buying Into
SEE What You Are Buying Into is a labelling scheme for businesses that are open and honest about their Social, Environmental and Ethical (SEE) policies and practices.
To use the SEE Logo, a company completes the SEE Questionnaire, developed in collaboration with leading NGOs. Businesses guarantee the accuracy and veracity of their responses and publish them on the SEE What You Are Buying website.
Sustainability Ecolabel
Responsible Care
Responsible Care, launched in 1985 as global chemical industry’s voluntary initiative, now extends beyond chemicals manufacturing. Implemented by 62 chemical associations in more than 70 economies worldwide. Cooperates w/ governments to develop & implement regulations & standards, report on goals & performance for health, safety, environment issues.
Environment/Chemical Industry Standards
True Zero Waste
Certification for 1200+ global companies working on zero waste & cutting carbon footprint. Administered by Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI). Certified companies must have zero waste policy & divert 90% + of non-hazardous waste from landfills, incineration, & the environment in past year. Yearly certification.
Green Business
Green Business Bureau (GBB)
Entirely initiative-based certification process, companies receive points for each activity completed. GBB performs sustainability assessments, guides future efforts, targets small & medium-size companies. Member companies can choose & prioritize green initiatives, and are listed in member directory.
Green Businesses
Ethical.net
Sustainability guide, explains some of the certifications, their limitations, and what they cover.
Sustainability Info Resource
Worldwide Responsible Accredited Product-WRAP
Largest global independent certification program & recognized symbol of social and ethical standards. Yearly audits for 3300 companies in apparel, footwear, and sewn products sectors. Works with brands, factories, trade unions, NGOs, & governments to verify traceability & workplace conditions in supply chains. WRAP-certified facilities undergo intensive social compliance with its 12 Principles.
Social & Labor
Intertek
Leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide with1,000 laboratories in 100+ countries, delivers Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification for supply chains and companies.
Its ETL Mark verifies product compliance to North American safety standards.
Safety Testing & Certification
ISO (ISO 9001)
ISO is largest standards organization, internationally accepted for quality assurance, environmental management, health & safety, energy regulation, food safety, IT security. ISO has produced a number of standards related to the certification process, which are used by certification bodies, and its ISO 9001 certification verifies that brands and products have a comprehensive quality management system that consistently meets customer & regulatory requirements
Social & Environmental
FLOCERT
Global certification and verification body for FairTrade products, assures fairness across global supply chains, makes recommendations & helps design sustainability plans for businesses, and its Fairtrace online platform allows collaboration between certified companies.
FairTrade Certification
LWG
Auditing company for leather manufacturing, created to develop& maintain standards that assesses environmental compliance & performance capabilities of leather manufacturers. LWG promotes sustainable environmental practices, including traceability.
Sustainability (Leather Products)
CPSC
Enacted by U.S. federal government to establish and enforce consumer product safety & testing standards, safety education, & recall information. Federal law requires manufacturers & importers to test many consumer products for compliance with product safety requirements. Based on passing test results, the manufacturer/importer must certify the consumer product as compliant.
Product Safety Standards
SEDEX/SMETA Audit
Leading global ethical trade membership organisation. Provides online platform, tools & services to help businesses operate responsibly & sustainably, protect working conditions, and source ethically. SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) is most widely used format for social audits in the world, enables 74,000 businesses to assess their sites and suppliers' working conditions.
Ethical Sourcing
BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative)
BSCI provides a system that helps companies improve working conditions in their supply chain, promote corporate social responsibility, implement international labor standards of International Labor Organisation (ILO), UN conventions Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), and OECD guidelines. BSCI is administered by amfori (Foreign Trade Association)
Social Responsibility
Good on You
Website & app that offers ratings for 3000+ international apparel and lifestyle brands. They pull all the information and provide a score for each brand.
Environment/Chemical Industry Standards
ZQRX
ZQRX (The ZQ Regenerative Index) is a new collaborative action platform from The New Zealand Merino Company for people, businesses and organisations to adapt, take action, and stay informed. ZQ is an ethical wool standard for New Zealand merino growers. ZQ growers meet ZQ fibre quality, animal welfare, care for the environment and social responsibility standards.
ZQRX
Sustainability (Textile Fiber)
WindMade
Consumer label identifying products & companies using wind energy. WindMade members have to undergo certification process to verify their wind energy procurement.
Windmade is managed by an independent non-profit, supported by a consortium including WWF, the UN Global Compact, the Global Wind Energy Council, the LEGO Group, Vestas Wind Systems, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Bloomberg.
Sustainability (Wind Energy)
USDA Certified Biobased
Federally-run & administered label based on the BioPreferred program, includes Voluntary Labeling. After initial USDA screening, Voluntary Labeling Initiative uses ASTM D6866 to verify the percent biobased content of the products seeking certification. They must meet or exceed minimum biobased content requirement for that particular product category, or at least 25% biobased content..
Bio Food Label
UL Environment Multi-Attribute Certification
3 voluntary, multi-attribute, lifecycle-based certifications to identify green/sustainable products: GREENGUARD Certified, GREENGUARD Gold Certified/ ECOLOGO®, Environmental Product Declaration Certification. Rigorous testing & exhaustive auditing to verify compliance with 3rd party environmental performance metrics including: energy reduction, waste diversion, recyclability, salvaged material usage, site preservation, transportation reduction, natural resource conservation.
Environmental Certification
TerraCycle
Participating products are identified by Terracycle label. Consumers sign up with Terracycle to collect difficult-to-recycle waste, earn incentives paid to chosen school or charity for each unit of waste received by TerraCycle. Waste collected by TerraCycle is turned into new products identified by the Terracycle label. TerraCycle accepts its old products back through the same collection programs to restart the process.
Product Recycling Program