Eco-Certifications 101: What Your Custom Bag Supplier Must Have in 2024

To ensure your custom bag supplier meets 2024’s sustainability and safety standards, focus on these essential certifications:

• Global Recycled Standard (GRS): Verifies recycled materials, tracks supply chains, and ensures social and environmental compliance.
• OEKO-TEX Standard 100: Tests products for harmful chemicals to guarantee material safety.
• Bluesign: Oversees the entire supply chain for resource efficiency, emissions reduction, and safe working conditions.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Confirms responsible sourcing of raw materials from certified forests.

Why These Matter:

1. Consumer Demand: 52% of consumers prioritize eco-friendly products.
2. Market Growth: The sustainable bag industry is projected to triple by 2034.
3. Risk Management: Avoid costly recalls and ensure compliance with global standards.

Quick Certification Comparison:

To verify suppliers, check official databases, request documentation, and confirm certification labels. These steps ensure your products meet global eco and safety standards while aligning with consumer expectations.

Sustainable Certifications: Look for Eco-Certifications

Global Recycled Standard (GRS): Tracking Recycled Materials

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) ensures that recycled content is accurately verified in custom bag production.

What Is GRS Certification?

GRS applies to products containing at least 20% recycled materials, though labels must show a minimum of 50% recycled content to be displayed. It covers several key areas:

How GRS Affects Business Practices

Adopting GRS can transform how businesses operate. It improves processes, strengthens market positioning, and promotes transparency in material sourcing and production.

"The goal of GRS is to increase use of Recycled materials in products and reduce or eliminate the harm caused by its production." – SCS Global Services

Here’s what GRS helps manufacturers achieve:

• Maintain material integrity throughout the supply chain
• Adopt responsible social and environmental practices
• Meet the growing demand for certified sustainable products
• Document every step in the supply chain for accountability

Verifying GRS Certification

To confirm a supplier’s GRS status, follow these steps:

1. Check Certification Online
   Use the Textile Exchange database to verify the supplier’s certification.
2. Review Documentation
   Ask for the supplier’s GRS Scope Certificate, which confirms compliance through annual third-party inspections.
3. Examine Product Labels
   Products claiming GRS certification should include:
   • The official GRS logo
   • Certification number
   • Certifying body details
   • Recycled content percentage (if below 95%)

For a product to carry the GRS label, every step of the supply chain must be certified. This ensures that recycled materials are tracked and verified from start to finish, laying the groundwork for exploring material safety and other eco-certifications.

OEKO-TEX Standard 100: Material Safety Testing

OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 guarantees textile safety. Launched in 1992 with a focus on 100 substances, it now regulates over 1,000 harmful chemicals.

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Basics

This certification evaluates materials based on their level of skin contact, with stricter limits for items that have more direct exposure to the skin. Products are divided into four categories:

Every component of a product is thoroughly tested. The certification aligns with global regulations, including EU REACH, CPSIA, GB 18401, and AFIRM.

Steps to OEKO-TEX Certification

Starting January 1, 2024, all product classes must undergo total fluorine testing, with a strict limit of 100 mg/kg.

The certification process involves multiple stages to evaluate potential exposure risks:

1. Initial Assessment
   Testing institutes review all materials and components for harmful substances, considering exposure through skin contact, ingestion, and inhalation.
2. Laboratory Testing
   Products are tested against the current restricted substance list.
3. Annual Review
   Certified companies must pass yearly testing to retain their certification.

This process ensures that only thoroughly tested products earn the OEKO-TEX® label, supporting safer supply chains and eco-certification efforts.

Finding OEKO-TEX Certified Suppliers

With over 35,000 certified companies worldwide, here’s how to find a reliable supplier:

• Use the OEKO-TEX® Label Check tool on their official website.
• Request the supplier’s current OEKO-TEX® certificate.
• Verify the test number and testing institute on product labels.

In 2023, Prairie Wear adopted OEKO-TEX® certification, boosting consumer confidence and expanding its global reach (Hohenstein Case Studies, 2023).

Always verify certification through multiple sources. If the online Label Check tool doesn’t provide results, contact OEKO-TEX® directly. This ensures your products meet international safety and quality standards.

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Bluesign System: Supply Chain Safety Standards

The Bluesign system sets strict safety and environmental standards for the textile supply chain. It oversees every step, from raw materials to finished products, to reduce environmental harm and ensure safe, high-quality goods [22].

Key Areas of Bluesign Certification

Bluesign certification focuses on five main areas, each with specific requirements and measurable outcomes:

These results show how Bluesign’s system delivers real-world improvements. For example, in 2023, Bluesign partners collectively saved 773,567,120 kilowatt hours of electricity and avoided 3,268,276,695 kg of carbon emissions [21]. To maintain these standards, manufacturers undergo on-site assessments every three years [24].

Collaborating with Bluesign Certified Partners

As of November 2024, the Bluesign network includes 89 brands, 133 chemical suppliers, and 370 manufacturers [21]. Companies that partner with Bluesign often report meaningful progress in their sustainability goals.

"The holistic bluesign® approach helps us measure our impact, set clear targets, and reduce our environmental impact significantly where it matters the most; in the dyeing and finishing processes… bluesign® is pivotal in achieving our ambitious sustainability and climate targets."

• Adrian Huber, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Mammut [20]

Patagonia offers a standout example. As the first brand to join Bluesign in 2007, it has consistently improved its supply chain practices by focusing on:

• Input Stream Management: Ensuring strict control over raw materials and chemicals.
• Resource Optimization: Implementing energy and water conservation practices.
• Regular Monitoring: Continuously tracking environmental performance metrics.

For custom bag manufacturers, working with Bluesign-certified suppliers can ensure both safety and sustainability. Here’s how:

• Confirm certification status using Bluesign’s official partner directory.
• Request documentation for approved materials and processes.
• Check for clear Bluesign labeling on certified components [21].

Bluesign certification is a reliable way to meet modern sustainability expectations while guaranteeing product safety – an essential factor for brands aiming to make a positive impact.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Material Source Verification

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification ensures that raw materials used in custom bag manufacturing are responsibly sourced. Recognized globally as a standard for ethical forest product sourcing, FSC has certified 228 million hectares of forests worldwide as of 2023, including 36.4 million acres in the United States [27][30].

FSC Certification Requirements

FSC certification for custom bag manufacturers focuses on two key areas:

To retain FSC certification, manufacturers must establish detailed management systems that:

• Track FSC-certified materials throughout the production process
• Maintain accurate documentation of material sources and chain of custody
• Uphold core labor standards, such as banning child labor
• Record detailed production and sourcing data [32]

A notable example is L’Oréal‘s 2023 FSC Mix labeling initiative, which integrated FSC-certified materials, recycled content, and controlled wood sources [27].

Confirming FSC Certification

Verified FSC credentials ensure transparency and ethical practices in the supply chain. Buyers can confirm a supplier’s FSC certification through the FSC global database at info.fsc.org [34]. When reviewing suppliers, check for:

• Certificate Codes: Found on supplier invoices in the format XXX-XXX-######, these codes can be validated in the FSC database [34].
• License Codes: Displayed on FSC labels and promotional materials, these codes follow the format FSC-C###### and must be current in the database [34].
• Supporting Documentation: Review key documents such as FSC certificates, chain of custody records, and material source documentation [35].

"FSC certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits." – FSC United States [28]

As of July 2022, 3,222 companies in the United States held FSC certification [30]. This growing number underscores the importance of verified sustainable sourcing as part of a broader commitment to eco-friendly practices.

Conclusion: Choose Certified Suppliers for Sustainable Success

Main Certification Requirements

When looking for custom bag suppliers in 2024, certifications play a key role in verifying both sustainability and ethical practices. These certifications often require investments ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 per product line [38].

These certifications act as essential benchmarks for improving manufacturing processes.

Next Steps in Bag Manufacturing

The bag manufacturing industry is experiencing major changes in certification requirements. With 52% of consumers showing increased eco-awareness [36], manufacturers must adjust their processes to keep up with these expectations. Considering that product recalls can cost an average of $540,000 [36], certifications are not just optional – they’re critical for risk management.

"A proper certification costs us manufacturers a lot of money and time… We have to rewire our entire production process to meet these standards… Our staff needs constant training to maintain these certifications… We get audited regularly (sometimes with zero notice)… Every certification requires renewal and ongoing compliance." – Ben Zhao [36]

As standards continue to evolve, verifying suppliers becomes even more important.

Supplier Selection Checklist

Use these steps to ensure your suppliers meet certification standards:

• Check Certification Validity: Confirm certification dates and details directly through official databases.
• Examine Supply Chain Coverage: Make sure certifications apply to the entire manufacturing process.
• Verify Certifying Body: Ensure the organization providing the certification is properly accredited.
• Request Documentation: Obtain full records, including certifications and audit reports.

Neglecting these steps can lead to costly mistakes, with some lapses costing companies up to $500,000 [39].

"Certifications aren’t just fancy papers to hang on our factory walls. They’re your insurance policy, quality guarantee, and a ticket to more significant markets." – Ben Zhao, Sales Director, Coraggiobag [39]

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