A-Z Standards

AA1000 Standards

AA1000 are a set of three free to use standards that have been developed to improve the accountability, reporting and overall sustainability performance of an...

AAFA RSL

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is a national trade association representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies, and their...

AFIRM

AFIRM (the Apparel & Footwear International RSL Management Working Group) is a global organisation providing resources for sustainable, self-governing RSL...

Australian BMP Cotton

BMP is the Australian cotton industry’s best practise guidelines for growing cotton in harmony with the environment using an audited process with fully traceable supply...

Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety

The Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety was an agreement designed to make all garment factories in Bangladesh safe workplaces. The Accord agreement included...

Bangladesh RMG Sustainability Council (RMC)

In May 2020, the Bangladesh RMG Sustainability Council (RMC) took over all the previous functions of the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building safety which was created...

Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Tanning of Hides and Skins

Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Tanning of Hides and Skins provides a review of the Best Available Technology in the Tanning Industry across...

Better Cotton Initiative

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a holistic approach to sustainable cotton production, which covers the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social and...

bioRe

Updated in 2019, the bioRe label is operated by Swiss-based Remei Foundation, which defines the standards for bioRe Sustainable Cotton and subsequent bioRe Sustainable...

Bluesign Bluesign Technologies

Focusing on consumer safety and the environment, the Swiss-based bluesign system examines natural resources and chemicals used in textile production, occupational health and...

Bra Miljöval

The Bra Miljöval standard was developed by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) and translates as ‘Good Environmental Choice’ in English. It is reputed to be...

BREF IPPC

The reference documents on best available techniques (BREF) are a series of documents that reflect an information exchange in the European Union carried out according to...

BS 8001: 2017 Circular Economy

A framework standard from the British Standards Agency (BSI) for implementing the principles of the circular economy within organisations.

BSCI

The Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) is a non-profit organisation. It was set up as an initiative of the Foreign Trade Association in response to the debate on...

Business for Social Responsibility Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) – Water Quality Guidelines

The Water Quality Guidelines (WQG) are voluntary goals set by the non-profit business association, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). The goal is to improve...

Canada Organic Regime Canada Organic Regime

The Canada Organic Regime is a food based standard, but it’s interesting from a textiles point of view because in June 2009, an ‘equivalency agreement’ was signed...

Canopy: Hot Button Ranking

The Hot Button Ranking scheme, from environmental NGO CanopyStyle, provides an overview of the work undertaken by leading viscose producers to ensure that the raw...

CIPR Guidelines for Environmental Sustainability

The Guidelines for Environmental Sustainability Communications, from the UK-based Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) are voluntary guidelines developed for public...

Clean Clothes Campaign

Established in 1989, Clean Clothes Campaign is a global network dedicated to improving working conditions and empowering workers in the global garment and sportswear...

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) was enacted by the federal government of the United States of America to “establish consumer product safety...

Content Claim Standard

The Content Claim Standard is a voluntary certification standard that can be used to trace a material through the supply chain. It can be used to back-up content claims for...

CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a voluntary, international agreement between participating governments. It...

Cotton made in Africa

Cotton Made in Africa is a project based on standards and criteria designed to help the socio-economic development of smallholder cotton farmers in sub-Saharan Africa...

Council Directive 98/58/EC

Council Directive 98/58/EC of July 1998 concerns the protection of animals kept for farming purposes and applies to the European region.

Cradle to Cradle

On 15th March 2021 Version 4.0 of the Cradle to Cradle standard was released. It assesses product safety to humans and the environment, as well as product design for...

CSC 9000T

The standard is based on Chinese laws, regulations and relevant international conventions, and was first launched in 2005 by the China National Textile and Apparel...

Delta Framework

Launched in October 2022, by Better Cotton and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), the Delta Framework is a common set of environmental, social and...

Footwear labelling Directive 94/11/EC - Labelling applying to materials used in footwear

Directive 94/11/EC is a legal act of the European Union concerning the labelling of materials used in footwear, including parts sold separately. The European Union has...

Downpass

The goal of the Downpass standard is to contribute to the ethical sourcing of down and feathers, and to help companies to firmly anchor and further develop the aspects...

EMAS

The EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) regulation is a management tool for companies and other organisations to evaluate, report and improve their environmental...

Energy Star Energy Star

Energy Star is a joint voluntary programme of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that aims to help consumers save...

Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a verified and registered document that communicates transparent and comparable information about the life-cycle...

Ethical Trading Initiative

The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is a tripartite multi-stakeholder organisation that aims to protect the rights of workers in supply chains and improve labour...

EU 1007/2011

Introduced at the end of 2011, this EU regulation has brought together three previous regulations – directives covering ternary fibre mixtures (73/44/EEC), binary fibre...

EU Circular Economy Action Plan

Adopted by the European Commission in March 2020, the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) it is one of the main building blocks of the...

EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

In December 2023, European Union legislators reached a deal on the proposed Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) that will make companies liable for...

EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive

As part of the European Green Deal, since January 5th, 2023, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires large companies and those that are...

EU Digital Product Passport

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a European Union (EU) mandatory requirement to create a digital product passport to electronically register, process and share...

EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation

Published in March 2022, the proposal for a new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), builds on the existing Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC, which...

EU Ecolabel:Textiles EU Ecolabel:Textiles

The European Ecolabel system allows the products of manufacturers, retailers or service providers to carry the distinctive ‘Flower’ label for marketing purposes...

ECAP EU Environmental Compliance Assistance Programme (ECAP)

It is often complicated for small and medium sized businesses to completely comply with environmental legislation and have a comprehensive vision of short and long term...

EU European Green Deal

In December 2019 the EU presented the European Green Deal, as it strives to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The initiative aims to transform...

EU Extended Producer Responsibility

In July 2023, the European Commission unveiled its proposals to introduce a mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for textiles in all member states in...

EU Extended Producer Responsibility

In July 2023, the European Commission unveiled its proposals to introduce a mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for textiles in all member states in...

EU General Product Safety Directive

The EU General Product Safety Directive is a directive provided by the European Commission on the requirements and surveillance of non-food consumer products on the...

EU Green Claims Directive

The European Commission published a proposal for the Green Claims Directive on March 22, 2023, in a bid to stop misleading environmental messaging on consumer goods in...

EU Product Environmental Footprint

The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) is an initiative from the European Commission to help companies measure the environmental performance of any product...

EU Regulation 834/2007

This regulation was developed to regulate the organic farming sector within and beyond the European Union. The use of the term ‘organic’ with the regulation depends on the...

EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles

In March 2022, the EU adopted the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, which addresses the entire lifecycle of production, and consumption of textiles and was...

EU Unfair commercial practices directive

The objective of the EU Directive regulatory framework on unfair commercial practices is to boost consumer confidence and make it easier for businesses, especially...

EU Waste Directive Framework

The Waste Framework Directive sets the basic concepts and definitions related to waste management, including definitions of waste, recycling, and recovery. Preventing...

EU-JRC End of Waste Criteria

The European Union’s Thematic Strategy on Prevention and the Recycling of Waste is a long-term strategy which aims to help Europe become a recycling society that avoids...

Fair Labor Association

Established in 1999, the US-based Fair Labor Association (FLA) is a collaborative effort of socially responsible companies, universities, governments, labour rights groups...

Fair Trade

When a product is ‘Fair Trade Certified’ it has demonstrated that it meets rigorous social, environmental and economic standards outlined by the initiative’s...

Fair Wear Foundation

The Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) is a Netherlands-based NGO, which works with companies in the textile industry to improve labour conditions and examines how brands are...

Fairtrade Fairtrade International

Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO), also known as Fairtrade International, is a non-profit multi-stakeholder organisation which develops and reviews...

Fairtrade Textile Standard

The Fairtrade Textile Standard is one component of the greater Fairtrade Textile Programme which aims to facilitate change in textile supply chains and related business...

Fibershed

The Fibershed Program aims to develop regional natural fibre systems that generate lasting prosperity for local economies, global climate, and the health and diversity...

Forest Stewardship Council

The Forest Stewardship Council is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation established to promote the responsible management of the world’s...

French AGEC Law: Decree n° 2022-748

This French law relates to the environmental labelling of waste-generating products for sale on the French domestic market including textiles and...

French Duty of Vigilance Law

The Loi de Vigilance law in France was introduced in 2017 and requires large French companies to publish an annual ‘vigilance’ plan to identify environmental and human...

FTC FTC Recycled Content

According to the FTC Recycled Content guidelines, it is deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, that a product or package is made of recycled content....

German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act

The Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains came into force in Germany on January 1st, 2023, and requires that German enterprises to respect human...

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a voluntary, certified standard that covers all aspects of the production of all natural fibres of organic status...

Global Recycled Standard

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) addresses input material verification, chain of custody, environmental principles, social requirements, and labelling for textile...

Global Reporting Initiative

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a non-profit organisation that promotes economic sustainability and produces one of the world's most prevalent standards for...

Global Traceable Down

Originally developed by outdoor brand Patagonia, the Global Traceable Down Standard focuses on compliance with local legal animal welfare regulations and aims to ensure...

Grüner Knopf

The standard is awarded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to textile manufacturers who have passed certain social and...

Higg Index

The Higg Index, is a suite of sustainability self-assessment tools developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition to assess the manufacturing, brand and product impacts...

International Accord for Health and Safety

The International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry promotes safe workplaces through independent safety inspections, training programmes, and a...

International Labor Organisation International Labour Organisation

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) campaigns to improve rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen...

Intertek Recycled Content Program

Since the last guide was published in 2018, international testing house Intertek has retired its ‘Green Leaf’ environmental marks for consumer goods including recycled...

ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is a world wide standard of an environmental management system that assists various types of industry organisations to improve their overall environmental...

ISO 20400:2017 Sustainable procurement – guidance ISO 20400:2017 Sustainable procurement – guidance

BSI (the British Standards Institute) has launched ISO 20400:2017 Sustainable procurement – guidance. Designed to assist organisations to meet their sustainability...

ISO: IWA 32:2019

Published in April 2019, this ISO standard relates to the screening of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in cotton and textiles.

IVN BEST

IVN is one of four members of the International Working Group for the Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS), and also supplies its own standard – the ‘Naturtextil IVN Certified...

LEED

LEED, whose name originates from the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was launched in March 2000 by the US Green Building...

Made in Green by Oeko-Tex

Made in Green by Oeko-Tex is a traceable label for textiles tested for harmful substances and the use of sustainable production practices and technologies through the...

National Wool Declaration

The National Wool Declaration (NWD) enables woolgrowers to promote their animal welfare practices (i.e. mulesing status) and the Dark and Medullated Fibre Risk (DMFR)...

New York Fashion Act

The Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, commonly known as the New York Fashion Act, is a proposed law that would apply to fashion and apparel...

Nirapon

Nirapon is a self-regulatory body that provides factory building and fire safety monitoring, oversight and reporting services in Bangladesh for its...

Nordic Ecolabel

The non-profit Nordic ‘Swan’ Ecolabel is a voluntary license designed to help companies make and indicate products to the consumer that are more sustainable. It is the...

Oeko-Tex 100 Oeko-Tex 100

The Oeko-Tex Standard 100, introduced in 1992, is a global uniform testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate products, and end products...

Oeko-Tex Detox to Zero

Based on the Detox campaign launched by Greenpeace in 2011 (and mothballed in 2019), this tool aims to exclude the 13 potentially hazardous chemicals from textile...

Oeko-Tex Leather Standard

Launched in 2017, the Oeko-Tex standard for leather goods allows producers and suppliers of leather goods to have their products certified and tested for harmful...

Oeko-Tex Responsible Business

Launched in Fall 2022, Oeko-Tex Responsible Business standard is designed to help brands, retailers and traders in the textile and leather sector with due diligence...

Oeko-Tex Sustainable Textile Production - STeP

Sustainable Textile Production (STeP) is an Oeko-Tex certification system for brands, retail companies and manufacturers from the textile chain who want to communicate...

Open Apparel Registry

The Open Apparel Registry (OAR) is a free-to-use online platform that maps the whereabouts and performances of garment manufacturing facilities around the world. It...

Organic Content Standard Organic Content Standard

The Organic Content Standard (OCS) is a voluntary standard from Textile Exchange for tracking and verifying the content of organically grown materials in a final...

Organic Japanese Agricultural Standard

The production and processing of organic textiles sold on the Japanese market is regulated in the Japanese Agriculture Standard (JAS). These certified goods are...

PEFC

The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) provides assurances that forests are managed in line with international environmental requirements,...

Product Carbon Footprint - ISO/TS 14067:2018

Previously in the Textile Standards & Legislation Guide we featured ISO/TS 14067:2013. This has now been superseded by this later version, which was revised in late...

Recycled Claim Standard

The Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) is a voluntary material content claim standard that tracks recycled raw materials through the supply chain to give credibility to...

Regenagri Standard

The regenagri standard criteria claims to look holistically at the entire farming operation, considering the different management strategies and practises used, and...

Regenerative Organic Certified

Regenerative Organic Certified was established in 2017 by a group of farmers, business leaders, and experts in soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness...

Responsible Alpaca Standard

The Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS) is an international, voluntary standard that ensures alpaca wool is responsibly sourced from farmers with high animal welfare...

Responsible Down Standard

This standard focuses on compliance with local legal animal welfare regulations and aims to ensure that the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) does not come from farms...

Responsible Mohair Standard

Launched in March 2020, the new Responsible Mohair Standard is based on the same system as the Responsible Wool Standard and monitors animal welfare practices at farm...

Responsible Textile Recovery Act - California (SB) 707

In March 2023, a Senate Bill was introduced in the US state of California aimed at creating a ‘first of its kind’ extended producer responsibility (EPR) textile...

Responsible Wool Standard

The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is a voluntary standard that addresses the welfare of sheep and the land they graze on. It’s a voluntary program that aims to help sheep...

SA8000

SA8000 is a widely recognised social certification standard that ensures decent labour conditions and protects the basic human rights of employees across all industrial...

Science Based Targets Initiative

The Science Based Targets initiative champions science-based target setting as a powerful way of boosting companies’ competitive advantage in the transition to a...

SCS Recycled Content SCS Recycled Content Standard

SCS claim that Recycled Content Standard certification helps companies: Demonstrate leadership in reducing reliance on natural resources Satisfy purchase requirements...

SEC Climate Risk Proposal

Proposed new rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), an independent US government agency, aim to mandate listed companies to reveal audited information on...

Superior Energy Performance

Superior Energy Performance  is a certification program from the U.S. Council for Energy-Efficient Manufacturing that provides industrial facilities with a roadmap for...

Sustainable Fiber Program

The Sustainable Fibre Program (SFP) claims to look heavily at local and regional concepts of sustainability, in line with the global definition of social, economic and...

Sustainable Packaging Coalition

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) is an industry working group dedicated to a more robust environmental vision for packaging. Through member support, an...

Taiwan Green Mark

The Green Mark Program was launched in 1992 by Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration as a voluntary eco-labelling program and published its latest revision in...

The EU Sustainable Products Initiative

Essentially, this framework aims to make products placed on the EU market 'more sustainable'.  It claims that consumers, the environment and the climate will benefit...

The Good Cashmere Standard

The Good Cashmere Standard (GCS) is an independent standard for sustainable cashmere, developed by the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), that aims to improve the welfare...

The Nativa Label

A label of the Chargeurs Group, Nativa sets a standard for stakeholders within the merino sheep industry and supply chain to meet if they’re to demonstrate a commitment to...

The Soil Association

The Soil Association organic standard for textiles is another label which has adopted the GOTS criteria. It has avery high degree of consumer recognition in the UK...

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act

Approved by US Congress in December 2021, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, also known as the UFLPA, prohibits the importation of goods into the United States...

The World Water Assessment Programme

The World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), founded in 2000, is the flagship programme of UN-Water. Housed in UNESCO, WWAP monitors freshwater issues in order to...

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Launched in 2015, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN member states will be expected to use to...

US Fabric Act

In May 2022, a new The Fashion Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change (FABRIC) Act bill was proposed that aims to protect the wages of US garment workers and...

USDA BioPreferred

The United States Department of Agriculture administers the BioPreferred Program, which was created by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (FSRIA or 2002 Farm...

Yess Standard For Textile Mills

The Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced standard is a multi-stakeholder initiative created by Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN), it attempts to implement a due...

ZDHC - Roadmap to zero

Launched in 2011 as the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Group (ZDHC), this initiative has shifted away from a focus on testing final product, to managing input...

Zero Waste to Landfill

Launched in October 2022 by Eurofins, the ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ certification service aims to support company-wide commitments on zero waste and reduce the amount of...

ZQ Merino

ZQ is a merino wool certification that looks at animal welfare and environmental standards. It has been developed and owned by The New Zealand Merino Company Ltd. ZQ is...

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