The Global Recycled Standard is a holistic certification for products that contains at least 20% Recycled Material- which can either be Pre-Consumer, Post-Consumer or a combination of these.

A product that is GRS-certified gives the consumer assurance that the claim that a fabric is made from recycled materials (ex. polyester) is indeed valid, and this can be officially tracked and traced up. It also gives a verifiable report regarding the amount of recycled component in a yarn used in making a product.

Evaluation is done through a third party Certification Body using the criteria set in the GRS Standard. A certified organization may indicate that it is certified to produce (or sell) GRS Products in accordance with the GRS Standard in its marketing and public relations materials.

Through this certification program, GRS aims to provide brands with a tool for more accurate labeling, to encourage innovation in the use of reclaimed materials, to establish more transparency in the supply chain, and to provide better information to consumers.

Companies with the GRS Certification can verify the recycled content of their products (both finished and intermediate) and verify responsible social, environmental and chemical practices in their production.

Originally developed by Control Union Certifications in 2008, GRS ownership was passed to the Textile Exchange in January 2011.