GRS — Global Recycled Standard
Global Recycled Standard 5.0
Its chemical rules cover only the chemicals used in processing, not those already carried in the reclaimed feedstock, and no physical performance is tested. Ask which version a certificate was audited against; 5.0 becomes mandatory for audits from 31 December 2026.
What it covers
Verified recycled input content, chain of custody at every processing stage from the recycler to the final product, plus social and environmental criteria at each certified site, and a chemical management system with restrictions on the hazardous chemicals used in processing GRS products. A GRS claim on a finished article means the percentage of recycled input has been tracked and audited through the whole supply chain. Version note: GRS 5.0 (GRS-101-V5.0, published July 2026) took effect 1 July 2026 and is mandatory for all audits from 31 December 2026, superseding GRS 4.0. Certificates issued before that date were audited to GRS 4.0 and remain valid through their term, so ask a supplier which version their current certificate was audited against rather than treating a 4.0 certificate as invalid. Textile Exchange is also folding GRS into its unified Materials Matter Standard, which opens for certification on 31 December 2026 and becomes mandatory on 31 December 2027, when GRS and RCS certifications migrate to that framework.
What it does not cover
Does not test physical performance — tensile strength, abrasion, colourfastness and flex endurance are entirely outside the standard. Does not certify that the product is durable or fit for any given use. Does not measure microfibre shedding. Does not distinguish the environmental value of post-consumer versus post-industrial input; it only records which one was used. Does not cover the chemistry of the finished article. The chemical requirements apply only to chemicals used in processing: GRS 5.0 §A3.2d (clause A1.2d in GRS 4.0) states the Standard “does not address the chemicals present in the Reclaimed Materials or what may be present in final GRS products”, and Section D adds that it “does not control for any chemicals that might be present in the reclaimed products that are used as initial inputs”. So legacy additives carried in post-consumer feedstock are not screened; the standard itself puts the burden on the seller to meet “their own or nominated Restricted Substances Lists”. Pair GRS with OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 or your own RSL testing if final-article chemistry matters.
Scope and exclusions are recorded from the issuing body’s own published documentation. A certificate covers what its scope statement says and nothing beyond it.