behind the certification
Over the last few decades, during the rise of green and environmental movements, countless product claims and labels have appeared for brands to market their goods as safe and sustainable. These claims are often greenwashing which is why we like to use third-party certifications to help decipher the actual health and environmental impact of a product. Here we break down a few of the most common certifications you’ll see when looking at home goods. A quick note - third-party certification means that it is a separate company from the manufacturer that is vetting the product, hopefully resulting in an unbiased analysis.
Made Safe
Who certifies it: Nontoxic Certified
What Product Types: Personal care, baby and child, cosmetics, apparel, feminine hygiene, sexual health, bedding, household and pets.
Why it’s helpful: Screens for the presence of more than 6,500 substances known or likely to cause harm to humans and the environment.
The fine print: Made Safe Certification relies on ingredients and materials information and/or testing submitted by the manufacturer.
Oeko-Tex Standard 100
Who certifies it: Independent Oeko-Tex test institutes
What Product Types: Textiles are divided into four classes. Class 1 is for products for children ages 0-3, Class 2 is anything that comes in contact with skin, Class 3 includes products that have minimal or no contact with the skin and Class 4 includes household products such as upholstery and curtains.
Why it’s helpful: Tests for “regulated and non-regulated substances that may be harmful to human health.” The criteria is updated at least every year based on new research and/or regulations and every label that includes an Oeko-Tex certification has a number that can be used to check if the certification is valid. They also regulate claims made about the product such as recycled content.
The fine print: Oeko-Tex requires information and material samples of the product to be submitted by the manufacturer for certification and every part of a textile product including the thread, zipper, buttons, etc. are included. They also have a handful of other certifications in addition to the Standard 100: Made in Green, Organic Cotton, Leather Standard, STeP, Eco Passport and Responsible Business.
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)
Who certifies it: Independent Third-Party GOTS-accredited certification bodies
What Product Types: Organically produced raw materials for textile and apparel manufacturing.
Why it’s helpful: It’s an environmental and social certification that is recognized worldwide. It sets a minimum organic fiber content with strict requirements for natural and man-made chemical additives and ensures fibers are made with as little impact on the environment as possible. GOTS certification considers all production stages from fiber processing to labeling and distribution.
The fine print: To achieve GOTS certification only 70% of the fiber content needs to be organic. The development and evolution of the standard is a collaboration between growers, chemical suppliers, the textile industry and labor groups.
Greenguard
Who certifies it: Underwriters Laboratories
What Product Types: Furniture, flooring, building materials, cleaning products, electronic equipment, vehicles
Why it’s helpful: Establishes emissions limits and test methods for more than 15,000 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that impact indoor air quality and therefore human health. There are two levels of certification- Greenguard Certified and Greenguard Gold Certified. Greenguard Gold certification requires lower overall VOC and chemical emissions and must also comply with California Section 01350 which tests and evaluates VOCs from indoor sources.
The fine print: It is important to be able to access the actual certificate when reviewing a certain product because products are retested and certified annually.
FSC
Who certifies it: Independent certification bodies that are overseen by Assurance Services International
What Product Types: Any wood or wood pulp-containing product.
Why it’s helpful: It promotes environmentally, socially and economically positive forestry practices through ten principles. These principles include abiding by all applicable laws, long-term use rights, indigenous people's rights and worker's rights, efficiently using the forest, maintaining the environmental and biological integrity of the forest, appropriately managing forests and plantations, monitoring and assessing the condition of the forest and maintaining high conservation value forests.
The fine print: It primarily certifies forests in the US and Canada and there are two different certification types - Chain of Custody Certification which follows products from the forest through the supply chain and Forest Management Certification which looks at the management of an area of forest with FSC principles.
Fair Trade
Who certifies it: A non-profit organization called Fair Trade USA
What Product Types: Agriculture and factory production as well as Capture Fisheries and Trade. We primarily care about the Factory Production Standard which certifies apparel, footwear and home goods.
Why it’s helpful: It prioritizes factory conditions and the engagement of workers to ensure they are heard and represented. Fair Trade Certified factories commit to upholding labor standards, giving more benefits to workers, protecting fundamental human rights and reducing negative environmental impacts primarily related to waste management and hazardous chemicals.
The fine print: Fair Trade Certified products often come at a premium price. This is earned by the workers who collectively decide how it is implemented toward their needs and those of their community.
As the demand for eco-friendly and socially responsible products (hopefully) continues to rise, certifications play a crucial role in guiding consumers towards sustainable choices. Made Safe, Oeko Tex, GOTS, Greenguard, FSC, and Fair Trade Certified are among the certifications shaping a future where products are not only functional and aesthetically pleasing but also safe, sustainable, and ethically produced. Businesses adopting these certifications not only meet consumer demands but also contribute to a more sustainable and responsible global market.
Helpful Resources:
https://www.ul.com/services/ul-greenguard-certification