GRS, RCS, OCS, Better Cotton, and Cradle to Cradle Certified support different claim types. Start with the target SKU claim, then check the evidence behind it.
GRS: recycled content plus broader processing requirements
Textile Exchange describes the Global Recycled Standard as a standard for recycled materials and chain of custody, with additional social, environmental, and chemical-related requirements for processing.
RCS: recycled content claim verification
The Recycled Claim Standard focuses on recycled material claims and chain of custody. It does not replace the wider processing requirements included in GRS.
OCS: organic material content and chain of custody
The Organic Content Standard is a voluntary global standard for third-party certification of organic materials and chain of custody. It verifies organic-content integrity, not broader chemical, social, or environmental performance.
Better Cotton: cotton sourcing model and claim boundary
Better Cotton uses a Mass Balance chain-of-custody model and has announced a shift away from the Mass Balance on-product mark toward labels linked to Physical Better Cotton.
Cradle to Cradle Certified: circular product design
Cradle to Cradle Certified evaluates products across Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air and Climate Protection, Water and Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness. It is not a recycled-content percentage label or an organic-content label.
Suggested evidence folders
Separate the files by claim type: recycled-content claim, organic-content claim, cotton-sourcing claim, and circular-design claim. Each folder should answer which exact SKU claim the evidence can support.
