The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) are the two certifications most buyers accept as proof of recycled content in synthetic fabrics. Both are run by Textile Exchange, both rely on a chain of scope certificates and transaction certificates, and the difference is that GRS adds social, environmental and chemical requirements while RCS verifies recycled content only.
If a Surat supplier tells you a polyester is recycled, the claim means very little until you see the paperwork behind it. A certificate held by a yarn spinner does not automatically cover the weaver or the process house that finished your fabric, and the chain breaks as soon as an uncertified party takes ownership of the goods.
What each document means
- GRS: requires at least 50 percent recycled content for the final product to carry the GRS label, and adds social criteria, environmental management, effluent and chemical restrictions at every certified site.
- RCS: verifies and tracks recycled content through the supply chain, with no social or chemical criteria. Claims are allowed at lower recycled percentages than GRS, which is why RCS is the cheaper and more common option.
- Scope certificate: issued to a site after an audit, listing the processes and product categories it is certified for. It shows the site can handle certified material, not that your particular goods are certified.
- Transaction certificate: issued for a specific shipment between two certified parties, stating quantity, product and recycled percentage. This is the document that actually covers your order.
What to ask a Surat supplier
Ask for the scope certificate of every stage that takes title to the goods: the yarn supplier, the weaver, the process house and the exporter if it is a separate company. Check the validity dates, the listed product categories and the certification body, and ask for a transaction certificate from a previous shipment so you can see the chain has worked before.
Then confirm in the purchase order that a transaction certificate will be issued for your shipment, in the name of your importing company, and that the recycled percentage on it matches your specification. Tie the final payment to receipt of the certificate. A supplier who cannot agree to this is usually buying certified yarn and losing the chain somewhere in Surat.
Testing cannot replace paperwork
A laboratory cannot reliably tell recycled polyester from virgin polyester, because the polymer is chemically the same. This is why both standards rely on chain of custody rather than fibre analysis. Lab tests still matter for physical properties, colour fastness and restricted substances, and OEKO-TEX testing can sit alongside GRS, but they answer different questions.
How we handle this
We check the scope certificates of every unit in the chain before an order is placed, confirm the transaction certificate route with the supplier and the certification body, and keep sealed samples for a NABL-accredited lab where physical testing is needed. We also inspect rolls before loading and send weekly updates, so a recycled claim arrives with its documents attached. If you are specifying recycled polyester for the first time, a free 20-minute sourcing review is a sensible place to start.