Start with a claim about a named component
When buying a bag described as recycled, ask which component contains recycled material, what the percentage refers to and which records support it. Then check whether any certification covers the proposed product and shipment. A fabric description, a company certificate and permission to put a certification logo on a bag answer different questions.
Use a component sheet before comparing quotations for a canvas or knit bag. Give each material a reference, record the declared composition and recycled share, and ask the supplier to identify the evidence available for that exact proposal. Keep any unconfirmed field open; do not fill it from a similar product listing.
| Component | Record in the specification | Question for the supplier |
|---|---|---|
| Outer fabric or knitted body | Material reference, fibre blend, recycled share and calculation basis. | Which records support this specific material? |
| Lining, pockets and handles | A separate entry for each material, including any non-recycled content. | Are these included in the proposed product claim? |
| Closures, thread and decoration | The proposed components and how they are treated in the claim calculation. | What is included or excluded under the applicable rules? |
| Individual packaging | Its own material specification and any separate environmental claim. | Does the wording describe the bag, the packaging or both? |
This is a purchasing worksheet, not a certification formula. For a whole-product claim, confirm the permitted calculation method and treatment of accessories with the responsible certification body. A percentage stated for the outer fabric should not silently become the same percentage for the complete bag.
Keep fibre composition and recycled origin separate
Ask two separate questions: what is the material made of, and what supports the recycled-origin statement? A report identifying cotton or polyester does not, by that description alone, establish the material's history. Ask what the report actually measured and retain the sourcing records supporting the origin claim. Appearance, colour flecks and a soft handle are not a substitute for that evidence.
For each proposed recycled input, request its pre-consumer or post-consumer classification and the supporting material description. Keep that origin field separate from fibre composition and from the product's total recycled percentage. If a supplier offers alternatives, request separate records and samples rather than treating them as interchangeable.
Understand what RCS and GRS cover
Textile Exchange's RCS and GRS quick guide describes the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS) as voluntary standards covering recycled input and chain of custody—the documented path through the supply chain. GRS adds social, environmental and chemical requirements. The guide accepts both pre-consumer and post-consumer sources; the source category should be supported by the relevant records.
The official GRS FAQ distinguishes at least 20% recycled content for use as a business-to-business tool from at least 50% for consumer-facing labeling. These thresholds are not permission to use a logo: the other certification and claims requirements still apply. Confirm the applicable standard, product scope and intended claim before ordering labels.
Read scope and transaction certificates differently
A scope certificate (SC) identifies a company's certified scope; it does not by itself verify a particular product. A transaction certificate (TC) relates to certified products and shipment details. Textile Exchange explains this distinction in its chain-of-custody guidance. An upstream fabric supplier's certificate therefore needs to be considered within the full route to the finished bag.
In your order file, link the proposed material and finished style to the supplier entities, relevant sites and supporting documents. Ask who will arrange the transaction documentation, which shipment it will cover and when it can be provided. Do not demand a completed shipment certificate for a shipment that has not occurred; agree the documentation process before placing the order.
Verify the company and the shipment separately
Use Textile Exchange's Find a Certified Company directory to check the current scope-certificate record. Compare the legal name and relevant scope with the party and product in your proposal. If an entry is missing or inconsistent, ask the certification body to resolve it instead of relying on a cropped certificate image.
For a received TC, use the transaction authentication tool and compare the returned information with the document. Check the document against your purchase and shipment records as well. Authenticity and relevance are separate checks: a genuine document for another shipment does not substantiate this order.
Keep a short reconciliation sheet with the order reference, material reference, claimed component, certificate references, shipment reference and unresolved questions. Where a description, quantity or entity differs, obtain an explanation and corrected records where needed. Store the result with the commercial and shipping documents so the evidence remains easy to retrieve.
Approve the claim before printing or publishing
Under Textile Exchange's claims guidance, product-related certification claims require approval by the responsible certification body. This includes wording used online as well as on the product. Agree who submits the artwork and retain the approval for the exact claim and design. Do not copy a certification mark from a supplier's presentation.
For US marketing, the FTC Green Guides summary calls for qualification when only part of a product or package is recycled and cautions against broad, unqualified environmental-benefit claims. Keep the wording specific to the supported material and component. Recycled content alone does not establish recyclability, compostability or an overall environmental advantage.
Timing note, checked September 21, 2026: Textile Exchange lists September 27, 2026 as the mandatory implementation date for its updated Standards Claims Policy. Its Materials Matter transition timeline sets December 31, 2026 as the new standard's effective date. These are different milestones. Check the policy applicable to your claim and supply-chain stage with the certification body before release.
Approve the physical bag on its own merits
Keep material-origin approval separate from product acceptance. For the actual sample, agree checks for dimensions, appearance, colour transfer, seams, handles and intended use. For knitted bags, use the knit quality-control guide to plan the relevant checks. Set test methods and acceptance criteria for the project rather than treating certification as a carrying-capacity or durability result.
Record the selected material references in the sample-approval file. If a material, source or component changes, review both the physical sample and the evidence supporting the proposed claim. Keep colour approval linked to the same version using the colour-matching brief.
What to include in the RFQ
- The bag style, intended use, destination market and target quantity.
- The component sheet, proposed fibre composition and recycled-content target with its calculation basis.
- Any required source category, certification standard and order-level evidence.
- The exact proposed claim and where it will appear: label, packaging, catalogue or website.
- Sample checks, test requirements and how substitutions will be approved.
- Responsibility and agreed timing for document delivery, authentication and claim approval.
Choose a starting shape from the bag catalogue and send these requirements through the RFQ form. Ask the supplier to confirm material availability, applicable evidence and any unresolved certification requirements for the proposed order before treating a claim as approved.