Understanding what’s really in your “sustainable” wardrobe isn’t as straightforward as brands would have you believe.
When a clothing tag proudly announces “made from recycled materials,” what does that actually mean? Is your t-shirt truly helping the planet, or have you fallen victim to clever marketing?
This guide cuts through the confusion surrounding recycled clothing claims, equipping you with the knowledge to make truly sustainable choices and avoid common greenwashing pitfalls.
The Importance of Recycled Materials in Fashion
The recycled textile market is experiencing remarkable growth, valued at US$5.61 billion in 2023 and projected to reach US$8.32 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.8%.
This expansion reflects increasing awareness about fashion’s environmental impact and growing demand for more sustainable alternatives.
When done correctly, using recycled materials in clothing manufacturing diverts waste from landfills, reduces dependency on virgin resources, and can significantly lower the carbon footprint of garment production.
However, as consumers become more interested in sustainable fashion, so does the incentive for brands to exaggerate or misrepresent their environmental credentials—a practice commonly known as “greenwashing“.
Why Transparency Matters in Recycled Clothing Claims
Transparency isn’t just a buzzword in sustainable fashion—it’s essential for making informed shopping decisions.
Without clear information about what “recycled” actually means on a particular garment, consumers can’t accurately assess its environmental impact or authenticate brand claims.
According to one study, as many as 59% of fashion companies engage in some form of greenwashing, including major brands like H&M—which has faced legal action over misleading sustainability claims.
This problem underscores the importance of thorough verification processes and standardized certification systems.
Understanding Recycled Material Terminology
It’s important to understand the terminology used in recycled clothing claims. These terms aren’t just marketing language—they have specific meanings that impact a garment’s environmental credentials.
“Made with Recycled Materials” vs. “100% Recycled”
“Made with recycled materials” means that some portion of the garment contains recycled content—which could be as little as 5% of the total fabric composition.
In contrast, “100% recycled” confirms that every part of the item, from fabric to thread, is made completely from previously used materials. True 100% recycled products leave no room for virgin materials in their composition, making them significantly more environmentally beneficial in terms of resource conservation.
The Common Good Company explains this difference in their product descriptions, stating that their t-shirts use “60% Recycled Pre-Consumer Cotton” combined with “40% Recycled Polyester (RPET)”.
This level of detail allows consumers to make informed decisions about the actual recycled content they’re buying.
Pre-Consumer vs. Post-Consumer Recycled Materials
Another important distinction lies in the source of recycled materials:
Post-Consumer Materials come from products that have completed their lifecycle and would otherwise end up in landfills. These include items like plastic bottles, worn-out clothing, and other consumer waste.
This type of recycled materials keeps waste out of landfills and reduces demand for virgin resources.
Pre-Consumer Materials (also called post-industrial) come from manufacturing waste that never reached the consumer—like fabric scraps, cutting room floor waste, and other production remnants.
While still useful for reducing industrial waste, pre-consumer recycling generally has a smaller environmental impact than post-consumer recycling.
The RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) emphasizes this distinction in their verification processes, requiring separate identification of pre-consumer and post-consumer materials in the certification process.
Understanding Certification Standards for Recycled Materials
Certification standards provide third-party verification of recycled content claims, offering consumers some assurance that a product meets specific requirements. These standards vary in their stringency, scope, and requirements.
Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
The Global Recycled Standard is one of the most comprehensive certification systems for recycled materials.
It verifies that products contain at least 20% recycled content while also addressing supply chains, environmental practices, social conditions, and chemical restrictions.
GRS certification requires tracking materials throughout the entire supply chain, certifying that claims about recycled content are accurate and verifiable.
This standard is valuable because it extends beyond simple material verification to consider broader sustainability.
Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)
Operated by Textile Exchange, the Recycled Claim Standard focuses specifically on verifying recycled material content without addressing other environmental or social aspects of production.
RCS has two variants:
- RCS 100: Ensures a product contains 95-100% recycled content
- RCS Blended: Verifies a minimum of 5% recycled content
The RCS uses the chain of custody requirements from the Content Claim Standard to track materials from their recycled source through production and ultimately to the final product1. This tracking system provides transparency regarding the presence and amount of recycled material in finished goods.
Recycled Content Certification
The Recycled Content Certification, administered by SCS Global Services, evaluates products made from pre-consumer or post-consumer materials diverted from the waste stream.
This certification verifies the percentage of recycled materials in a product and provides a numbered certificate with specific recycled content levels.
The R Cert
The R Cert represents a consumer-facing standard specifically for recycled textile clothing. This certification:
- Verifies that recycled content was produced by recycling the brand’s own pre-consumer textile waste
- Ensures a minimum of 20% recycled fibers
- Confirms manufacturing occurred in factories with Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certification
- Provides a traceable supply chain allowing consumers to track their recycled clothing’s journey from factory to retail
This comprehensive approach makes The R Cert particularly valuable for consumers seeking transparent information about their recycled clothing purchases.
What Different Percentages of Recycled Content Actually Mean
Percentage claims on recycled clothing aren’t just numbers—they represent significant differences in environmental impact and manufacturing practices. Understanding these percentages helps consumers make more informed choices.
Minimum Thresholds for Claims and Certifications
Different certification standards establish different minimum thresholds for recycled content:
| Certification | Minimum Recycled Content Required | Other Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| GRS | 20% | Addresses social, environmental, and chemical aspects |
| RCS 100 | 95-100% | Material verification only |
| RCS Blended | 5% | Material verification only |
| The R Cert | 20% | Must use brand’s own recycled waste |
These varying thresholds reflect different approaches to sustainability. While higher percentages generally indicate greater environmental benefits, even lower percentages can have significant positive impacts when implemented at scale.
The Reality of “100% Recycled” Claims
True “100% recycled” products require that every component—fabric, thread, buttons, zippers—comes from recycled sources. This level of recycled content is challenging to achieve and relatively rare in the marketplace.
For example, a tote bag labeled “100% recycled” should have every component made from recycled materials. In practice, most recycled tote bags contain a mix of materials, typically 70-80% recycled cotton combined with 20-30% recycled polyester to enhance durability.
The technical challenges of using 100% recycled content explain why many brands use blended compositions.
Recycled cotton fibers, for example, are typically shorter than virgin fibers, which makes them more difficult to spin into strong yarn. Adding recycled polyester helps overcome this limitation by increasing the strength and longevity of the final fabric.
How to Verify Claims as a Consumer
Armed with knowledge about certification standards and terminology, consumers can take several practical steps to verify recycled content claims and avoid greenwashing.
Look Beyond Vague Environmental Claims
One of the most common greenwashing tactics involves using vague, unmeasurable terms like “green,” “eco-friendly,” “planet-friendly,” or “bio.”
These subjective descriptors lack specific meaning and often serve as red flags for misleading marketing5.
Instead, look for quantifiable, specific claims backed by third-party certification. For example, “made with 100% certified organic cotton” or “contains 60% post-consumer recycled polyester” provides measurable information that can be verified.
Check for Certification Logos and Details
Legitimate recycled content claims usually have certification logos from recognized standards like GRS, RCS, or Recycled Content Certification. These logos indicate third-party verification of the claims.
However, don’t stop at the logo—look for details along with the certification. Some key information to look for includes:
- The exact percentage of recycled content
- Whether materials are pre-consumer or post-consumer
- Which components of the garment contain recycled materials
- Certificate numbers or other verification details
Brands committed to transparency will make this information readily available, either on product tags, their website, or upon request.
Research the Brand’s Overall Sustainability Practices
A single recycled product doesn’t necessarily indicate a brand’s overall commitment to sustainability. Research the company’s broader environmental practices, including:
- Their approach to waste reduction throughout operations
- Transparency about their supply chain
- Environmental initiatives beyond recycled materials
- Third-party partnerships or verifications
Brands genuinely committed to sustainability typically provide comprehensive information about their environmental practices across all aspects of their business, not just highlighting a single “eco-friendly” collection.
Ask Specific Questions
When information isn’t readily available, don’t hesitate to contact brands directly with specific questions about their recycled content claims:
- What percentage of the garment is made from recycled materials?
- What is the source of the recycled materials (post-consumer or pre-consumer)?
- Which certification standards verify these claims?
- Can they provide documentation supporting their recycled content percentages?
Brands truly committed to transparency will welcome these questions and provide clear, specific answers.
Legal Framework for Recycled Content Claims
Beyond industry certification standards, recycled content claims are also subject to legal regulations designed to protect consumers from deceptive marketing practices.
In the United States, Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibits “unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce.”
The Federal Trade Commission considers claims that products or packaging are recyclable to be “deceptive” if they “misrepresent, directly or by implication, that a product or package is recyclable”13.
California’s S.B. 343 goes further, requiring manufacturers who claim products are recyclable to maintain and provide documentation supporting the validity of these claims, including:
- Reasons they believe the representation to be true
- Information about environmental impacts associated with the production, distribution, and disposal of the product
- Measures taken to reduce environmental impacts
- Any violations of permits associated with production or distribution13
These legal frameworks emphasize that recycled content claims must be accurate, substantiated, and not misleading to consumers.