Green clothing tags and certification labels can be hard to navigate through when every other company claims to be coming out with this or that collection that gives back to the Earth.

However, certain labels found on our clothing tags and sewn-in labels actually do indicate positive production methods, laudable practices and better fabric choices. So use our textile certification guide to learn about the most ubiquitous and scrutinized eco clothing tag labels to look out for on your next green clothing shopping spree.

1. bluesign standard® indicates all the input streams from raw materials to chemical components and resources used are assessed on their ecological impact. It is essentially a label that helps identify fabric and apparel producers that have analyzed their manufacturing chain and are constantly investing in research and development in an active effort to reduce their ecological footprint. Labels that meet the standards of the sign include Nike, prAna, and Lululemon Athletica.

2. Cotton Made in Africa  indicates that the cotton is sustainably grown by African farmers in collaboration with the Aid by Trade Foundation. This initiative is meant to provide African cotton farmers with the knowledge and practices for sustainable cotton farming, and to improve their quality of life as farmers. The initiative works with retailers that are demanding sustainably produced cotton.

3. Cradle-to-Cradle certified indicates a product that is either completely recyclable or biodegradable, and made with the lowest impact manufacturing processes that are not harmful to people or the environment in any way. The certification program applies to materials, sub-assemblies and finished product and is a chance for companies to demonstrate eco-intelligent design. Textiles from Pendleton Woolen Mills, Greenweave Fabrics and Sunbury Textile Mills have received this prominent certification.

4. Fair Trade symbol indicates that the product has met certain social, environmental and economic criteria that  support the sustainable development of small-scale producers and agricultural workers in the poorest countries in the world. The Fair Trade organization essentially gives consumers the opportunity to help reduce poverty and instigate change by purchasing Fair Trade cotton and several certified food items.

5. GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) indicates that the product is definitely organic through every stage or production from ginning to the labeling of the final product. This includes all aspects of manufacturing from use of biodegradable and toxin-free dyes, to low impact waste treatment and water supply systems in factories, fair labor practices and final products that are free of allergenic, carcinogenic or toxic chemical residues. This officially and internationally recognized standard is currently one of the most trusted organic textile certifications.

6. Global Recycle Standard indicates that the product contains recycled content of some sort. This is often in the form of recycled polyester or rPET, which is often found in sportswear and cotton/rPET fabric blends. Members of the GRS include Patagonia, Nike, Adidas, H&M, Levi Strauss, Volcom and many more large name brands.

7. MADE-BY‘s blue button sign  is a label that indicates a fashion company’s environmental responsibility and fair labor practices throughout the entire supply chain. The Made-By organization works with brands that use organic cotton and work with sewing factories with enforced social codes of conduct. Partner brands include G-Star Raw, Jackpot and Komodo.

8. OE-100 indicates that a product is made from 100 percent organic fiber that has been tracked and verified throughout the entire production chain. The certification is awarded by the Textile Exchange and has been awarded to labels like prAna, PUMA and the North Face.

9. Oeko-Tex Standards indicate that the textile product is free of certain groups of harmful substances, ensuring that all certified products are harmless to health. The certification standards fall into three levels: 100, 1000 and 1000 plus as the highest and indicates that everything from fabric, threads, interlinings, hook-and-loop closures, hooks etc. have met the criteria.

10. SCS Certification measures the amount of recycled content that has been diverted from the waste stream in a certain product. The SCS organization also grants certification to companies the meet certain criteria for in-house recycling schemes.

11. USDA Certified Organic is often recognized for food labeling, but accounts for all agricultural crops. These include cotton, wool and other natural fibers that come from animals who have not been given antibiotics or growth hormones and receive organic feed, and plants that have not been grown with pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or ionizing radiation. All products that are labeled as USDA certified organic have to meet the standards whether or not the raw material was grown in the U.S. or somewhere else.

12. Zque  certification indicates responsibly manufactured and environmentally safe wool. Wool with this accreditation has been produced in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner, to high animal welfare standards, and is traceable back to its source. Most Zque wool is merino wool raised and produced in New Zealand.

Image: lemballageecologique

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For the eco-textile connoisseur, have I got a treat for you. Yes, you’ve explored the soft and wonderful worlds of organic cotton, hemp and bamboo, but have you ever worn nettles? I know, I was surprised, too, when I came across Savage Designs. I was attracted by the swingy, well-tailored cuts, high quality fabrics and funky designs. Then I noticed a sign, some photos, something about the fibers. I had to know more.

What I learned was this: Savage Designs makes their clothes out of sustainably wild crafted Himalayan nettles (yes, the stinging kind), processed naturally by hand into a soft and durable fabric. They also use bamboo, organic cotton and Tencel from eucalyptus trees. The clothing is eco-luxurious and casually edgy; designers Sunny and Stardust incorporate conscious business practices and eco-integrity into every step of the process. If you’ve ever wanted to wear the finest fibers the Earth can provide, these are the clothes for you.

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With 55 million pounds of pesticides sprayed on clothes yearly, the EPA considers seven of the top 15 of these pesticides used on cotton in the United States as “possible,” “likely,” “probable,” or “known” to cause cancer in humans.

Thanks to various agencies safeguarding what we wear, “Eco-Friendly” clothing is being subjected to many production standards much like the green building industry from organizations like the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the International Market for Sustainable Apparel (registry required) and the Organic Trade Association.

Which organization do you trust to set the standard for accountability? The jury’s still out.

One thing we know is that as the green movement proves it’s not just a trend, designers, buyers and shoppers will want proof of purchase so they can put their own green towards sustainable lines – and not feel so gullible. Until we have one standard to go by here are a few things you can do:

Do your homework. Many times we just accept that an item is organic without doing some research. A garment can be organic but still have a large carbon footprint.

Learn about different eco-fabrics that are available. Organic cotton and wool, tencel, soy and modal are some of the more popular choices.

Email the designers. Realize there are many ways designers can up the ante on eco-conscious production methods by recycling and using alternative energy at their design houses, implementing fair-trade practices and using natural dyes. Many of these eco-friendly designers are accessible through their websites.

Buy locally-sourced. Support your local designers and artists who use less fuel to get their goods to local stores. Not only will you help to sustain a small business, you’ll feel better knowing exactly where your goods came from.

Now that you have all this helpful information, what do you plan on doing with it?

Editor’s note: Please welcome our new fashion writer, Amy DuFault. You can learn about Amy here.

Image: ontwerpplus

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