In this guide
- What Is GRS?
- How Does GRS Trace PCR Materials?
- The Two GRS Certificates You Must Understand
- Can We Issue a GRS Transaction Certificate to a Customer?
- GRS vs. RCS: What Is the Difference?
- Can a Product Use the GRS Label?
- Can We Design Our Own GRS Logo?
- A PCR Material Traceability Checklist
- Build Trust With Traceable PCR Materials
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Official References
ENGLISH EDITION
How to Trace PCR Materials: A Practical Guide to GRS Certificates and Transaction Certificates
A buyer-focused guide to PCR plastic traceability, Scope Certificates, Transaction Certificates, GRS/RCS rules and approved claims.
Published by Wuxi Afshan Packaging Co., Ltd.
For buyers of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, traceability is not just a sustainability statement. It is the evidence behind your recycled-content claim.
Whether you source PCR resin for cosmetic packaging, foam pumps, bottles, caps, injection-molded components, or other plastic products, customers increasingly ask the same questions:
- Is the PCR material genuinely recycled?
- Can you provide a GRS certificate?
- Can you issue a Transaction Certificate (TC)?
- Can we use the GRS logo on the final product?
The most reliable way to answer these questions is to build a traceable supply chain under the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).
Quick answer: Verify the supplier's valid Scope Certificate, match a shipment-level Transaction Certificate to invoices and shipping records, retain batch-level material records, and obtain approval before using any GRS claim or logo.Wuxi Afshan Packaging Co., Ltd. treats PCR documentation as a project-specific verification step and can discuss which upstream material records should be requested before sampling or order confirmation.What Is GRS?
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international, voluntary, third-party certification standard managed by Textile Exchange, a global non-profit organization. It verifies recycled material content and tracks that material through the supply chain.
GRS also includes requirements covering environmental practices, social responsibility, and chemical management at certified facilities. Although it originated in the textile sector, GRS can apply to recycled products in many industries, including recycled plastic, packaging, recycled fibers, foam, and injection-molded parts.
As of July 2026, the current published standard is GRS 5.0. GRS 4.0 remains an important historical reference, but companies should confirm the applicable version and transition requirements with their certification body.
Standards update: Textile Exchange published GRS 5.0 on July 1, 2026. It became effective on July 1, 2026, with a mandatory date of December 31, 2026, for the updated documents. Confirm transition timing with your certification body.How Does GRS Trace PCR Materials?
GRS traceability follows the certified material from the recycler or first certified organization through every relevant supply-chain stage to the finished product.
| Typical PCR traceability chain PCR waste collection → Recycling facility → PCR resin supplier → Packaging or component manufacturer → Brand owner → Final product |
|---|
Each certified organization that owns or takes physical possession of claimed material must maintain traceability records. These records may include purchase orders, invoices, shipping documents, production records, material ledgers, batch numbers, and Transaction Certificates.
The goal is simple: the certified volume sold must never exceed the certified volume purchased and processed.
The Two GRS Certificates You Must Understand
1. Scope Certificate (SC)
A Scope Certificate proves that an organization has been assessed by an approved certification body and is eligible to handle GRS-certified products within the activities and sites listed on the certificate.
An SC is an organization-level credential. Before purchasing PCR material, ask your supplier for its valid Scope Certificate and verify:
- Legal company name and address
- Certified sites and facilities
- Certified process categories, such as recycling, trading, manufacturing, or warehousing
- Product categories covered
- Certification body and certificate number
- Issue date and expiry date
Certification is generally managed on a one-year cycle and must be renewed. A valid SC does not, by itself, prove that a particular shipment is GRS-certified. For that, you need a TC.
2. Transaction Certificate (TC)
A Transaction Certificate is shipment-specific evidence issued by the supplier's certification body after certified goods are shipped. It identifies the actual certified products, seller, buyer, certified weight, shipment details, and applicable standard.
For PCR materials, the TC is the document that connects a specific delivery of recycled resin or components to the certified supply chain.
A valid TC should be checked against the commercial documents. Confirm that the following details match:
- Seller and buyer names
- Product description and PCR material type
- Shipment date and quantity
- Certified weight
- Recycled-content category
- Input TC references, where applicable
- Scope Certificate information
- Certification body details and TC number
Can We Issue a GRS Transaction Certificate to a Customer?
Yes, but only when the shipment is eligible and the certified seller can apply for the TC through its certification body.
A customer does not have to be GRS-certified simply to receive a TC. However, if that customer will process, relabel, trade, or resell the material as GRS-certified - or make a product-specific GRS claim - its relevant sites must be appropriately certified.
Certification note: TC eligibility depends on applicable Textile Exchange policy, chain-of-custody status and certification-body review. Verify the exact scenario before promising an outgoing TC.In practical terms:
- A non-certified customer can receive a TC for a shipment.
- A certified customer can continue the GRS chain of custody and apply for an outgoing TC after further processing or sale.
- A non-certified customer should not represent its next product or shipment as GRS-certified.
- An upstream PCR resin TC can help demonstrate the source of the recycled material, but it does not certify the customer's finished product.
This distinction prevents misleading claims and protects the integrity of the recycled-material supply chain.
GRS vs. RCS: What Is the Difference?
Both GRS and the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) verify and track recycled material through the supply chain. The difference is the level of requirements.
| Requirement | GRS | RCS |
|---|---|---|
| Recycled material verification | Yes | Yes |
| Supply-chain traceability | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum recycled content for certification | 20% | 5% |
| Minimum content for consumer-facing product claims | 50% | Subject to applicable claim rules |
| Environmental requirements | Yes | No |
| Social requirements | Yes | No |
| Chemical-management requirements | Yes | No |
GRS is therefore the stronger option for brands and overseas buyers that need robust evidence of recycled content and responsible processing. RCS focuses on recycled content and chain of custody, without the additional social, environmental, and chemical requirements.
Can a Product Use the GRS Label?
A product generally needs at least 50% certified recycled content to be eligible for a consumer-facing GRS product claim or label. This applies to claims on packaging, hangtags, product pages, sewn-in labels, and similar customer-facing materials.
However, meeting the 50% threshold alone is not enough. The final product, relevant supply-chain stages, claim wording, and artwork must comply with the applicable Textile Exchange requirements and be approved through the certification process.
Products with at least 20% recycled content may use GRS in business-to-business certification and traceability activities, but they are not automatically eligible for consumer-facing GRS labeling.
Can We Design Our Own GRS Logo?
No. Do not create, redraw, modify, or print a self-designed GRS label.
The official GRS logo and approved artwork must be obtained through an approved certification body. Before printing packaging, labels, brochures, or website graphics, submit the proposed GRS claim and artwork to your certification body for approval.
GRS logo placeholder Insert certification-body-approved GRS logo artwork here. Do not use an unofficial or self-designed GRS label.A PCR Material Traceability Checklist
Before you sell PCR material as GRS-certified, make sure you can answer 'yes' to these questions:
- Do we have a valid GRS Scope Certificate for the relevant site and activity?
- Does our PCR supplier have a valid GRS Scope Certificate?
- Did we receive a TC for the specific incoming PCR shipment?
- Do our purchase, warehouse, production, and shipping records match the certified quantities?
- Can we identify the material by batch, lot, or production order?
- Can we apply for a TC for the outgoing shipment?
- Has every product claim or GRS logo design been approved by our certification body?
Build Trust With Traceable PCR Materials
PCR plastic demand is growing rapidly, but buyers need more than a recycled-content statement. They need credible proof.
A complete GRS traceability system combines a valid Scope Certificate, shipment-level Transaction Certificates, accurate material records, and approved product claims. This gives brands and buyers greater confidence in the origin and integrity of their PCR materials.
If you are sourcing PCR resin, recycled packaging materials, foam pump components, or injection-molded plastic parts, request both the supplier's Scope Certificate and the TC for your specific shipment. That is the clearest way to verify your recycled material claim.
Project discussion: Wuxi Afshan Packaging Co., Ltd. can review PCR packaging requirements, supplier documentation expectations and buyer-side verification priorities before a packaging project moves into sampling.Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Scope Certificate and a Transaction Certificate?
A Scope Certificate confirms that an organization and listed sites or activities are certified. A Transaction Certificate connects a specific shipment to the certified supply chain.
Can a non-certified buyer receive a GRS Transaction Certificate?
A buyer may receive a TC for an eligible shipment, but further processing, trading, resale or product-specific GRS claims may require certification of the relevant sites. Confirm the exact scenario with the certification body.
Does a PCR resin TC certify the finished packaging product?
No. An upstream resin TC helps document the recycled-material source, but it does not automatically certify the buyer's finished packaging or authorize a consumer-facing GRS claim.
How much recycled content is required for GRS?
GRS certification can apply from 20% recycled content, while consumer-facing product claims generally require at least 50% certified recycled content plus compliance with the applicable claims process.
How should a buyer verify an SC or TC?
Match the certificate to invoices and shipping records, use Textile Exchange's certificate-authentication resources, and contact the issuing certification body if any detail is unclear.
Official References
- Textile Exchange: Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) + Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
- Textile Exchange: GRS-101 Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
- Textile Exchange: Standards FAQs
- Textile Exchange: Supply Chain Certification
Additional Verification Links
Textile Exchange: Certificate Authentication
Textile Exchange: Standards Policy & Resource Updates
Wuxi Afshan Packaging Co., Ltd. — PCR packaging and material-documentation project discussion.
