The Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) is a voluntary certification developed by Textile Exchange to verify the presence and amount of recycled material in a final product. It is designed to help companies make transparent claims about recycled content, with independent third-party audits ensuring traceability through the supply chain.

The RCS allows:

• Verification of recycled input, with a minimum threshold of 5%

• Use of the RCS logo for consumer-facing claims when products contain at least 5% recycled content

• Full traceability through the Content Claim Standard (CCS) framework

The standard applies to any product containing recycled material that meets the ISO definition of “recycled.” Both pre-consumer and post-consumer inputs are eligible. The RCS does not include environmental, chemical, or labor requirements during processing.

Certification is available in two forms:

• RCS 100 – for products with 95–100% recycled content

• RCS Blended – for products with 5–94% recycled content

Compared to the more comprehensive Global Recycled Standard (GRS), which also includes environmental, chemical, and social requirements, the RCS focuses strictly on content verification. This makes it a practical option for brands seeking to validate recycled claims without undergoing broader compliance audits.

Textile Exchange manages the RCS alongside other certifications such as the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Organic Content Standard (OCS), supporting responsible sourcing across the textile industry. More information is available at Textile Exchange official website.