Product Certifications
The brands and the products offered at Wonena are meticulously evaluated towards the positive impact that they are generating on the environment and the people.
There exist different certifications and standards worldwide, which monitor through different ways (quantitative and qualitative standards) the impact of textile products on the planet, and others, on the people. These standards are provided by trusted companies which are being continuously updated with the scientific technology and trends that come along with the newer generations.
The companies that have already invested the time and money to certify their brand and products are a great example of the growth and development that this niche for sustainability is making year by year. They deserve all our recognition and respect, and we hope to honor their effort through our work.
A big part of Wonena’s BIRDSVIEW indicator is based on those standards certifications, because of the transparency of those programs, and also the worldwide validation for some of them.
Planet Certifications
Organic Fabrics, Organic Supply Chain, Recycled Fabrics, Circularity, Animal Welfare
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
The most well-known and trusted certification worldwide for product safety is the Standard 100 label, in service since 1990 by OEKO-TEX Association, headquartered in Zürich (Switzerland).
When a textile article (from yarn to finished product) carries the Standard 100 Label, it means that every component of this article has been tested for harmful substances and therefore this article is harmless for human health. Their process takes into account numerous substances which can be harmful to human health. They are continuously investing in scientific development to update knowledge and statutory requirements.
The OEKO-TEX® laboratory tests include around 100 test parameters and take into account the intended use of the textiles. The more intensive the skin contact of a textile product, the stricter the limit values for each product clas.
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
The worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.
- A textile product carrying the GOTS label must contain a minimum of 70% certified organic fibers, and its label would say “made with organic materials”
- A product carrying the ORGANIC label must contain a minimum of 95% certified organic fibers.
Organic fibers are natural fibers grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or herbicides and GMOs (Genetically modified Organisms). This production process is what we call “Organic Agriculture” which sustains the health of ecosystems, soils, and people.
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
The IFOAM Family of Standards contains all standards officially endorsed as organic by the Organic Movement, based on their equivalence with the Common Objectives and Requirements of Organic Standards. Both private standards and government regulations are admissible.
Depending on the scope of production, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) provides an accreditation program to ensure the fair trade of organic products, for the trade and producers as well as for certifiers. IFOAM also facilitates the equivalency of organic certification bodies worldwide by confirming whether they meet IFOAM’s international norms.
By definition from the IFOAM: “Organic Agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic Agriculture combines tradition, innovation, and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and good quality of life for all involved”. IFOAM General Assembly, 2008.
There is also a list of certification bodies currently accredited under one of the IFOAM Accreditation Programs.
The Organic Content Standard (OCS)
The Organic Content Standard (OCS) is an international non-mandatory standard owned by the Textile Exchange, which is a global non-profit that works to drive the industry transformation in preferred fibers, integrity, and standards with responsible supply chain networks, towards the increase of organic agriculture production. They also have the best practices regarding farming, materials, processing, traceability, and product end-of-life to reduce the textile industry’s impact on the environment.
The OCS label represents those fibers that come from certified organic farms, guaranteeing that the organic content is maintained from the organic growth of raw materials in the farm until the finished product. To guarantee the trustworthiness of this standard, there is an audit process through the different stages of the supply chain.
OCS offers two kinds of certification. The OCS Organic 100 logo is only used for products that contain 95% or more organic material. The OCS Organic blended logo refers to goods containing at least 5% organic material combined with traditional or synthetic raw materials.
Cradle to Cradle Certified Product
The Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard provides the framework to assess the safety, circularity, and responsibility of materials and products across five categories of sustainability performance:
- Material health: This category in the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard assesses that chemicals and materials used in the product are selected to prioritize the protection of human health and the environment, generating a positive impact on the quality of materials available for future use and cycling.
- Product Circularity: This category in the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard assesses that products are intentionally designed for their next use and are actively cycled in their intended cycling pathways.
- Clean air & climate protection: This category in the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard assesses that product manufacturing results in a positive impact on air quality, the renewable energy supply, and the balance of climate-changing greenhouse gasses.
- Water & Soil stewardship: This category in the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard assesses that water and soil are treated as precious and shared resources. Watersheds and soil ecosystems are protected, and clean water and healthy soils are available to people and all other organisms.
- Social Fairness: This category in the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard assesses that companies are committed to upholding human rights and applying fair and equitable business practices.
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international and voluntary, full-product standard that sets the requirements for third-party certification of Recycled content and fabrics, chain of custody, social and environmental practices, and chemical restrictions.
Objectives of the GRS:
- Alignment of definitions across multiple applications.
- Track and trace Recycled input materials.
- Provide customers (both brands and consumers) with a tool to make
- informed decisions.
- Reduce the harmful impact of production on people and the environment.
- Assure that materials in the final product are actually
- Recycled and processed more sustainably.
- Drive innovation in addressing quality issues in the use of Recycled materials
The Global Recycled Standard is intended for use with any product that contains at least 20% of Recycled Material. It is required to have each stage of production certified, from the recycling stage s until the last seller of the final B2B transaction.
Material Collection and Material Concentration sites are subject to self-declaration, document collection, and on-site visits.
Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)
The Responsible Wool Standard ensures that sheep have been treated responsibly and recognizes best practices of farmers and that the land used to farm the animals has been managed in a responsible and progressive way..
The RWS requires all sites, from wool farmers to the seller in the final business-to-business transaction, to be certified. RWS farmers and ranchers must meet animal welfare, land management, and social requirements.
- Give the industry a tool to recognize farming best practices.
- Make sure that wool comes from farms that take a progressive approach to land management and respect animal welfare.
- Ensure strong chain of custody for certified materials as they move along the supply chain.
People Certifications
Fairtrade
Fairtrade Development Standards
The Fairtrade International Movement It aims to create greater equity in the international trading system. It creates social and economic opportunities through trading partnerships with marginalized farmers and craftspeople in developing countries so that more customers are accessible to their products and they receive a favorable deal. In return, the producers must comply with the standards set by the certifying authority.
Fairtrade's approach enables farmers and workers to have more control over their lives and decide how to invest in their future.
This concept is developed for disadvantaged producers and workers. It encourages sustainable, social, economic and environmental development of producers and their organizations.
The key objectives of the Fairtrade Standards are to:
- Ensure that producers receive prices that cover their average costs of sustainable production.
- Provide an additional Fairtrade Premium which can be invested in projects that enhance social, economic and environmental development.
- Enable pre-financing for producers who require it.
- Facilitate long-term trading partnerships and enable greater producer control over the trading process.
- Set clear core and development criteria to ensure that the conditions of production and trade of all Fairtrade certified products are both socially and economically fair as well as environmentally responsible.
Fairtrade Textile Standard
This standard, part of the Fairtrade Textile Programme, was created to facilitate change in textile supply chains and related business practices. This comprehensive approach engages manufacturers and workers in the supply chain to bring about better wages and working conditions, and engages brands to commit to fair terms of trade.
This standard applies to operators employing hired workers in the textile supply chain processing Fairtrade certified cotton and/or other responsible fibres. This includes, but is not restricted to, ginners, spinning, weaving, knitting, and cut-make-trim stages of textile production. This standard is applicable in countries and regions where freedom of association is possible. Non-essential elements and accessories are not included in the scope of this standard.
This standard also applies to brand owners purchasing finished textiles. The brand owner must have a contract with the relevant National Fairtrade Organization or Fairtrade International.
The standard is valid from 22 March 2016.