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Our Certifications
FSC, recycled-content verification, compostability testing and recycling labels answer different questions. Here is what each can prove—and how to read the evidence.
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A recognizable logo is useful only when its scope matches the item and claim. This is a guide to documentation for a Stowliva project, not a list of certifications held by Stowliva.
- FSC, RCS/GRS, compostability and disposal labels have different roles.
- Match evidence to the selected component and order.
- A supplier’s certificate is not automatic logo permission.
On this page
Start with the claim you need to substantiateFSC labels describe eligible forest-based sourcesRCS and GRS follow recycled inputs through a supply chainCompostability certification concerns a defined finished constructionHow2Recycle and NexTrex explain a route, not recycled contentA worked example: a certified carton plus an uncertified pouch01 / 06
Start with the claim you need to substantiate
‘Made with recycled fiber,’ ‘responsibly sourced wood’ and ‘commercially compostable’ are three different statements. The first concerns material history, the second concerns sourcing and traceability, and the third concerns performance under defined treatment conditions. One certificate cannot automatically substantiate all three.
That is why a packaging evidence file begins with a specific statement about a specific component. For a box with a textile pouch and printed card, identify which item the claim covers. Then connect the relevant document to the material grade, production route and order. Stowliva documentation availability is reviewed for the selected product and supplier; do not assume that every described scheme applies to every purchase.
A useful question for a supplier
Instead of ‘Are you certified?’, ask ‘Which current document supports the recycled-fiber claim on this carton grade, and which entity and production stages does it cover?’ The second question can produce an answer tied to the actual purchase.
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FSC labels describe eligible forest-based sources
The three familiar FSC labels are not interchangeable. FSC 100% relates to certified forest sources. FSC Recycled relates to reclaimed inputs. FSC Mix can involve a permitted combination of certified, recycled and controlled sources. A Mix label alone is not an exact recycled-content percentage.
Chain of custody follows eligible material claims through relevant supply stages. It is different from a forest-management certificate and different again from a declaration that a finished box can enter local paper recycling. Trademark and labeling permissions also have their own requirements. A logo on an upstream mill’s website does not automatically authorize a downstream brand’s artwork.
| Label | What it addresses | Do not infer |
|---|---|---|
| FSC 100% | FSC-certified forest sources | 100% recovered fiber |
| FSC Recycled | Reclaimed forest-based inputs under the scheme | A local disposal instruction |
| FSC Mix | A permitted mixture of eligible sources | One fixed PCR percentage |
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RCS and GRS follow recycled inputs through a supply chain
Textile Exchange’s recycled standards address the verification and traceability of recovered materials. A scope certificate describes what an organization is certified to handle. Transaction documentation concerns the flow of certified material in a particular supply relationship. Those roles matter when a brand needs to substantiate an order-level claim.
GRS has additional processing requirements beyond the recovered-content and chain-of-custody focus of RCS. Neither name should be used as shorthand for ‘everything about this product is sustainable.’ The scheme, product coverage, claim rules and current validity must match the item. A certified recycled textile from one supplier does not establish a claim for an unrelated plastic bag.
Scope and shipment answer different questions
An organization’s scope certificate can show that it handles eligible recycled material. The relevant transaction record helps connect that material claim to the goods supplied. A buyer may need both kinds of information.
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Compostability certification concerns a defined finished construction
A compostable resin is not necessarily the same as a certified printed bag. Thickness, blends, ink, adhesive and other additions affect the finished item. Home and commercial composting also use different conditions, so a commercial result should not be presented as permission to put the pack in a garden bin.
Certification is one part of the route. The other is a receiving program that accepts that item. A compost operator can have a narrower acceptance policy than a test scheme, because it must manage its own process, contamination and output quality. Verify both the listed construction and the real destination.
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How2Recycle and NexTrex explain a route, not recycled content
How2Recycle is a labeling system that assesses packaging information and assigns disposal instructions. Its component-specific approach helps a customer distinguish the box from a film, lid or other addition. It should not be described as a certificate that the pack contains recycled material.
NexTrex provides a useful example of a film-collection destination: suitable PE bags and films can become composite decking. That is a material-recovery route, but it is not the same result as converting a bag into another bag. A label’s permissions and the receiving program’s criteria still need to be met; a familiar mark should not be reproduced as decoration.
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A worked example: a certified carton plus an uncertified pouch
Suppose a brand orders a forest-based carton with an eligible FSC claim and packs a cotton pouch inside it. The carton documentation does not automatically cover the pouch, the tissue or the whole delivered parcel. Its artwork should communicate the carton’s approved claim within the applicable rules.
If the brand also wants a recycled-content statement, it needs the relevant material evidence. If it wants a disposal instruction, it needs the recovery assessment. Keeping these claims separate makes the communication more credible: each has a named object, a document and a boundary. Before approving a mark, retain its current permission and approved artwork alongside the order specification.
- 1Name the component
- 2State the intended claim
- 3Match the scheme and scope
- 4Connect documents to the order
- 5Approve the permitted artwork
Official and first-party resources · reviewed October 7, 2026
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