Fashion and Textiles
Fashion and Textiles Certification
Made with verified raw materials and maintaining traceability through production. Limiting hazardous substances and managing water, energy, emissions and waste.
Product and manufacturing certification for specified fibres, fabrics, textile products and production activities assessed against requirements for material origin, processing, resource use, traceability and working conditions.
About the certification
Friend of the Earth Fashion and Textiles Certification assesses the products, production sites and activities included in an agreed audit scope. The assessment examines documented evidence relating to raw-material origin, manufacturing processes, chemicals, water, emissions, waste, energy, traceability and social accountability.
This is product and manufacturing certification. It does not automatically cover every item sold by a brand, every supplier in its chain or activities outside the approved scope. Any certification claim must identify the products and operations covered by the valid certificate.
What can be certified
A clearly defined scope may include textile fibres, fabrics, finished textile or fashion products and the sites and activities involved in their production. Activities recorded in the checklist can include pre-processing, final processing, importing, exporting and distribution. The application must identify the manufacturing sites, products, materials, techniques, warehouses and associated brands that are to be assessed.
What the standard covers
Products made entirely from upcycled or recycled materials follow the exemption route described in the checklist. For other products, plant-origin materials must follow the applicable Friend of the Earth Agriculture requirements and animal-origin materials the applicable Livestock requirements. Synthetic fibres must be completely recycled and meet the stated substance condition; artificial fibres such as viscose must follow the chemical restrictions in the checklist. The organisation must document material origin and composition, trace the finished product back to its raw materials and separate the relevant production streams. A recycled-fibre share of at least 50% is a recommendation, not a compulsory threshold.
Maintain documented policies, procedures, responsibilities, records, staff training, emergency arrangements and equipment-maintenance controls for the audited activities. Relevant management-system documents must be retained for at least three years. The production processes must also comply with the applicable environmental laws and permits. A life-cycle assessment is a recommendation.
The checklist restricts substances carrying the listed environmental hazard classifications during textile-fibre transformation and addresses heavy metals. Chemicals and other hazardous substances must be purchased, stored, transported, used and disposed of in accordance with applicable law and handled to control risks to workers and the surrounding environment.
Bleaching processes must control oxidising or reducing agents and their by-products and use the specified low-temperature techniques, catalysts and stabilisers. Dyeing requirements address dye selection and prohibit dispersed dyes. Finishing processes must use the applicable techniques to manage water, energy and substance risks. Avoiding dye residues in wastewater and introducing fully biodegradable colourants are recommendations in the current checklist.
Analyse incoming and outgoing production water at least annually, identify its source and hold the required concessions or permits. Industrial wastewater must be tested before discharge and meet legal requirements. Where no legal discharge limits apply, the parameters in the checklist annex provide the applicable fallback values.
Identify production sources of greenhouse-gas emissions, dust and particulate matter, and establish reduction objectives and strategies. The checklist also prohibits the use of products or substances that contribute to ozone-layer depletion.
Prevent the dispersal or runoff of organic and inorganic waste, separate suitable materials and document reuse, recycling and disposal. Where specialist waste companies are used, keep supporting evidence. The organisation must also implement a strategy to reduce finished-product packaging, considering production, distribution and disposal.
Calculate manufacturing energy use annually, including purchased energy, internally generated renewable energy, transport and plant fuels, and the other energy categories specified in the checklist. Establish energy-efficiency objectives, measurement methods and implementation strategies, and document the commitment to obtaining operational energy from renewable systems.
Meet the checklist requirements relating to child labour, minimum legal wages, access to healthcare, legally required safety measures, training for workers handling hazardous substances and the correct provision and use of personal protective equipment. SA8000 certification is a recommendation rather than a compulsory condition.
Assessment and certification
A qualified independent auditor appointed by the certification body examines the agreed sites, activities and evidence. The certification body reviews the audit findings and any required corrective actions before making the certification decision. The approved certificate identifies the scope that may be presented as certified.
How certification works
Step 1 — Submit the application: Identify the organisation, sites, fibres, fabrics, finished products, production activities, warehouses and associated brands proposed for assessment.
Step 2 — Confirm scope and costs: Agree the applicable products and activities, evidence requirements, audit arrangements and quotation before proceeding.
Step 3 — Complete the assessment: Provide the required records and access to the sites and activities included in the agreed scope.
Step 4 — Address findings: Respond to non-conformities and submit the corrective actions, plans and evidence required for the relevant classification.
Step 5 — Receive the decision: The certification body reviews the assessment evidence and determines whether the agreed scope can be approved.
Step 6 — Maintain certification: Keep records current, complete required follow-up assessments and report changes that may affect the approved products, materials, processes or sites.
Certification costs
Audit costs and any applicable annual fee or royalty for use of the Friend of the Earth logo are calculated separately. Request a written quotation for the proposed products, production sites and supply-chain scope, and confirm the applicable charges before proceeding.
Downloads
Provide direct links to the current Fashion and Textiles checklist, the Preliminary Information Form and the Friend of the Earth logo-use rules. Each download should display its title, language, version or revision date and file format.
Verify certification status
Check the certificate holder, products, sites, approved scope and current status in the certification register. Contact Friend of the Earth if the public record does not make the product scope or status clear.
Frequently asked questions
No. Certification applies only to the products, sites and activities identified in the approved scope. Other collections, suppliers or production activities are not automatically covered.
One certification scope may include multiple named fibres, fabrics, garments or finished textile products. The application must identify the products and the associated materials, production activities and sites. The certification body confirms the final approved scope after assessment.
Potentially. Each production site and its relevant activities must be declared and included in the assessment arrangements. The certification body will confirm which sites and products can be included in the approved scope.
Potentially. Plant-origin, animal-origin, artificial and synthetic fibres follow different requirements. The proposed fibre composition and supporting evidence must be declared so the certification team can confirm the applicable route.
Yes. The checklist includes requirements for bleaching agents and techniques, dyes, dye residues, finishing methods and the management of substances used during processing.
No. Supplier or material evidence supports the assessment, but the finished product and the relevant manufacturing activities must be included in the approved Friend of the Earth scope before the product can be presented as certified.
No. Certification approval and the applicable logo-use agreement must be in force before the logo is used. Any claim must accurately identify the products covered by the approved scope.
Use the application link below and describe the products, fibre composition, manufacturing techniques, sites, warehouses and associated brands. The team will confirm the required evidence, assessment route and quotation.
Apply for Fashion and Textiles Certification
Submit the organisation name, proposed products, fibres and other materials, production sites, manufacturing activities, warehouses and associated brands. Include available evidence relating to material origin and composition, traceability, chemicals, water, emissions, waste, energy management and working conditions.
