Bronze
Every material identified by type, and at least 75% assessed. Nothing restricted by leading chemical regulations, and no PFAS or other organohalogens of concern above set thresholds. A product can stay at Bronze for six years at most.
What Is Cradle to Cradle Certified?
Cradle to Cradle Certified is a product certification from the nonprofit Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. It rates a product Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum in five categories: Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air & Climate Protection, Water & Soil Stewardship and Social Fairness. The overall level is the lowest of the five.
What C2C checks
- Material Health: the chemicals and materials in the product, chosen and assessed to protect human and environmental health
- Limits on PFAS and other organohalogens from Bronze up, including fluorinated and organophosphate flame retardants
- Product Circularity: whether the product is designed for its next use and actually cycled
- Clean Air & Climate Protection: air quality, renewable energy and greenhouse gases
- Water & Soil Stewardship: protection of watersheds and soil
- Social Fairness: a human rights policy and fair business practices
- A site visit to the final manufacturing facility, at every level
What C2C doesn’t cover
- The company as a whole. C2C certifies products, materials and sub-assemblies.
- Every material, below Gold. Bronze needs at least 75% of the product assessed and Silver at least 95%.
- A full phase-out of hazardous chemicals at Bronze and Silver. No chemicals with hazardous effects above set limits is a Gold requirement.
- A lab test of the finished product. Material Health assesses the hazards and likely exposure of materials, with emission tests only for some product types.
- The word non-toxic. C2CPII doesn't use it in its standards.
The four C2C levels
Each of the five categories gets its own level, and the product's overall level matches its lowest one. These are the Material Health rules under Version 5.0, which took effect March 16, 2026.
Silver
At least 95% assessed. No materials over 1% organohalogens by weight, no listed PBTs or vPvBs, and no classified carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxicants above limits unless exposure is unlikely or negligible.
Gold
100% of the materials under review assessed, with no gaps in the data. No chemicals with hazardous effects on human or environmental health above set limits, unless exposure is unlikely or negligible.
Platinum
More than 25% of the product rated in the top two assessment classes, A or B. Version 5.0 lowered this from more than 50%.
Children's products start at Silver
Products for children under 18, including apparel marketed to teens, can't be certified at Bronze in Material Health.
How to check a C2C certificate
C2CPII keeps a public registry of certified products.
- Search the registry. Look up the brand or product name in the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Registry.
- Read the listing. A listing shows the certification type and level, the version of the standard, the certificate number, the date it's valid until and how many products it covers.
- Check the type. C2CPII issues three certifications from the standard. Full Scope covers all five categories. Material Health and Circularity are separate certifications.
C2C questions
What does Cradle to Cradle Certified mean?
A product was assessed against the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard and reached at least Bronze in all five categories. Its overall level is its lowest category level, so Gold overall means Gold or better in all five.
Does Cradle to Cradle mean non-toxic?
The standard doesn't make that claim. Bronze requires regulatory compliance and limits on PFAS and other organohalogens. Gold is the level that requires every material under review to be assessed, with no chemicals with hazardous effects above set limits.
Does Cradle to Cradle allow PFAS?
Version 5.0 sets limits on PFAS and other organohalogens of concern from Bronze up. Under Version 4.1, PFAS-based materials weren't permitted, and textile surface coatings couldn't use the small-material exemption.
What changed in Version 5.0?
Version 5.0 came out February 10, 2026, and took effect March 16, 2026. It lowered the Platinum Material Health threshold, combined improvement plans into one plan toward the next level, and removed the formal human rights risk assessment from Social Fairness.
How long does Cradle to Cradle certification last?
Three years per product certification, renewed before it expires. A product can hold Bronze for six years at most before it has to reach Silver or be delisted, with limited exceptions.
Is Cradle to Cradle a company certification?
No. It applies to products, materials and sub-assemblies that can be bought individually from the company applying.