RCS 100
95% to 100% recycled content.
RCS
What Does RCS Certified Mean?
RCS certified means a product contains at least 5% recycled material, and every company that handled it, from the recycler to the brand, was audited to track it. The Recycled Claim Standard checks the recycled claim and nothing else. It sets no social or environmental rules for processing.
What RCS checks
- Recycled content of at least 5%, using the ISO 14021 definition of pre-consumer and post-consumer material
- Every stage from the recycler to the last business-to-business seller, each with its own certificate
- Shipment-by-shipment tracking with transaction certificates
- Where the waste came from, documented on a reclaimed material declaration form (required from December 31, 2026)
What RCS doesn’t cover
- Social and environmental conditions in processing and manufacturing. Textile Exchange says so in the standard itself.
- Chemical residue in the finished product
- Quality and legal compliance
- Whether recycled polyester or nylon is a better choice to wear than virgin. RCS only confirms the source.
The two RCS labels
The label tells you how much of the product, or the labeled part, is recycled content by weight.
RCS Blended
5% to 95% recycled content. The label has to state the percentage.
Being phased out
Textile Exchange is folding RCS into its new Materials Matter Standard. Audits to the new standard can start December 31, 2026, it's mandatory December 31, 2027, and remaining RCS certificates end by March 31, 2029.
How to check a RCS certificate
An RCS claim has to show the RCS logo, the brand's license number or TE-ID, and the name of its certification body.
- Find the number. It sits next to the logo with the certifier's name, like ABC Cert 12345678, or as a TE-ID such as TE-00000000.
- Search it. Enter the number or company name in Textile Exchange's Find a Certified Company tool and filter by RCS.
- Check the status. A valid scope certificate means the company is certified today. The tool lists companies, not individual products.
RCS questions
What's the difference between RCS and GRS?
Both verify recycled content and track it through the supply chain. GRS adds social, environmental and chemical requirements and needs at least 50% recycled content for a consumer label. RCS starts at 5% and checks the recycled claim only.
Does RCS mean non-toxic?
No. RCS doesn't test the finished product for harmful substances. For that, look for a residue test like OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 alongside it.
Is RCS going away?
Yes, gradually. Textile Exchange is replacing it with the Materials Matter Standard. RCS audits stop after December 31, 2027, and the last RCS certificates end by March 31, 2029, so you'll still see the logo on shelves for a while.