Sustainable Packaging Certifications Explained: FSC, PEFC, SFI and Compostable Labels
What FSC, PEFC, SFI, OK Compost, and BPI certifications mean for your packaging — how to verify them and what to put on your label.
Sustainability claims on packaging should be supported by the correct certificate holder, product scope and order documents. BestPackFactory has not yet supplied documentary evidence linking FSC record SGSHK-COC-332603 to its licensed factory entity. That number is therefore relationship-pending, not a current factory-held credential, and cannot support an FSC claim until the link is documented.
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)
FSC has FSC 100%, FSC Mix and FSC Recycled claims, each subject to the certificate holder's eligible inputs and chain-of-custody controls. Search the supplier name, certificate code and licence at search.fsc.org, then match the public holder to the contracting entity. For BestPackFactory, record SGSHK-COC-332603 remains relationship-pending until documentary linkage to Shenzhen Color Printing Paper Packaging Co., Ltd. is supplied. See the trust profile.
PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)
Similar to FSC but recognised more in European markets. PEFC and FSC are separate schemes with different auditing bodies. Most major retailers accept both. Some EU tenders specify FSC only.
SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative)
North American standard managed by an independent non-profit. Recognised by major US retailers including Walmart and Target. Less recognised in Europe than FSC/PEFC.
Compostable Certifications
- OK Compost Industrial (TÜV Austria): Certifies the packaging will compost in industrial composting conditions (55–60°C). Required for EU home compostable claim.
- OK Compost Home: Compostable at ambient temperature in a home compost bin. Stricter standard than industrial.
- BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute): North American industrial compostable standard. Accepted by many US compost facilities.
Recyclable Claim vs Recycled Content
These are different claims and must not be conflated. "Recyclable" means the packaging can be recycled by the consumer (depends on local infrastructure). "Recycled content" means the packaging contains post-consumer or post-industrial recycled fibre. Both claims require substantiation in the EU under the Green Claims Directive (2024).
How to Display Certifications
FSC: use only artwork supplied through an eligible certificate holder and confirm who controls the trademark approval. BestPackFactory must not promise FSC-labelled packaging under SGSHK-COC-332603 unless the holder-to-factory relationship, applicable product scope and order-specific claim are documented first.
GRS — Global Recycled Standard
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international third-party certification that verifies the recycled content in a finished product and controls chain of custody from raw material through to the end product. GRS is issued by Textile Exchange and is increasingly required by major North American and European retailers — Walmart, Target and H&M all mandate GRS certification for recycled-content packaging on their supplier programmes.
For packaging buyers, GRS matters when you need to substantiate a "made from X% recycled materials" claim on pack. Without GRS or an equivalent accredited certification, the recycled-content claim is unverifiable and may expose your brand to greenwashing challenges in regulated markets such as the EU (Green Claims Directive) and California (SB 343). To specify GRS-certified packaging in an RFQ, state the required minimum post-consumer recycled (PCR) content percentage and whether substrate and print ink must both be certified.
How2Recycle — Consumer Recycling Label
How2Recycle is a US-based standardised labelling programme administered by The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC). It tells consumers exactly how to recycle each component of a package — which is different from claiming a material is technically recyclable. The label system categorises recyclability as: Widely Recyclable, Check Locally, Store Drop-Off, and Not Yet Recyclable, based on real curbside collection data across North American municipalities.
How2Recycle is mandatory or strongly preferred by more than 200 major North American retailers and brand owners, including Walmart, Target, Amazon, Whole Foods and Costco. If your product is sold through these channels, the How2Recycle label is a practical sourcing requirement, not a voluntary signal. BestPackFactory can produce packaging pre-certified with How2Recycle labels once the brand has completed the SPC membership and material assessment process (typically 2-4 months). Buyers should factor this timeline into new product launch planning.
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