Label Lookup: Clothing

Check out the list of claims below or in our iPhone app, available here. Learn what they mean, if there are standards behind them, and if and how they are verified.

or four leaves is the highest rating;
or zero leaves is the lowest and means the label has no meaning and is not reliable.

• CarbonFree Certified (more info) ↓

  

  Rating explained: Claim addresses single issue, and is third-party verified as meeting science-based standards that are were developed with broad public input.

  Description: Claim signifies that, through carbon reductions and offsets, product has no net harm on the climate.

  Certified products: Find carbon Fund certified product

  Issues addressed by this claim: Carbon / GHG emissions, carbon / GHG offsets, energy use / efficiency

  Verification process: Conformity with CarbonFree Certified's standard is verified by an independent, third-party organization.

  Standards development process: The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management created the first version of the CarbonFree Product Certification Carbon Footprint Protocol in conjunction with the Carbonfund.org Foundation. The protocol is reviewed and revised annually by the Carbonfund.org Technical Advisory Group and Carbonfund.org staff. It also goes through an annual 30-day public comment period.

  Claims seen on these product types:

  Retail goods, textiles, food, electronics, building products, carbon offsets, cleaning, cosmetics / personal care, forest products / paper, household appliances, machinery and equipment

  Managing organization: Carbon Fund

  Learn more: Carbon Fund, EcoLabel Index

• Certified Humane (more info) ↓

  

  Rating explained: Claim is third-party verified and meets detailed and rigorous standards, but standard-setting process was not open or consensus based.

  Description: Sets high standards for health, shelter, and handling from birth through slaughter; prohibits growth hormones; allows antibiotics only for sick animals; and mandates compliance with environmental standards.

  Certified products: Find Certified Humane products.

  Issues addressed by this claim: Animal welfare, antibiotics, food safety

  Verification process: Annual producer inspections are by an independent nonprofit.

  Standards development process: Standard-setting process did not include broad stakeholder input.; standards set by the staff, board of directors, and Scientific Committee of Humane Farm Animal Care.

  Claims seen on these product types: Dairy, meat, poultry, beef, textiles

  Managing organization: Humane Farm Animal Care

  Learn more: Humane Farm Animal Care, Ecolabel Index, Greener Choices

• Certified Vegan (more info) ↓

  Rating explained: This single-issue claim was developed via a process that is not open or consensus based, and its third-party verification is uncertain.

  Description: There is no federal regulation of the words vegetarian or vegan in the U.S. Manufacturers say the claim indicates that products contain no animal ingredients or by-products, use no animal ingredients or by-products in manufacture and are not tested on animals at any point in the product's development.

  Certified products: Find Certified Vegan products.

  Issues addressed by this claim: Animal rights / welfare, human rights, human health

  Verification process: May be first-party declared or third-party certified

  Standards development process: Standard-setting process did not include broad stakeholder input.

  Claims seen on these product types: Processed food, beverages, chocolate, wine, clothing, cleaning products, personal care

  Managing organization: Vegan Action: Certified Vegan

  Learn more: Vegan Action: Certified Vegan, Ecolabel Index

• Cradle to Cradle (more info) ↓

  

  Rating explained: Claim is a mix of third-party certification and second-party verification, addresses multiple issues, and meets rigorous standards, but standards were developed without broad public participation.

  Description: Cradle to Cradle certification requires manufacturer's achievement in multiple areas. Manufacturers must use materials that are safe for human health and the environment across their life cycles; design products and systems for material reutilization, such as recycling or composting; use renewable energy; make efficient use of water; use water of maximum quality for production; and develop company strategies for social responsibility.

  Certified products: Cradle to Cradle certified products

  Issues addressed by this claim: Safety of materials, material re-utilization, renewable energy use, water stewardship, social responsibility

  Verification process: Claim is second-party verified but requires certification by the Forest Stewardship Council or a third-party certifier, or adherence to U.S. Department of Agriculture standards.

  Standards development process: Standards were developed without broad stakeholder participation.

  Claims seen on these product types: Building products cleaning, cosmetics / personal care, forest products / paper, household appliances, machinery and equipment, textiles, transportation, electronics, food

  Managing organization:

  Learn more: Cradle to Cradle

• Fair Labor Practices and Community Benefits (more info) ↓

  

  Rating explained:Claim is second party verified as meeting detailed and rigorous standards that address multiple issues. Standard setting process was open and included broad stakeholder participation.

  Description: Claims to ensure equitable hiring and employment practices; safe working conditions; access to health, education, and transportation services; support of local and regional communities; and appreciation of cultural and environmental impacts.

  Certified products: Find Fair Labor Practices certified product

  Issues addressed by this claim: Community services (health care, schools etc.), diversity, gender, housing / living conditions, human rights, labor relations / human resource policies, philanthropy, training and education, work safety, worker health conditions, chemicals, water quality

  Verification process: Conformity with Fair Labor Practices and Community Benefits' standard is second-party verified by SCS following ISO Guide 65 Product Certification

  Standards development process: Standard-setting process included broad stakeholder input, set in accordance with the ISO Guide 65 Product Certification protocols.

  Claims seen on these product types: Textiles, food

  Managing organization: Scientific Certification Systems (SCS)

  Learn more: Find Fair Labor Practices certified product, Ecolabel Index

• Fair Trade Certified (more info) ↓

  

  Rating explained: Claim is third-party verified, addresses multiple issues, and meets rigorous standards that were developed via open or consensus-based process.

  Description: Members commit to biodiversity-enhancing practices, ensuring children's rights, supporting safe working conditions and other fair-trade measures, and documenting fair-trade labor policies.

  Certified products: Find Fair Trade certified products

  Issues addressed by this claim: Workers' rights, pesticides/herbicides

  Verification process: Initial on-site inspection under the "group certification" model. This includes the audit of the producer organization itself as well as random checks of a representative sample of individual farmers.

  Standards development process: Standard-setting process included broad stakeholder input, set in accordance with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice on Standard Setting.

  Claims seen on these product types: Coffee, tea, wine, chocolate, cocoa, fruit, sugar, rice, textiles

  Managing organization: Transfair USA

  Learn more: Transfair USA

• Fair Trade Federation (more info) ↓

  

  Rating explained: Claim is not third-party verified but members are screened by the Fair Trade Federation's screening coordinator upon joining and standards are clear, detailed and meaningful.

  Description: This label is displayed on retail web site and in stores rather than upon products and indicates membership in the Fair Trade Federation. Members commit to biodiversity-enhancing practices, ensuring children's rights, and supporting safe working conditions and other fair trade measures; requires documentation of fair-trade labor policies.

  Certified products: Find Fair Trade Federation products.

  Issues addressed by this claim: children's rights, worker's rights, fair wages, slave labor, economic transparency

  Verification process: Members are screened by the Fair Trade Federation's screening coordinator upon joining.

  Standards development process: Not open and consensus based

  Claims seen on these product types: coffee, chocolate, tea, sugar, olive oil, clothing

  Managing organization: Fair Trade Federation

  Learn more: Label Lookup online, Fair Trade Federation

• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) (more info) ↓

  

  Rating explained: Claim is third-party verified, addresses multiple issues, and meets rigorous standards throughout the supply chain that were developed with broad stakeholder participation.

  Description: This label ensures organic status of textiles through entire supply chain, from harvesting raw materials through socially and environmentally responsible manufacturing, all the way to labeling.

  Certified products: Global Organic Textile Standard

  Issues addressed by this claim: Whether product meets organic materials and production standards throughout supply chain.

  Verification process: Processors, manufacturers, and traders are third party verified to have met rigorous standards by certifiers who are internationally accredited according to ISO 65 and must hold a ÔGOTS accreditationÕ. GOTS relies on a dual system to check compliance with the relevant criteria consisting of on-site auditing and residue testing.

  Standards development process: Only textile products that contain a minimum of 70% organic fibers can certified according to GOTS. All chemical inputsÑdyestuffs and auxiliariesÑmust meet certain environmental and toxicological criteria, and also the choice of accessories is also limited under ecological aspects. A functional wastewater treatment plant is mandatory for any wet-processing unit involved, and all processors must comply with social minimum criteria meaning of last term is unclear. GOTS standards were developed with broad stakeholder participation.

  Claims seen on these product types: Textiles, clothing

  Managing organization: Global Organic Textile Standard

  Learn more: Global Organic Textile Standard

• Natural Dyes or Fibers (more info) ↓

  Rating explained: Claim is not meaningful without GOTS certification.

  Description: The term on its own is not defined or verified and is not meaningful without GOTS certification.

  Certified products: None

  Issues addressed by this claim: Whether dyes or fibers are plant based.

  Verification process: There is no independent organization verifying this claim alone. GOTS is the only verifier.

  Standards development process: No standards were developed for this claim alone.

  Claims seen on these product types: Textiles

  Managing organization: None

  Learn more: Global Organic Textile Standard

• Puregrow Wool (more info) ↓

  Rating explained: Claim is detailed, meaningful and clear though not verified.

  Description: An effort by Sonoma County organic farmers that eliminates pesticides and ensures that sheep graze on pasture and are raised according to organic standards.

  Certified products: Find Pure Grow Wool products

  Issues addressed by this claim: Whether woolen products are scrupulously cleaned and created without bleaches, formaldehydes, dyes, or animal cruelty

  Verification process: There is no independent organization verifying this claim.

  Standards development process: Stringent standards were developed by farmers without broad public participation.

  Claims seen on these product types: Wool

  Managing organization: Pure Grow Wool

  Learn more: Pure Grow Wool

• USDA Certified Organic (more info) ↓

  

  Rating explained: The claim is third party verified as meeting organic standards for the fiber used to make the product, but not for the product's processing and manufacturing. Though the standards were developed with broad public participation, unlike food, textiles aren't vigorously regulated.

  Description: For crops such as cotton and hemp, organic standards prohibits the use of genetically modified seed, or synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Organic wool producers cannot use no chemical pesticides on their sheep, and must follow the same standards set for USDA organic meat, dairy, and other animal-fiber products. Organic livestock farms can also carry only to capacity to preventing land degradation by overgrazing. The claim, however, refers to the production of the fiber and not the end product, meaning no USDA standards apply to processing and manufacturing the fiber into garments.

  Certified products:

  Issues addressed by this claim: Biodiversity, GMOs, pesticides / herbicides / fungicides, soil, toxics

  Verification process: Third-party organization conducts ongoing field-site audits and chain-of-custody data is required.

  Standards development process: Raw organic cotton fibers and other raw organic textile fibers are eligible for organic certification by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). The USDA certifies agricultural products to carry the USDA Organic Seal, through NOP regulation, 7 CFR Part 205.

  Claims seen on these product types: Meat, poultry, berries, cheese, dairy, eggs, vegetables, fruit, wine, beer, coffee, chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, juice, soy milk, sugar, olive oil, milk, cocoa, cereal, beverages, baby food, personal care, clothing, moisturizer, shampoo, face powder, lotions, deodorant, eye makeup, lipstick

  Managing organization: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, National Organic Program

  Learn more: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, National Organic Program