Frequently asked Questions
How can we help?
FAQ Knowledge Base
E-mail Support
Live Chat Support
How do we certify
We are looking deep into the supply chain of products
THE APPLICATION process
We certify brands that strive for minimal environmental impact
Our ECOCHECK audit consists of a three-stage certification process, with the first part being the registration of your company including proof of the location of your business premises, followed by the product-specific questionnaire and finally the product sustainability check.
You will find information needed for the registration and product-specific questionaire here.
As part of the sustainability check, you apply for the ECOCHECK certificates that match the sustainability properties of your products. Below you will find information on the criteria to be met and the documentation required for verification in order to successfully complete the audit.
We are offering a free sustainability check for brands with up to 100 products.
Our CErtificates
ECO FRIENDLY MATERIALS
Our Certificate for Products made from Sustainable Materials
Products that carry the Eco Friendly Materials Certificate are proven to be made from materials that meet our criteria for minimal environmental impact.
The Eco Friendly Materials Certificate counts for all product categories except for food, cosmetics and electronics.
Products may carry this certificate if they meet our requirements in one or more of the following four different categories:
- Ecological Materials
- Recycled Materials
- Innovative Materials
- CO2 Neutrality
Ecological Materials
Description
The product consists of a high proportion of ecological materials that have been cultivated and or produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
Impact
Support of evironmental friendly cultivation & production processes that are helping to protect ecosystems and promote biodiversity.
Basis for Proof
To carry this certificate, brands or their manufacturers must be certified by one or more of our approved sustainability certifiers. ECOCHECK itself does not yet certify Ecological Materials.
Example
- Approved Certifier: The manufacturer of the brand is certifed by “ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD (GOTS)®“.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers:
- COSMEBIO®
- Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica
- BASF e3®
- DOWNPASS®
- Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC)
- Global Organic Textile Standard® Made with Organic (GOTS-Made with Organic)
- Global Organic Textile Standard® Organic (GOTS – Organic)
- Global Organic Textile Standard® Organic In conversion (GOTS-Organic In conversion)
- Global Traceable Down Standard®
- Higg Index Materials
- Organic Content Standard® 100 (OCS-100)
- Organic Content Standard® Blended (OCS-Blended)
- Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification® (PEFC)
- Regenagri®
- Regenerative Organic Certified®
- Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil® (RSPO)
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture® Organic (USDA-Organic)
- PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC))
- Green Button® – Grüner Knopf®
- Green Seal™
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Recycled & Recyclable Materials
Description
The product consists of a high proportion of recycled or recyclable materials.
Impact
Reduction of the demand for raw materials and conservation of natural resources.
Basis for Proof
Products may carry this certificate if they are certified by one or more of our approved sustainability certifiers or meet one or more of our sustainability criteria.
Examples
- Approved Certifier: The brand or manufacturer is certifed by “Global Recycled Standard®”.
- Sustainability Criteria: The material used is 80% recycled wool.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers:
- Global Recycled Standard® (GRS)
- Recycled Claim Standard® 100 (RCS 100)
- Recycled Claim Standard® Blended (RCS Blended)
- Recycled Content Certification® (SCS Global Services)
- Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze
- Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold
- Cradle to Cradle Certified® Platinum
- Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Sustainability Criteria
- The product consists of a high proportion of Circulose®
- The product consists of a high proportion of cycora®
- The product consists of a high proportion of ECONYL®
- The product consists of a high proportion of Infinna ®
- The product consists of a high proportion of NuCycl™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Polylana®
- The product consists of a high proportion of RColorBlend®
- The product consists of a high proportion of RCotton®
- The product consists of a high proportion of REFIBRA™
- The product consists of a high proportion of REPREVE®®
- The product consists of a high proportion of EAQUAL®
- The product consists of a high proportion of Texloop™
Other recycled or recyclable materials: Evidence must be provided that more than 70% recycled or recyclable materials are used.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Innovative Materials or Innovative usage of Materials
Description
The product consists of a high proportion of innovative materials that are used as substitutes for conventional materials and have a better ecological footprint.
Impact
Reduction of the demand for animal and synthetic materials by providing renewable, plant-based alternatives.
Basis for Proof
To carry this certificate, brands or their manufacturers must meet one or more of our sustainability criteria.
Example:
- Sustainability Criteria: The material used for a shoe is produced by Atko Leather Circulose®.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Sustainability Criteria
- The product consists of a high proportion of Agraloop™
- The product consists of a high proportion of AppleSkin™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Hyphalite™
- The product consists of a high proportion of MIRUM®
- The product consists of a high proportion of Mylo™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Oleatex™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Piñatex®
- The product consists of a high proportion of Sorona®
- The product consists of a high proportion of Agraloop™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Birla Excel™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Birla Modal™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Birla Cellulose™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Birla Viscose™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Eastman Naia™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Generic lyocell™
- The product consists of a high proportion of ECOVERO™
- The product consists of a high proportion of LENZING™ECOVERO™
- The product consists of a high proportion of LENZING™ Lyocell ™
- The product consists of a high proportion of LENZING™ Modal™
- The product consists of a high proportion of LENZING™ Viscose™
- The product consists of a high proportion of NATIVA™ wool
- The product consists of a high proportion of Supreme Green Cotton®
- The product consists of a high proportion of Birla Cellulose™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Spinnova® Materials
- The product consists of a high proportion of TENCEL™ Lyocell
- The product consists of a high proportion of TENCEL™ Modal
- The product consists of a high proportion of ZQ Merino Wool™
- The product consists of a high proportion of ZQRX Merino Wool™
- The product consists of a high proportion of Chrome-Free Tanned Leather
- The product consists of a high proportion of Water-Based Polyurethane
Other innovative materials or innovative usage of materials: Evidence must be provided that more than 70% innovative materials are used. These substitutes must have a better ecological footprint than conventional materials.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
CO2 Neutrality
Description
The brand or manufacturer has offset the CO2 emissions caused by the product by e.g. purchasing CO2 certificates.
Impact
Reduction of greenhouse gases to limit global warming to 1.5°C – a target set by the Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Basis for Proof
To carry this certificate, brands or their manufacturers must be certified by one or more of our approved sustainability certifiers. ECOCHECK itself does not yet certify Ecological Materials.
Example
- The manufacturer or the brand is certifed by “Carbonfund®”.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers:
- Carbon Trust®
- Carbon Neutral®
- Climate Partner®
- Carbonfund®
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Sustainability Criteria
Evidence must be provided that more than 70% of CO2 emmissions have been offset.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
ECO FRIENDLY Electronics
Our Certificate for Electronical Products
Products that carry the Eco Friendly Electronics Certificate are made by brands & manufacturers who have proven that they meet our criteria for minimal environmental impact.
When manufacturing products, certified brands and producers pay attention to continuous improvement with regard to energy efficiency.
Products may carry this certificate if they meet our requirements in the following category:
Energy Efficiency
Description
The product functionality corresponds to the latest state of the art and is designed for energy efficiency.
Impact
Conservation of energy resources with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions.
An example of meeting our sustainability criteria for energy efficiency is
- this product is certified by “Energy Label” and has been rated as being in the top tier (class A or B according to a A-G scale)
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers
- Energy Label
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
ECO FRIENDLY INGREDIENTS
Our certificate for Products made from Sustainable Ingredients
Products that carry the Eco Friendly Ingredients Certificate are proven to be made from materials that meet our criteria for minimal environmental impact.
Products may carry this certificate if they meet our requirements in one or more of the following four different categories::
- Ecological Ingredients
- Organic Ingredients
- Innovative Ingredients
- CO2 Neutrality
Ecological Ingredients
Description
The product consists of a high proportion of ecological ingredients.
Impact
Support of evironmental friendly cultivation & production processes that are helping to protect ecosystems and promote biodiversity.
An example of meeting our sustainability criteria for ecological friendly ingredients is
- The brand or manufacturer of the product is certifed by “NaTrue®“.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers
- RSPO – Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil
- NaTrue®
- Look for the Zero®
- Natural Cosmetic Standard®
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Organic Ingredients
Description
The product consists of a high proportion of organic ingredients.
Impact
Promoting soil health and enhancing biodiversity by limiting the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and genetic modifications.
An example of meeting our sustainability criteria for organic ingredients is
- The brand or manufacturer of the product is certifed by “Soil Association®“.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers
- U.S. Department of Agriculture® – USDA “100 percent organic”
- U.S. Department of Agriculture® – USDA “Organic”
- U.S. Department of Agriculture® – USDA “Made with organic ingredients”
- NSF/ANSI 305 Standard
- Cosmos Standard – “Cosmetic products under organic certification”
- EU ORGANIC
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Innovative Ingredients
Description
The product consists of a high proportion of innovative ingredients that are used as substitutes for conventional materials.
Impact
Reduction of the demand for animal and synthetic materials by providing renewable, plant-based alternatives.
An example of meeting our sustainability criteria for innovative ingredients is
- A milk is made from oak milk instead of cow milk.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Sustainability Criteria
In this category, it must be proven that the product consists of a high proportion of innovative ingredients and why these have a better ecological footprint than conventionally used ingredients. Third-party certification is not required.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
CO2 Neutrality
Description
The brand or manufacturer has offset the CO2 emissions caused by the product by e.g. purchasing CO2 certificates.
Impact
Reduction of greenhouse gases to limit global warming to 1.5°C – a target set by the Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
An example of meeting our sustainability criteria for CO2 neutral materials is
- The manufacturer of or the brand using the ingredients is certifed by “Carbonfund®”.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers
- Carbon Trust®
- Carbon Neutral®
- Climate Partner®
- Carbonfund®
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Sustainability Criteria
Evidence must be provided that more than 70% of CO2 emmissions have been offset.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
ECO FRIENDLY PAckaging
Our Certificate for Products with Sustainable Packaging
Products that carry the Eco Friendly Packaging Certificate are proven to be made from materials that meet our criteria for minimal environmental impact.
Products may carry this certificate if they meet our requirements in one or more of the following three different categories:
- Recycled Materials
- Ecologically Sourced Materials
- Reusable Packaging
- CO2 Neutral Packaging
Recycled & Recyclable Packaging
Description
The packaging consists of a high proportion of recycled or recyclable materials.
Impact
Reduction of the demand for raw materials and conservation of natural resources.
Examples of meeting our sustainability criteria for recycled or recyclable materials are
- Approved Certifier:
- The brand or manufacturer is certifed by “Global Recycled Standard®”.
- Sustainability Criteria: The material used is 70% recycled paper.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers
- Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze
- Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold
- Cradle to Cradle Certified® Platinum
- Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver
- Global Recycled Standard® (GRS)
- FSC® MIX
- FSC® Recycled
- FSC® 100%
- NaTrue
- Cosmos Standard
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Sustainability Criteria
- The product consists of a high proportion of recycled PET (R-PET)
- The product consists of a high proportion of recycled glas
- The product consists of a high proportion of UBQ™
- Other Materials: Evidence must be provided that more than 70% recycled or recyclable materials are used.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Ecologically Sourced Materials
Description
The packaging consists of a high proportion of ecologically sourced materials.
Impact
Support of evironmental friendly cultivation & production processes that are helping to protect ecosystems and promote biodiversity.
Examples of meeting our sustainability criteria for recycled or recyclable materials are
- Approved Certifier:
- The brand or manufacturer is certifed byForest Stewardship Council (FSC®)
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers
- Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®)
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Reusable & Refillable Packaging
Description
The packaging has been designed to be reusable and refillable.
Impact
Reduction of waste, resources and energy.
Examples of meeting our sustainability criteria for reusable & refillable packaging are
- Approved Certifier: The manufacturer of the brand is certifed by “Global Recycled Standard®”.
- Sustainability Criteria: A refillable container is used for soap.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Sustainability Criteria
In this category, evidence must be provided that the product can be reused or refilled. Third-party certification or testing is not required.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
CO2 Neutrality
Description
The brand or manufacturer has offset the CO2 emissions caused by the product by e.g. purchasing CO2 certificates.
Impact
Reduction of greenhouse gases to limit global warming to 1.5°C – a target set by the Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
An example of meeting our sustainability criteria for CO2 neutral packaging is
- The manufacturer or the brand is certifed by “Carbonfund®”.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers
- Carbon Trust®
- Carbon Neutral®
- Climate Partner®
- Carbonfund®
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Sustainability Criteria
Evidence must be provided that more than 70% of CO2 emmissions have been offset.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
ECO FRIENDLY Production
Our Certificate for Products from Sustainable Production
Products that carry the Eco Friendly Production Certificate are made by brands and manufacturers who have proven that they meet our criteria for an improved production.
The brands or manufacturer is paying attention to continuous improvement with regard to resources and the environment. This ranges from the safe use of chemicals, waste management to traceability.
To carry this certificate, brands or their manufacturers must be certified by one or more of our approved sustainability certifiers. ECOCHECK itself does not yet certify sustainable production.
Approved Certifiers for Improved Production
Approved Certifiers
- bluesign®
- Rainforest Alliance
- EWG
- Nordic Swan Ecolabel
- Made Safe
- Regenerative Organic
- Soil Association
- NaTrue
- Cosmos Standard
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Social Engagement
Our Certificate for Social Engagement
Products that carry the Social Engagement Certificate are made by brands & manufacturers who have proven that they meet our criteria for social engagement.
Products may carry this certificate if they meet our requirements in one or more of the following two different categories:
- Animal Welfare
- Workforce & Human Rights
Approved Certifiers for Animal Welfare
Description
The brand or manufacturer is committed to the worldwide abolition of animal testing.
Impact
Abolition of animal testing.
To carry this certificate, brands or their manufacturers must be certified by one or more of our approved sustainability certifiers. ECOCHECK itself does not yet certify particular engagement in animal welfare.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers
- Beauty Without Bunnies® (PETA)
- Cruelty Free International®
- Responsible Alpaca Standard® (RAS)
- Responsible Down Standard® (RDS)
- Responsible Mohair Standard® (RMS)
- Responsible Wool Standard® (RWS)
- The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS)
- Leaping Bunny Program® (Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC))
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers for Workforce Rights
Description
The brand or manufacturer is committed to and support human and workforce rights.
Impact
Eliminate child labour, create fair and non-harmful working conditions and promote gender equality.
To carry this certificate, brands or their manufacturers must be certified by one or more of our approved sustainability certifiers. ECOCHECK itself does not yet certify particular engagement in workforce & human welfare.
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
Approved Certifiers
- Fair for Life®
- Rainforest Alliance®
- Fair Wear®
- Fairtrade Cotton®
- The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS)
- Cotton made in Africa®
- Fair Rubber®
- Better Cotton Initiative®
- Fairtrade®
- Fair Trade Foundation®
—————
[maxbutton id=”12″]
[maxbutton id=”13″]
