ISO 14001
ISO 14001 is an international standard for environmental management systems that helps organizations manage the environmental impact of their business activities and pursue continuous improvement.
Contents6 sections
Definition and Scope of Certification
ISO 14001 is an international standard that defines systems for environmental policy, goal setting, legal compliance checks, operational control, assessment, and improvement. What is certified is not the fabric or the product itself, but the environmental management system of the organization that carries out raw material procurement, weaving, dyeing, sewing, and other operations.
Whether or not an organization is certified shows that it operates an environmental management system within the scope it has defined. However, that does not necessarily mean that all sites, all processes, or all products of the certified company are automatically covered.
How the Standard Works
Under this standard, organizations are required to identify the environmental aspects associated with their activities, products, and services, and to manage significant impacts. Environmental aspects refer to factors that can affect the environment, such as energy use, water use, wastewater, waste, and chemical management.
It is not a standard that sets uniform emissions, water usage, or recycled content ratios for each product. Therefore, ISO 14001 certification alone cannot be used to determine that a specific fabric has a low environmental impact or that a specific raw material is used.
Points to Check in Fabric Procurement and Product Development
When a supplier claims ISO 14001 certification, check the certified entity, certification body, validity period, certification scope, and covered sites on the certificate. It is important to confirm with the supplier whether the weaving, dyeing, finishing, and other processes for the requested fabric are included in that certification scope.
If there are procurement standards or brand requirements related to environmental consideration, in addition to ISO 14001, confirm documents showing the origin of raw materials, recycled content, chemical management, and process traceability as needed. Organize the certificates by process unit to ensure they match the intended purpose.
- Does the name on the certificate match the actual production site?
- Does the certification scope include the fabric-related processes?
- Can the validity period and issue date of the certificate be confirmed?
- Is another certificate required for the product or raw materials?
Use of Labels and Certificates
Because ISO 14001 is certification of an organization’s management system, care is needed with wording that could be understood as meaning the product itself is certified, such as "This fabric is an ISO 14001 certified product." When making such claims, make clear the certified organization and the covered site or process, and phrase the statement in line with the scope on the certificate.
There may be usage conditions for logos or certification-related wording set by the certification body or business partner. Before including them on hang tags, product pages, or exhibition materials, confirm the details on the certificate, contract terms, and whether label approval is required.
Differences from Similar Terms
Oeko-Tex mainly sets standards related to hazardous substances in textile products, GOTS covers standards for organic textile products, and GRS addresses requirements for recycled materials and processing steps. These may include conditions related to products and the supply chain, whereas ISO 14001 covers an organization’s environmental management system.
bluesign and ZDHC are frameworks related to chemical management and process control in textiles and apparel. They may be used together with ISO 14001, but the content that can be verified, the scope covered, and the unit of certification are not the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can fabric certified to ISO 14001 be labeled as environmentally friendly?
ISO 14001 does not apply to the fabric itself, but to the environmental management system of the organization within the certified scope. Avoid labeling fabric as having a low environmental impact based only on the certification, and limit the statement to verifiable facts, such as that it was produced at a certified factory.
What should be checked after receiving an ISO 14001 certificate from a supplier?
Check the name on the certificate, certification scope, covered location, and validity period. It is also important to confirm whether the weaving, dyeing, and finishing sites responsible for producing the fabric are within scope. A trading company’s or seller’s certificate alone may not show the operating status of the actual production factory.
Can ISO 14001 and GRS be used interchangeably?
No. ISO 14001 is a standard for an organization’s environmental management system, while GRS is a separate standard that covers recycled material content and chain of custody, among other things. If evidence of recycled material use is required, confirm a certificate that applies to the target product separately from ISO 14001.
