What FSC means when it appears on clothing
Short answer: FSC means the raw material for a fabric can be traced back to forestry that meets certain requirements for management and replanting. For textiles that means the plant mass the fibre is made from can be followed back to an approved source, not that the finished fabric has been tested for chemicals.
Traceability is the core of the label
FSC follows the material through the whole chain from forest to finished item, so the origin of the raw material can be documented. Every link in the chain has to be certified itself, otherwise traceability breaks and the item can no longer carry the FSC label.
It is about forest management
The certification sets requirements for how the forest or plantation is managed, including replanting, protection of natural areas and rights for people working there. It is the management of the raw material source that gets assessed, not the fabric making itself.
It covers the raw material, not the finished fabric
The label says something about the source of the plant mass the fibre is made from. Which chemicals are used in the actual textile making sits outside FSC and is covered instead by other standards aimed at the finished product.
Why it matters for viscose
Viscose is made from plant mass, so the source of that mass is a separate question, independent of how the fibre is processed afterwards. See bamboo clothing for women for items where the material and its origin appear right on the page.
Not all viscose is FSC labelled
Even though the plant mass can in principle be traced, not every producer chooses to certify the whole chain. Without certification at every link a fabric cannot carry the label, even if the plant mass originally came from a responsible source.
The difference from OEKO TEX
Where FSC is about the source of the raw material, OEKO TEX is about chemicals in the finished fabric. See OEKO TEX certified products to read about the part of the picture that FSC does not cover.
How to recognise the label
An FSC label on an item means the whole chain behind the raw material is documented and certified. If the label is missing, it may simply mean the item is not certified, not necessarily that the raw material is questionable.
Our range
In our range you can see material mix and any certification directly on each item. That makes it possible to compare across brands and find the items where the source of the raw material is documented. See FSC certified products for an overview of every FSC labelled item in the range, across categories and prices.
Frequently asked questions
What does FSC mean on a garment?
That the raw material can be traced to forestry meeting requirements for management, replanting and protection of natural areas, documented through the whole chain from forest to finished item.
Are FSC and OEKO TEX the same thing?
No. FSC concerns the source of the raw material and forest management, while OEKO TEX concerns harmful substances in the finished product. The two labels answer different questions.
Can viscose be FSC labelled?
Yes, because viscose is made from plant mass, and that mass can come from a certified source where the whole chain from forest to fibre is documented and traceable.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
