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Press releases, materials for the press and information

You can download the latest press releases and notifications of upcoming events, as well as a photo library and a wide range of background information here. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Green Button Roundtable in Bonn

Companies-only Roundtable jointly with the Helpdesk for Business and Human Rights. See the invitation for details here.

Green Button joins the Social & Labor Convergence Program

As of February 2026, the Green Button is a signatory to the Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP). This step strengthens our commitment to credible, comparable social data and to driving real improvements for workers in global supply chains. With this step Green Button joins several other standards like Fair Wear, Oeko-Tex, Cradle to Cradle and Textile Exchange in supporting and shaping SLCP’s aims.

About the Green Button: The Green Button is the German government-run certification label for sustainably produced textiles. What sets it apart: it is the first label for human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) processes. It systematically evaluates whether companies assume responsibility for respecting human rights and environmental standards across their supply chains.

About SLCP: The Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative dedicated to improving working conditions in global supply chains. Instead of duplicative, resource-intensive social audits, SLCP offers the Converged Assessment Framework (CAF) - a universal social assessment tool that delivers credible, actionable factory-level data. This enables stakeholders to move from repetitive assessments toward implementing real improvements for workers.

What Green Button’s signatory status means for Green Button companies:

Better data for due diligence: SLCP data provides practical insights from factories that companies can use for Green Button risk assessments (Core Element 2) and for planning and tracking measures (Core Element 3).

Reduced audit fatigue: SLCP provides a comprehensive data set, reducing the need for multiple duplicative social audits at production facilities.

Clarification on recognition: SLCP is not an on-product certification label and therefore is not a recognized label under the Green Button’s current meta-label approach. For information on labels recognized under Green Button 2.0 (read more here).

Looking ahead: As part of the ongoing revision, the Green Button 3.0 intends to discontinue the meta-label approach and focus even more strongly on company due diligence processes (read why here). In that future setup, the role of robust social and labor assessments at factory level such as SLCP as information sources within the HREDD process will likely gain further importance. Green Button becoming an SLCP signatory is an important step in this direction.

Next steps: SLCP will present itself in a Webinar to Green Button Companies. Further guidance for Green Button companies on leveraging SLCP data in HREDD processes will follow soon in the Green Button Guide for Implementation.

Important change as part of the revision of the Green Button Standard – Focus on corporate due diligence obligations

The Green Button is currently being revised. As part of this process, it has been decided that Green Button 3.0 will focus in the future on corporate due diligence obligations. The former second pillar – the meta-label approach – will no longer be continued. This change will only take effect with the introduction of the new standard, expected from spring 2027. Until then, Green Button 2.0 will remain valid, meaning there will be no short-term changes.

Why this change is necessary

New legal regulations such as the Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo) and its German implementation in the Act against Unfair Competition (UWG) require the discontinuation of the meta-label approach. The UWG sets high requirements for the quality and credibility of certification labels.

Under the previous meta-label approach of the Green Button, third-party certification labels were accepted as recognition for production processes. However, the Green Button is not able to verify or ensure the compliance of these third-party certification labels with the requirements of the UWG. Companies themselves are responsible for assessing whether third-party certification labels comply with the UWG. In order to avoid legal risks and to ensure the legal compliance of the Green Button, the meta-label approach will therefore not be continued in the Standard 3.0. The Green Button will instead be designed to function independently of other certification labels.

The requirements of the planned Green Claims Directive, which aims to prevent greenwashing, are also not compatible with the current meta-label approach. Even though it is currently unclear when the Green Claims Directive will be introduced due to the suspension of negotiations, the Green Button is already intended to address the upcoming requirements.

Future role of certification labels in Green Button 3.0

Corporate due diligence processes have always been and remain at the core of the Green Button. The Green Button was the first textile certification label to introduce these processes and to demonstrate in practice that they are feasible and auditable. The discontinuation of the meta-label approach reinforces this key pillar and reduces complexity. At the same time, the Green Button remains an on-product label, as this is an essential feature to continue providing guidance to consumers.

Going on, certification labels will continue to play an important role in promoting sustainability in supply chains, even without the meta-label approach. They remain an important building block for corporate due diligence processes, as audit reports continue to provide valuable information for risk management. Without a meta-label approach, however, companies can select certification labels and robust audits in line with their risk profile and other criteria, allowing for more efficient use of resources and potentially also cost savings.

Accordingly, the consultation on the Green Button Standard 3.0 in spring and summer 2026 will focus on requirements for corporate due diligence processes.

We look forward to your feedback and to your continued engagement in the Green Button community!

Transition period revoked: Fibre and material requirements for Green Button Products remain voluntary

As a government-run certification label, our aim is to take up current regulatory developments, embed the Green Button in this new environment in a meaningful way and thus make it fit for the future. The requirements for fibre and material use in Green Button products will therefore remain voluntary. The reason for this is the continuing lack of clarity with regard to various EU regulations, such as the EU Ecodesign Regulation, whose specific effects on the requirements for the fibre and material composition of products on the European market are not yet fully foreseeable. The Green Button would like to avoid setting requirements that would soon have to be adapted again or would not be in line with future legal requirements.

The previously planned transitional period until 31 July 2026 will therefore no longer apply. The requirements for the fibre and material use of Green Button Standard 2.0.1 will not come into force.

As part of its requirements for corporate due diligence processes, the Green Button continues to require companies to continuously increase the use of sustainable materials and to analyze material and product risks throughout the entire supply chain.

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@gruener-knopf.de.

Blue Angel, Green Shape, FSC® and PEFC recognized as certification labels under the Green Button 2.0

Four more certification labels have successfully passed the benchmarking process and are thus established as recognised certification labels for production process requirements (meta-label approach) under Green Button 2.0.

From now on, the following certification labels will be accepted:

Blue Angel: For the recognition of fiber and material usage for the use of recycled fibers as well as plant-based, animal-based, and man-made fibers.
Green Shape: For the recognition of wet processes and fiber and material usage for the use of plant-based, animal-based, and man-made fibers.
Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®): For the recognition of fiber and material usage for the use of recycled fibers.
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification – PEFC: For the recognition of fiber and material usage for the use of recycled fibers.

These newly evaluated certification labels complement the already published recognised certification labels:

bluesign®PRODUCT: For the recognition scope wet processes. For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of virgin polyester and down.
Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
Cradle to Cradle Certified®: For the recognition scope wet processes
Fairtrade Cotton: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
Fairtrade Textile Production: For the recognition scope manufacturing and wet processes
Fair Wear Foundation: For the recognition scope manufacturing
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): For the recognition scope manufacturing and wet processes. For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based and animal fibres and for the use of chemical fibres in a proportion greater than 10% and less than 30% by weight
Global Recycled Standard (GRS): For the recognition scope wet processes in combination with Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and for fibre and material use for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
Naturtextil IVN zertifiziert BEST: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based and animal fibres
Organic Content Standard (OCS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based and animal fibres as well as regenerated fibres
OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN: For the recognition scope manufacturing and wet processes. For the recognition scope of fibre and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3) or the use of organic cotton
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3) as well as for the use of recycled fibres and materials
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 „organic“: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of organic cotton
OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of organic cotton
Recycled Claim Standard (RCS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
Responsible Down Standard (RDS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of down.
Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of animal fibres
Responsible Wool Standard (RWS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of animal fibres
SA8000: For the recognition scope manufacturing

All certification labels recognised for Green Button regarding the supply chain levels wet processing and manufacturing as well as fibre and material use can be found here. The list will be further supplemented at a later date. This document lists all fibres and materials approved for the Green Button 2.0, combined with the respective recognised certification labels.

To meet the Green Button requirements for production processes and to be able to label products, companies must demonstrate recognised certification labels for the areas wet processes and manufacturing. In addition, they can demonstrate sustainable raw material extraction for the area of fibre and material use through recognised certification labels. Prior to this, companies must demonstrate compliance with the requirements for corporate due diligence processes within a Green Button audit.

Recognition of the aforementioned certification labels is the result of a recognition process outlined in this fact sheet as well as in Green Button Standard 2.0: Process and Requirements for the Recognition of Certification Labels. Newly recognised certification labels were assessed prior to their recognition to determine whether they met the content requirements of the Green Button Standard as well as the eligibility requirements, which include requirements for their credibility. The recognition of the certification labels issued by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is valid until the next revision of the Green Button. Should the certification label itself undergo changes, it is to be reviewed in accordance with the Green Button Standard whether the recognition needs to be elicited in a new benchmarking.

Documents for download:

Guidance to the list of approved fibres and materials including recognised certification labels (This list will be continuously updated and added to) (voluntary)
Overview recognised certification labels (this list will be continuously updated and added to)

Green Button 2.0 Webinar for interested organisations

Are you interested in how you can have your responsible actions certified? Would you like to label your sustainability on a textile product?
In our free and non-binding webinar, we would like to give you an overview of how the Green Button Standard combines the requirements for the sustainable manufacturing of products with the requirements for corporate due diligence processes. Curious?

When: Thursday, 26.03.2026 | 11 - 11:45 Uhr (CET)
Where: Online (Microsoft Teams)

Standards Committee meeting

The Green Button Standards Committee meets regularly during the frevision of the Green Button Standard 3.0. It discusses the progress of the revision and drafts joint statements.

Committee meeting

Quarterly meeting of the Green Button certification bodies

The Green Button auditors and the Green Button Secretariat meet four times a year. The focus of this regular exchange is to promote a common understanding of the Green Button Standard and its certification program. Interpretations of Green Button indicators and findings from audit monitoring by the Secretariat are shared and information is pooled.

Green Button certification bodies and their staff will receive an invitation by e-mail.