News

In order to give companies more time for production planning and, if necessary, conversion, the scheme owner has decided to extend the transition period for compliance with the production requirements according to den Green Button 2.0 by one year to 31st July 2024.

This means for companies:

• The production requirements according to GB 2.0 at the level of fibres and materials, wet processes and ready-made garments will become binding after 31st July 2024. 
• Articles can continue to be produced according to GB 1.0 until this date. A later sale of articles already produced and ordered up to this date is possible.
• The new requirements for the use of fibres and materials are binding from August 2024.
• The deadline for meeting the requirements for corporate due diligence processes according to GB 2.0 does not change. Companies must complete their audit according to GB 2.0 by this summer (31st July 2023).

With the help of companies’ feedback, we gathered practical experiences concerning the production requirements and the list of approved fibres and materials which ultimately led to the extension of the deadline. The transition period has been extended from 31st July 2023 to 31st July 2024 in order to give companies more time for production planning and conversion. In addition, the evaluation procedure (benchmarking) of the certification labels that are recognised for the Green Button 2.0 is still taking place. Many certification labels have already been assessed and recognised (see this overview), but other labels have not yet been assessed. This is because many certification labels are also currently being revised and are introducing new standard versions. The Green Button assessment must be coordinated with these individual revision cycles. The extended transition period also gives companies the possibility to know earlier which certification labels can be introduced in the GB 2.0.

Are you interested in how you can have your responsible actions certified? You would like to label your sustainability on the 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 sustainable manufacturing of products with requirements for corporate due diligence processes.

When: Friday, February 03 | 11 am to 12 pm
Wo: Online (GoToWebinar)
Language: German

Curious? We look forward to hearing from you and answering your questions.

Please follow this link for registration.

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 certificate will be accepted for manufacturing (recognition scope 1):

• OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN

From now on, the following certificates will be accepted for wet processes (recognition scope 2):

• bluesign®PRODUCT
• OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN

For the use of virgin polyester (sub-scope 4), the following certificates will be accepted from now on:

• bluesign®PRODUCT
• OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 (product class 1-3*)
• OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN (inkl. OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 product class 1-3^*)

*Class 4 products must be subjected to category 1-3 testing.

These newly evaluated certification labels complement the recognised certification labels for fibre and material use published in fall 2022:

• Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA): for the use of plant-based fibres
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): for the use of plant-based and animal fibres and for the use of man-made fibres greater than 10% and less than 30%
• Global Recycled Standard (GRS): for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
• Naturtextil IVN certified BEST: for the use of plant-based and animal fibres
• Organic Content Standard (OCS): for the use of plant-based and animal fibres as well as regenerated fibres
• Recycled Claim Standard (RCS): for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
• Responsible Down Standard (RDS): for the use of down
• Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS): for the use of animal fibres
• Responsible Wool Standard (RWS): for the use of animal fibres

This document lists all fibres and materials approved for the Green Button 2.0, combined with the respective recognised certification labels. All certification labels recognised for the Green Button can be found here. The list will be further supplemented at the beginning of 2023 and, if necessary, at a later date.

To meet the Green Button requirements for production processes and to be able to label products, companies must demonstrate recognised certification lables for all three areas (fibre and material use, wet processes, manufacturing). 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 (Meta-Label Approach). 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 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.

New documents for download:

• Guidance to the list of approved fibres and materials including recognised certification labels
• Overview recognised certification labels (further update beginning of 2023)

Berlin, October 25, 2022 - The government-run textile certification label Green Button is tightening its requirements. Since August, companies have been able to be audited according to the Green Button 2.0 standard. Among other things, they must then also introduce measures to promote living wages and set sustainability targets for management. Labeled products may now only consist of approved fibers. VAUDE is the first company to pass the audit.

Outdoor equipment supplier VAUDE was already one of the first licensees when the certification label was launched three years ago. At the end of September, the first audit for the Green Button 2.0 follow-up standard took place at the company headquarters in Tettnang, Southern Germany. Hilke Patzwall is Sustainability Manager at VAUDE, and for her it was clear that VAUDE would also meet the increased requirements: ’The Green Button is an important certification for VAUDE that confirms our high level of implementation of environmental and social standards in the supply chain. It offers our customers additional assurance that the VAUDE brand and VAUDE products credibly meet these requirements. We continue to expect a benefit of credibility from this, especially for the fulfillment of corporate due diligence obligations.’

The company was audited by the independent certification body Control Union during the two-day audit.  The extended requirements include:

• The company must take the first steps toward living wages,
• successively extend its risk analysis to the entire supply chain,
• involve people in production countries more closely in process decisions
• anchor the topic of due diligence more broadly in the company.
• In order to meet the requirements for the production processes, in addition to the cutting and sewing as well as bleaching and dyeing manufacturing steps, evidence must now also be provided in the area of raw material procurement and the use of fibers and materials.

VAUDE is already advanced on these points. The new certificate, including the product groups awarded, can be viewed under basic information.

The new requirements apply to all companies that want to be licensed for the first time. By July 31, 2023*, all licensed companies must also complete a recertification audit according to the Green Button 2.0. After that, audits will be conducted exclusively according to the Green Button 2.0. The same one-year period applies to the mandatory label-related requirements.

The Green Button makes an important contribution to promoting more sustainable production conditions along textile supply chains. The certification label is issued by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which thus continues to promote the protection of people and the environment in global supply chains.

*This deadline was subsequently changed after the scheme owner decided to extend the deadline in January 2023.

Contact
Secretariat Green Button
Potsdamer Platz 10
10785 Berlin, Germany
T +49 30 / 338 424 - 111
info@gruener-knopf.de
www.gruener-knopf.de/en

Are you interested in how you can have your responsible actions certified? You would like to label your sustainability on the 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 sustainable manufacturing of products with requirements for corporate due diligence processes.

When: Friday, November 18 | 11 am to 12 pm
Where: Online (GoToWebinar)
Language: German

Curious? We look forward to hearing from you and answering your questions.

Please follow this link for registration.

A benchmarking process is currently underway for Green Button 2.0 to evaluate which certification labels are recognized for meeting production process requirements. Certification labels must be demonstrated for different production stages. We are particularly pleased with the first recognized certification labels for the fiber and material use recognition area, which is new in Green Button 2.0.

The certification labels are recognized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). In the future, the following certificates will be accepted for the fiber and material use recognition area:

• Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA): for the use of plant-based fibres (sub-scope 6)
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): for the use of plant-based and animal fibers (sub-scopes 5 and 8) and for the use of man-made fibres greater than 10% and less than 30% (sub-scopes 1, 2, 3 and 7)
• Global Recycled Standard (GRS): for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres (sub-scopes 3 and 7)
• Naturtextil IVN certified BEST: for the use of plant-based and animal fibres (sub-scopes 5 und 8)
• Organic Content Standard (OCS): for the use of plant-based and animal fibres as well as regenerated fibres (sub-scope 2, 5 and 8)
• Recycled Claim Standard (RCS): for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres (sub-scopes 3 und 7)
• Responsible Down Standard (RDS): for the use of down (sub-scope 10)
• Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS): for the use of animal fibres (sub-scope 9)
• Responsible Wool Standard (RWS): for the use of animal fibres (sub-scope 9)

To meet these production process requirements, companies must demonstrate recognized certification labels. Recognition of the listed certification labels for the meta-label approach means that Green Button licensees can use these certification labels to prove that they meet the requirements for the respective approved fibers and materials. This, in conjunction with proving certification labels for the manufacturing and wet processing, can lead to Green Button product endorsements. Before this can happen, however, it must be demonstrated that the requirements for corporate due diligence processes have also been met.

Recognition of the aforementioned certification labels is the result of a recognition process outlined in Green Button Standard 2.0: Process and Requirements for the Recognition of Certification Labels . Newly recognized certification labels were assessed prior to their recognition to determine whether they met the content requirements of the Green Button Standard for certification label recognition, as well as the eligibility requirements, which include requirements for their credibility.

The recognition of the certification labels issued by the BMZ is valid until the next revision of the Green Button. Should the certification label itself go through changes, it is to be checked, according to the Green Button standard, whether the recognition has to be elicited in a new benchmarking.

Textile certification labels are encouraged to be recognized for the Green Button 2.0.

The government-led certification label Green Button verifies whether a company takes responsibility for the supply chain and thus fulfills its corporate due diligence obligations. In addition, credible standards must be used to demonstrate sustainable production for the manufacture of the product. For this purpose – as already under Green Button 1.0 - credible textile certification labels are recognized.

You can find out more information about the benchmarking process here. All details, the criteria and more background information can also be found in the standard document Green Button Standard 2.0: Process and requirements for the recognition of certification labels (Meta-Label Approach).

We appreciate your interest and are happy to receive any further questions at info@gruener-knopf.de.

Berlin, September 9, 2022 - For three years now, consumers have been able to recognise sustainable textiles more easily when shopping: By the government-run textile certification label Green Button. Since August, an even more sophisticated standard version, the Green Button 2.0, has been on the market.

(You can find the press release as PDF here.)

90% of our textiles are produced in countries of the Global South -often under inadequate conditions. To curb unpaid overtime for seamstresses or the use of hazardous chemicals, companies in industrialised nations must fulfill their due diligence obligations. The government-run textile certification label Green Button shows which companies fulfill their responsibility for people and the environment in their textile supply chains and distinguishes their sustainable products. The record is positive.

• Only three years after its market launch, the Green Button is already known to largesections of the public: According to a recent representative survey by the Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung (GfK Fashion Consumer Panel 2022), 44% of people in Germany are already aware of the certification label, and over half (52%) of them have already consciously purchased at least one Green Button certified product.
• Over 90 companies offer products that meet the demanding requirements for corporate due diligence and socially and environmentally sustainable production. Since its launch, more than 260 million Green Button textileshave already been sold.
• The government-run certification label is increasingly aligning itself internationally. Among the Green Button licensees are several European companies. In addition, the Green Button has been a registered trademark with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) since March 2021.
• The Green Button has also arrived in sustainable procurement. Whether it's workwear for the railroads and police or the bed linen in large hotel chains and hospitals: More and more public institutions are opting for sustainable textiles with the Green Button.
• Just in time for its anniversary, the certification label is launching a new standard version: with a one-year transition period, the "Green Button 2.0" will apply from August this year -a further development of the previous criteria with even more comprehensive requirements and specifications for the raw material level.

Ulrich Plein heads the Green Button Secretariat. He assesses the impact of the certification label positively: "I am pleased about the Green Button success story because it puts people in the production countries in the spotlight. The positive impact benefits women in particular, who do most of the work in textile supply chains. The new standard version also makes the requirements stricter: among other things, companies must tackle the issue of living wages and involve local stakeholders to a greater extent. In addition, under the Green Button 2.0, textiles may only be made from approved fibers and materials. In this way, the Green Button sets a decisive course toward greater sustainability in the textile industry and ensures that the rights of people and the environment in the production countries will be even better protected in the future."

The requirements of the certification label are made up of two components: The Green Button checks whether companies systematically take responsibility for their supply chains by fulfilling their human rights and environmental due diligence obligations along textile supply chains. In addition, recognised certification labelsmust prove that the respective product has been produced sustainably.

These requirements have now been sharpened and expanded. In the future, companies seeking Green Button 2.0 certification must, for example, promote the payment of living wages in the supply chain and extend their risk analysis to the entire supply chain. Local stakeholders must be more involved, for example in promoting grievance mechanisms.

In addition to the requirements for corporate due diligence, there are also further requirements for sustainable production. For example, under the Green Button 2.0, textiles may now only consist of approved fibers and materials. No genetically modified seeds may be used in cotton production. Cotton must come from sustainable agriculture, plant-based plastics such as viscose from sustainable forestry, and animal fibers from species-appropriate husbandry. Particularly harmful materials such as fluorine fibers or polyacrylic must notbe used, and the same applies to fur or angora.

The further development was accompanied by an independent advisory board of experts and publicly commented on and evaluated in two rounds. In particular, the opinions and suggestions of civil society, business and other standard-setting stakeholders were taken into account.

The Green Button was launched on September 9, 2019 and has since made an important contribution to promoting decent working conditions along textile supply chains. The certification label is issued by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which thus continues to promote the protection of people and the environment in global supply chains.

Contact:
Green Button Secretariat
Potsdamer Platz 10
10785 Berlin, Germany
T +49 30 / 338 424 - 111
info@gruener-knopf.de
www.gruener-knopf.de/en

Another milestone in the further development of the Green Button has been reached: The criteria of the Green Button 2.0 have been defined and published. After the decision on the criteria was made by the seal provider (BMZ) based on the recommendations of the advisory board and the feedback from the public consultations, the finalized standard documents were published. It was already clear at the time of introduction that the seal would be successively further developed. The Green Button 2.0 will now come into force on 01.08.2022.

The documents can be viewed here.

The Green Button 2.0 places additional requirements on corporate due diligence processes - and existing criteria have also been revised. There are also innovations with regard to label-related requirements for production processes: This supply chain stage of raw material extraction is added and there are also requirements for fiber and material use for the first time.

We will also be providing detailed information and explanations about the Green Button 2.0 on our website in the near future.

Thank you for your patience!

From 7 to 9 July this year the fashion world came together at SEEK in Berlin. The Green Button was also present. At our booth, visitors had the opportunity to talk to the Green Button office, ask questions and get information about sustainable textile consumption and the state textile seal.

In the course of an exciting supporting program, Sebastian Herold from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), together with Henning Siedentopp, took a deeper look at the national textile seal and the further development towards the Green Button 2.0.

We thank all interested parties and are happy about the exchange that took place!