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!

The criteria of the Green Button 2.0 have been determined. The criteria have been approved by the seal provider (BMZ) based on the recommendations of the Advisory Board. The finalization and publication of the relevant standard documents will take place later this month. We look forward to working with you to implement Standard 2.0 and move towards our long-term goal - to protect people and the environment along the entire textile supply chain.

Join our webinar to learn how we will support you in your preparations to audit to the Green Button Standard 2.0 and how the transition process will work.

When: Tuesday, July 05, 2022 | 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: Online (GoToWebinar).

We look forward to seeing you and answering your questions!

Register here

This week, the international trade fair for home and contract textiles heimtextil will take place in Frankfurt am Main. The Green Button will also be there and will be represented by the office with a booth. In addition, Ulrich Plein will present the state seal in two panel lectures on June 22 and 23 and will be available to answer questions about the requirements of the Green Button.

Please feel free to come and visit us. We look forward to the exchange!

You can find more information here. 

Information and the way to our booth can be found here.

The Green Button 2.0 criteria are being finalized. The finalization and publication of the relevant standard documents will take place in April/May. We look forward to working with you to implement the standard 2.0 and move towards our long-term goal of protecting people and the environment throughout the textile supply chain.

Join our webinar to learn how we will support you in your preparations to audit to the Green Button Standard 2.0 and how the transition process will work.

When: Tuesday, May 17, 2022 | 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: Online (GoToWebinar).

We look forward to hearing your questions!

In two expert advisory council meetings in December 2020 and June 2021, the expert advisory council members, chaired by Michael Windfuhr (Deputy Director of the German Institute for Human Rights), discussed the draft criteria.

The statements as well as further information on the expert advisory council can be found here.

You are designing your textile supply chain sustainably and want to label your products with the Green Button?

In our free and non-binding webinar, we will introduce you to the government-run Green Button certification label and inform you about how you can have your company licensed efficiently and unbureaucratically. 

When: Monday, 07 February 2022 | 14:00 pm - 15:00 pm CEST

Where: Online (GoToWebinar)

Language: German

We are looking forward to meeting you and answering your questions!

Register here

Since 1 March 2021, certification bodies and their respective auditors require formal authorisation in order to carry out the company audits of the requirements of the government-run certification label Green Button.

The suitability of the certification bodies and their auditors is checked in a two-stage procedure. Auditors receive further training on the topics of due diligence and the Green Button auditing process through an intensive and comprehensive training programme.

A new member since March 2021 is the assurance provider Hohenstein.
Another new member since May 2021 is the certification body Ceres.