The webinar series of The Partnership for Sustainable Textile and the Green Button on upcoming legislation under the EU Textile Strategie goes into the second round.

Join the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and the Green Button on 23rd of October 2023 for the second session of the webinar series to learn more about the EU’s Green Deal and how it will affect the textile and garment sector. Hear from experts and stakeholders about what’s coming and how to be best prepared.

In late 2019, the European Commission published its European Green Deal, the EU’s new growth strategy to make the EU climate neutral by 2050 and to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. In March 2022, the publication of the Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles followed, setting out a vision to ensure that: “By 2030 textile products placed on the EU market are long lived and recyclable, to a great extent made of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment.”

Under these strategies, the EU Commission has put forward several far-reaching legislative initiatives, many of them are expected to enter into force from 2025 and 2026 onwards. Introducing far-reaching new design requirements, greenwashing regulation, rules to prevent overproduction and overconsumption, and rules to handle textile waste more responsibly, these initiatives will completely overhaul the rules for production, consumption, sale, and disposal of textiles in the EU.

You want to know more about the legislative framework under the EU Green Deal and how it could initiate change and affect your business? Join us for the next webinars on upcoming legislation under the EU Green Deal and the EU Textile Strategy!

The webinar series will provide you with:

• an introduction to the wider EU policy landscape and how upcoming legislations relate to international obligations
• a deep dive into specific legislative initiatives that will transform the textile and apparel sector in the coming years
• a better understanding of how these initiatives will likely impact companies and global supply chains.

Please click here for more information on the series.

For four years, the government-run certification label Green Button has been showing which companies are fulfilling their responsibility for people and the environment in their supply chains and has been marking their sustainable products – with increasing success:

• 47% of people in Germany are familiar with the Green Button and, at 67%, trust in the label is particularly high. [1]  
• From socks to hats, from cooking aprons to tents, products with the Green Button can now be found in numerous product categories and for every budget. Since the Green Button was introduced in 2019, well over 300 million labeled products have already crossed the counter. [2]
• The Green Button has also set standards in private and public procurement. In fan shops, hospitals, hotels, at the supermarket checkout or on the train - it's hard to imagine the public sphere without the Green Button.

Four years after its market launch, Christine Moser-Priewich and Florian Tiedtke therefore assess the label's performance positively. Both have been jointly managing the Green Button Secretariat since July 1st, 2023. Florian Tiedtke emphasizes the credibility of the label: "The Green Button is run by the state, which creates trust. Two out of three people who know about the Green Button have already consciously put a product with the certification label in their shopping basket. This shows that the Green Button is really used as an orientation when shopping." Christine Moser-Priewich adds: "It is particularly pleasing that more than 40 companies have already successfully completed the more comprehensive audits under the stricter standard version, the Green Button 2.0."  The Green Button 2.0 also takes into account the fibers and materials used and requires companies to take first steps towards living wages. "The success of the Green Button shows that consumers want to buy more sustainable products and that at the same time companies are focusing more on their own responsibility in the supply chain", Moser-Priewich continued.

The Green Button is not only the first certification label that evaluates due diligence requirements, it is also considered very comprehensive because it sets requirements on two levels: First, it checks whether companies are working in a way that better protects people and the environment in their supply chains. Additionally, it must be proven by recognized labels that the products carrying the Green Button have been produced socially and ecologically.

The Green Button certification bodies are independent and are monitored by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS). The DAkkS has also certified that the audits are carried out uniformly and that results are comparable. This shows the reliability of the label’s certification system and further contributes to its credibility.

Background

Many textiles are produced in countries of the Global South, mostly by women and often under inhumane conditions. The environment also suffers. To change this, companies must fulfill their due diligence obligations. The government-run certification label Green Button shows which companies meet their due diligence obligations and which products have been produced sustainably. The label is issued by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which is thus further promoting 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 - 777
info@gruener-knopf.de
www.gruener-knopf.de

[1] Results of a representative survey conducted by the Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung GfK on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), July 2023.

[2] GIZ survey among Green Button licensees, August 2023.

The Partnership for Sustainable Textile and the Green Button launch joint webinar series on upcoming legislation under the EU Textile Strategie. 

Join the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and the Green Button on 21^st of September 2023 for the kick-off of its upcoming six-month webinar series to learn more about the EU’s Green Deal and how it will affect the textile and garment sector. Hear from experts and stakeholders about what’s coming and how to be best prepared.

In late 2019, the European Commission published its European Green Deal, the EU’s new growth strategy to make the EU climate neutral by 2050 and to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. In March 2022, the publication of the Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles followed, setting out a vision to ensure that: “By 2030 textile products placed on the EU market are long lived and recyclable, to a great extent made of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment.”

Under these strategies, the EU Commission has put forward several far-reaching legislative initiatives, many of them are expected to enter into force from 2025 and 2026 onwards. Introducing far-reaching new design requirements, greenwashing regulation, rules to prevent overproduction and overconsumption, and rules to handle textile waste more responsibly, these initiatives will completely overhaul the rules for production, consumption, sale, and disposal of textiles in the EU.

Six-months webinar series is launching now

You want to know more about the legislative framework under the EU Green Deal and how it could initiate change and affect your business? Join us for a series of six webinars on upcoming legislation under the EU Green Deal and the EU Textile Strategy!

The webinar series will provide you with:

• an introduction to the wider EU policy landscape and how upcoming legislations relate to international obligations
• a deep dive into specific legislative initiatives that will transform the textile and apparel sector in the coming years
• a better understanding of how these initiatives will likely impact companies and global supply chains.

Please click here for more information on the series.

21^st of September 2023 10am – 12pm

Kick-off and deep dive into the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

This kick-off session will set the scene for the upcoming webinars, provide an overview of the policy landscape, and dive into one of the initiatives at the heart of the Green Transition: The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). We will look into the details of the CSDDD proposal and its likely implications for the textile sector, both for brands and retailers as well as for suppliers. We will focus on critical issues, the different positions of stakeholders, and learn about where the policy process stands.

Register here.

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 label will be accepted for certain fibres and materials on the level of raw material extraction

• OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100: for the use of recycled fibres and materials (sub scope 3 and 7)
• OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 „organic“: for the use of organic cotton (sub scope 5)
• OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON: for the use of organic cotton (sub scope 5)

For OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN, the requirements in the scope of fibre and material use can be met by OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 or OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON for the sub-scopes mentioned.

An OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN product may, fulfil the fibre requirements of the Green Button. This always requires a verification of the underlying OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 or OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON certificate and the material composition of the product.

These newly evaluated certification labels complement the recognised certification labels published in the last months:

• bluesign®PRODUCT: For the recognition scope wet processes. For the recognition scope fiber 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
• Fairtrade Cotton: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
• Fairtrade Textile Standard: For the recognition scope manufacturing
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use 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 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 fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3)
• OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100: For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3)
• Recycled Claim Standard (RCS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
• Responsible Down Standard (RDS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of down.
• Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of animal fibres
• Responsible Wool Standard (RWS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of animal fibres
• SA8000: For the recognition scope manufacturing

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 Green Button regarding the supply chain levels wet processing and manufacturing can be found here. The list will be further supplemented 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 labels 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. 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. 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.

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)
• Overview recognised certification labels (this list will be continuously updated and added to)

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 label will be accepted for manufacturing:

• Fairtrade Textile Standard

From now on, the following certification label will be accepted for wet-processes:

• Global Recycled Standard (GRS) (in combination with OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100)

From now on, the following certification label will be accepted for certain fibres and materials on the level of raw material extraction, predominantly focusing on the use of down (sub-scope 10):

• bluesign®PRODUCT

These newly evaluated certification labels complement the recognised certification labels published in the last months:

• bluesign®PRODUCT: For the recognition scope wet processes. For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester
• Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
• Fairtrade Cotton: For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use 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 recognition scope 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 fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3)
• Oeko-Tex Standard 100: For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3)
• Recycled Claim Standard (RCS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
• Responsible Down Standard (RDS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of down.
• Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of animal fibres
• Responsible Wool Standard (RWS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of animal fibres
• SA8000: For the recognition scope manufacturing

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 Green Button regarding the supply chain levels wet processing and manufacturing can be found here. The list will be further supplemented 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 labels 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. 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. 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.

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)
• Overview recognised certification labels (this list will be continuously updated and added to)

As part of the meta-label approach, the Green Button defines requirements for production processes at selected supply chain levels. Companies demonstrate these through recognised certification labels. Alongside the requirements for corporate due diligence processes, they are the basis for a product to be labeled with the Green Button.

In the Guidance to the list of approved fibres and materials it is defined for which fibres and materials recognised certification labels are required, which quantity limits apply, if any, and which fibres and materials may only be used under specific exception rules and which evidence has to be provided for these exceptions. The mentioned guidance is an extension of the list of approved fibres and materials.
Based on the exchange with our stakeholders, the scheme owner, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), has decided on the following changes regarding the requirements for fibre and material use to make the implementation of the Green Button 2.0 requirements more feasible.

These changes take effect with the adaptation of the standard. However, we would like to point out again at this point that alternatively, products can continue to be awarded according to the production requirements of Green Button 1.0 until 31.07.2024.

The following changes are to be implemented:

1. Extension of the general exception rule for the use of virgin man-made fibres from artificial polymers (70/30 - rule)

Normally, certified recycled fibres should be used in the Green Button 2.0. Since this is not always possible, we have formulated exceptions that allow the use of virgin man-made fibres, such as the 70/30 rule.

What is new is that this 70/30 rule is now not only triggered by using at least 70% recycled fibres, but also by cotton and regenerated fibres with a recognised certification label. So now it is possible to use up to 30% virgin man-made fibres for textiles that consist of 70% sustainable cotton, regenerated fibres and/or recycled fibres with a recognised certification label each, as long as their use is generally allowed in the Green Button.

Special regulations apply to virgin polyester and elastane, and newly also to elastolefin, i.e. elastolefin may now also be used up to a maximum of 10%, yet without certification. 

2. Inclusion of an exception rule for polyamide

Polyamide is currently only permitted with a recognised certification label, i.e. recycled. It is planned to allow the use of virgin polyamide also in exceptional cases, namely for protective clothing in accordance with EU Regulation 2016/425. Evidence is to be provided via the CE marking on the product. 

3. Evidence of exception regarding personal protective equipment (PPE)

In the area of PPE, the form of evidence is to change.

Thus, it is no longer mandatory to provide evidence in the form of individual, function-related standards (ISO/EN) in order to claim exceptions for certain fibres and materials. In future, the CE marking on the product in accordance with EU Regulation 2016/425 can be used as evidence for exception for PPE.

Exceptions for PPE apply to the use of the following fibres and materials: aramid, carbon fibres, modacrylic (MAC), (new) virgin polyester and (new) polyamide.

4. Evidence for exception rules for industrial laundry suitability - virgin polyester

Virgin polyester may only be used in exceptional cases. In addition to the 70:30 rule, we therefore have defined selected business and application areas. For exceptions regarding home and contract textiles, that are suitable for industrial laundry, as well as workwear, we have now updated the forms of evidence, that are to be provided. There will be the additional option of submitting a self-declaration as evidence of the industrial laundry suitability of textiles.

The Green Button secretariat will provide a respective template, which will be accessible via the online portal.

In addition, in the workwear sector, both a reference to ISO 15797 on the product and the Pro-Label (ISO 30023) can be used as proof.

5. Further exception rules for the use of virgin polyester

Furthermore, an exception regarding virgin polyester can in future be applied to surgical clothing and drapes via DIN EN 13795-1 and 2. Here, proof of conformity will be provided in accordance with DIN EN 13795-1 and -2.

A further exemption rule will also be introduced for PPE in accordance with EU Regulation 2016/425.

On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building collapsed, causing the deaths of more than 1,000 people. This tragic incident brought attention to the downside of global textile supply chains. 

In response, Bangladesh adopted the International Accord on Fire and Building Safety (ACCORD), an agreement to strengthen safe workplaces for workers in the textile industry. In Germany, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has, among other things, launched the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and the government-run certification label Green Button.

Where does the textile industry stand 10 years after the catastrophe? To answer this question, the BMZ invites to the event Towards decent work for all - Asia's textile industry 10 years after Rana Plaza. The Parliamentary State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Dr. Bärbel Kofler, will discuss together with experts the improvements in the textile industry and the remaining challenges.

When. Tuesday, April 25, 2023 | 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (CEST)
Where. Hybrid event. Digital participation via Livestream.

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

• SA8000

From now on, the following certification label will be accepted for certain fibres and materials on the level of raw material extraction, predominantly focusing on the use of cotton from divers forms of sustainable, agricultural production (sub-scope 6).

• Fairtrade Cotton (Fairtrade Cotton product certification label in the colour black/traceable and Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient certification label in the colour white/mass balance

These newly evaluated certification labels complement the recognised certification labels published in 2022:

• bluesign®PRODUCT: For the recognition scope wet processes. For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester
• Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA): For the recognition scope fibre and material use for the use of plant-based fibres
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): For the recognition scope fibre and material use 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 recognition scope 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 fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3)
• Oeko-Tex Standard 100: For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3)
• Recycled Claim Standard (RCS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres
• Responsible Down Standard (RDS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of down.
• Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use for the use of animal fibres
• Responsible Wool Standard (RWS): For the recognition scope fiber and material use 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 Green Button regarding the supply chain levels wet processing and manufacturing can be found here. The list will be further supplemented 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 labels 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. 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. 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.

Documents for download:

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

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, March 10 | 11 am to 12 pm
Where: Online (GoToWebinar)
Language: German

Please follow this link for registration.

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

Warm regards Your Green Button Team

From 13 - 17 February 2023, the OECD Forum will bring together representatives of governments, companies, trade unions, academia and civil society to discuss corporate due diligence in the garment and footwear sector. During this time, the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector will take place in Paris. Virtual participation is also possible.

In addition to the main Forum events, you are cordially invited to participate in side sessions. For example, the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles is also organising side sessions in cooperation with other organisations. These revolve around the topics of purchasing practices, complaints and redress, and gender-based violence. The events will take place on site and virtually in English. You are cordially invited! Detailed information on the side sessions can be found directly at the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles.

You can find more information on the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector here.

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!

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.

Companies can now provide proof of compliance with the Green Button product requirements through another credible certification label. The in-depth examination by a team of experts has shown: The WRAP label of the non-profit "Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production" meets the product requirements for social sustainability of the Green Button.

WRAP only fulfils the Green Button product requirements in combination with a simultaneous certification of the end product with a recognised certification label for environmental standards.

Meeting the Green Button requirements for the recognition of certification labels was also the basic requirement for WRAP to be recognised. For this, a label must be judged as credible. This means, for example: the standard-setting process must be public, the (financial) structure must be transparent and a review of the standard must take place regularly and independently.

Digital instead of presence - everything is different at Berlin Fashion Week this year.
With our partner Neonyt we have nevertheless prepared some input for you and presented an exciting interview, followed by a Q&A session. Take a look: 

Due diligence – due tomorrow? presented by Grüner Knopf

The interview with Anosha Wahidi, Head of Division for Sustainable Supply Chains at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Max Gilgenmann, Content Director Neonyt. The interview is presented by Grüner Knopf and features insights into the current (political) situation regarding the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles (Bündnis für nachhaltige Textilien), government-run certification label Green Button (Grüner Knopf), the German government's rating portal siegelklarheit.de, but above all the Due Diligence Act (Sorgfaltspflichtengesetz), which is currently being discussed in the media but also behind closed doors.

In a following Q&A session, Anosha Wahidi answered questions from the community on current topics concerning the Green Button. 

You can find more inspiring talks here: Instagram Neonyt on Air

In a council meeting on December 10^th, 2020, the members of the expert advisory council chaired by Michael Windfuhr (Deputy Director of the German Institute for Human Rights) have already had the chance to discuss the draft version of the Due Diligence Requirements.

The statement of the expert advisory council can be downloaded here. 

The expert advisory council’s feedback on the Due Diligence Requirements marks the start of the public consultation. All interested parties are invited to participate in the consultation.

German Development Minister Dr Gerd Müller will join model and textile ambassador Barbara Meier, designer and Bunte NEW FACES winner Julia Leifert, entrepreneur Matthias Mey and others to discuss the topic of sustainability in fashion at the Bunte NEW FACES FASHION TALK on 1 July 2020 at 18:30. How aware are we of sustainable fashion? How is the COVID-19 impacting the industry? What influence do policymakers, the private sector and consumers have? These are the key questions that will be discussed by the panel of experts. The video of the talk will be available on IGTV and on the BUNTE TV Youtube channel.

Will we live more consciously in the future? How can we succeed in making tomorrow's world sustainable? And what have we learned from Corona? Federal Development Minister Dr Gerd Müller spoke about these and other questions in an expert talk at the FOCUS Inner Circle on 21 September 2020 in Düsseldorf. In a discussion with Louisa Dellert (author, founder and influencer), Christoph Ingenhoven (architect) and Dr. Julia Adou (Head of Corporate Responsibility ALDI SÜD), exciting insights into the topic of sustainability in business, discount retail and architecture were given. Click here for the video of the expert talk.

How can current communication tools be used for development policy issues? This question will be addressed by various actors at the GLOBAL DAY in Cologne. They will discuss how moving images and social media campaigns offer communication opportunities, for example to report on the 17 goals for sustainable development, and will present best practice cases from Germany and Africa. The Green Button is also represented at the event: The certification label will be presented in more detail at an information stand and the Green Button event team will be wearing Green Button certified masks, T-shirts and hoodies from the brand Chiemsee. The day will end with the presentation of the NRW Media Award for development policy commitment and the screening of I AM GRETA.

We are pleased that companies can now provide proof of compliance with the Green Button product requirements by means of another credible label. After thorough examination, a team of experts concluded that the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) of the globally active non-profit organisation “Textile Exchange“ fulfils the product requirements of the Green Button with one exception.

GRS fulfils the criteria of environmental sustainability only in combination with a simultaneous certification of the end-product according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100. Furthermore, GRS is recognised as official proof of the Green Button criteria for social sustainability.

The basic prerequisite for the recognition of GRS was also the fulfilment of the Green Button requirements for the recognition of certification labels. In this context, the label must be classified as credible. This means, for example, that the process of standard setting must be public, the (financial) structure must be transparent and a review of the standard must take place regularly and independently.

German Development Minister Dr Gerd Müller would like to warmly invite you to attend the launch of the Green Button label.

Official launch on Monday, 9 September 2019,
14:00 – 16:00 (followed by a reception)
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ),
Stresemannstraße 94, 10963 Berlin, Germany

Three quarters of all consumers state that they believe sustainable fashion is important. Quite rightly, they don’t want to wear a T-shirt that has been produced by people working 16-hour shifts and earning a pittance. Nor do they want a product that has been dyed with toxic chemicals.

That is why many companies are now demonstrating that sustainable fashion is possible! The Green Button is our label of responsibility. It offers guidance on buying sustainably manufactured textiles.

Join us as we certify products manufactured by companies that already produce environmentally and socially sustainable textiles and present the new Green Button textile label to the public.

Please obtain your credentials by sending an email with your name, contact details and medium to: presse@bmz.bund.de

Check against delivery!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mr Detjen,

Bishop Bedford-Strohm,

Ms von Dewitz,

Mr Linemayr,

75 million people work in the textile industry worldwide. Most of them are women in developing countries. Many of them also work to produce the clothes we wear, often under appalling conditions. This was vividly illustrated by the terrible disaster at the Rana Plaza factory, which also made a major impression on me. The worst disaster in the history of the textile industry left 1,136 people dead and 2,500 with extremely serious injuries. It is therefore a great honour that one of the survivors of Rana Plaza will be joining us at our launch event here at the German Development Ministry this afternoon.

We could continue to look the other way and allow people to slave away for us, but that won’t work. That’s why I sat here at a Federal Press Conference for the launch of the Textile Partnership almost five years ago to the day. I said at the time that we couldn’t allow the ‘cheap at any cost’ mentality to be our motivation and this remains true today. Manufacturing operations continue to be relocated to developing countries, where standards are violated that are applicable for good reason in Europe.

• In Ethiopia, for instance, seamstresses earn less than 20 euro cents an hour. This is not enough to cover rent, food, school fees or medical treatment.
• Seamstresses are paid 0.6% of the money made from a brand-name T-shirt.
• 20% of industrial water pollution is attributable to textile dyeing.

You can read all of this in a new study by the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE).

The Textile Partnership remains relevant and underpins all that we do. We set up the Textile Partnership in 2014 to bring about fundamental change. And we’ve succeeded. Our 120 members, including companies, business associations, trade unions and non-governmental organisations, are moving in the right direction together. 160 toxic chemicals are being banned from the manufacturing process and the proportion of sustainable cotton is set to be increased to 70 per cent by 2025. Member companies now account for 50 per cent of German retail. The Textile Partnership is a success and will remain relevant.

The Green Button is the next step. We are now taking the next step with the Green Button, certifying companies that already meet especially stringent requirements. There is currently no other label like the Green Button. It is the German government’s textile label, registered with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, and provides ambitiously high social and environmental standards. These standards require reductions in toxic waste water and hazardous chemicals, a ban on child labour in supplier factories, payment of minimum wages and more occupational health and safety measures.

Consumers can be confident that Green Button textiles have been manufactured to the highest standards. What is special about the Green Button is that the entire company is audited. Offering individual products for show is not enough. For a T-shirt to carry the Green Button label, it must meet 46 demanding social and environmental criteria.

• 26 of these criteria apply to products, such as T-shirts, bed linen and backpacks,
• and the other 20 pertain to the company as a whole. Does it disclose suppliers? Do seamstresses have recourse to grievance mechanisms locally?

No other scheme conducts such detailed checks.

In this way, the Green Button gives consumers confidence. The government lays down the criteria for the Green Button and independent certification bodies review compliance with the criteria set, in Bangladesh and Romania as well if necessary. The auditing process is also monitored by the Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH (DAkkS - German national accreditation body) As a ‘certifier of certifiers’, it ensures that the certification bodies have the necessary expertise and know what is important.

Who is involved? 27 companies, including small three-person enterprises, SMEs, recognised sustainability pioneers and large companies with several thousand employees, have already completed the full auditing process: Alma & Lovis, Aldi Nord, Aldi Süd, Brands Fashion, CharLe, Derbe, Dibella, Engel, Feuervogl, Hans Natur, hessnatur, Hopp, Kaufland, Kaya&Kato, Lidl, Manomama, Melawear, Millitomm, Modespitze Plauen, Phyne, Posseimo, Rewe Group, Schweickardt Moden, Tchibo, Trigema, Vaude, 3 Freunde.

26 more companies are currently undergoing the auditing process, including Hugo Boss, the Otto Group and smaller firms such as Socks4Fun. Three other companies are interested, including from overseas. The Green Button is a global certification label. The Green Button can also be used by German companies abroad, and companies from other countries can apply for Green Button certification. The demand shows that we’re on the right track. The Green Button is ambitious and unbureaucratic.

Products carrying the Green Button label are now available on the market. They include clothing, bags and tents, as well as bed linen, which is relevant for public procurement. We invite you to come and visit BMZ at 14:00 and take a look at the wide range of products yourself.

What is next? The social and environmental criteria will be developed on an ongoing basis in the coming years, for example, to include living wages. This will be supported by an expert advisory council comprising representatives of industry, the science and research community, and civil society. We will also extend the Green Button to cover other production steps, such as cotton growing. We are initially tackling the two key production steps, namely sewing and dyeing.

• All of the 100 billion garments produced worldwide each year undergo these processes,
• which involve 75 million workers.
• You can usually identify which colour will be in vogue next season by looking at the rivers, as each dyeworks releases 2.5 tonnes of chemicals, often untreated, into the sewage system each day.
• Additionally, it was during this production stage that the Rana Plaza textile factory collapsed.

We’re setting the bar high with the Green Button and showing that fair supply chains are feasible. This is also proven by the many small enterprises involved in the Green Button process. As of today, no one can dispute this any longer.

Never before have we owned so many clothes. Our clothing consumption has doubled from 50 billion new garments in 2000 to around 100 billion at present. At the same time, we are spending less on what we wear. This is explained by the phenomenon of fast fashion – clothes so cheap that they end up in the used-clothes container after being worn just two or three times. Esther Schweins is declaring war on fast fashion. In her work, she also calls for action from those with political responsibility. German Development Minister Gerd Müller intends to use the Green Button to certify socially and environmentally manufactured clothing.

Watch the video here

Our clothing is only so cheap because it is produced cheaply in other countries, like here in Ethiopia. A new law could now require manufacturers to comply with minimum social standards. German Development Minister Gerd Müller has visited Ethiopia to see the situation for himself. With the Green Button, the German government-run textile label, he is showing that sustainable working conditions can be achieved.

Watch the video here

German Development Minister Dr Gerd Müller will join Wolfgang Joop on Thursday 30 April 2020 at 19:00 to discuss the future of fashion and the impact of COVID-19 on the textile industry. The Inner Circle, the talk series of FOCUS magazine, will be held as a livestream. Other guests include Anita Tillmann, Managing Partner of PREMIUM Exhibitions, and FOCUS magazine’s Sara Sievert, who will chair the discussion. You are welcome to take part. The livestream link will be posted on www.facebook.com/focusmagazin and on FOCUS magazine’s  YouTube channel shortly before the event begins.

Public-benefit firm RAL gGmbH is assuming with immediate effect the role of official issuing and monitoring body for the Green Button on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). RAL will support all certified and interested companies through the entire process in future, from application to the awarding of licences. Through market monitoring, the issuing body also checks for proper application of the label in retail and advertising.

More information can be found here.

On Thursday, 8 October 2020 at 2.30 pm, Federal Minister Dr Gerd Müller will discuss the possibilities of sustainability in the fashion industry with Fairtrade ambassador and actress Lea Marlen Woitack and Chiemsee Managing Director Jan Schmidt. The Chiemsee brand has been selling textiles certified with the Green Button certification label since June 2020. What are the challenges in the textile supply chain? And what has already been achieved to address these challenges? What can customers look out for when buying textiles? How can certification labels provide orientation? The talk will be shared live through the Freundin Magazin via Facebook.

The Green Button has been registered with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) as a European Union certification mark. The product and due diligence requirements of the Green Button were combined into a Standard document for the purposes of the application. This corresponds to standard international practice in accordance with ISO rules. The criteria and indicators of the Green Button 1.0 remain unaffected by this adjustment.

The equally accessible Certification Programme of the Green Button (German only) provides a concise version of the key requirements for auditing the Green Button criteria, including requirements for certification bodies and auditors. The Certification Programme is currently being revised. The adapted Certification Programme is set to be made available in summer 2020.