In today’s textile industry, which is accelerating its transition toward low carbon, the use of recycled fibers has moved from being a “nice-to-have” to a “must-have” for companies competing in the global market. GRS (Global Recycled Standard), established by the international non-profit organization Textile Exchange, is one of the world’s most authoritative certification systems for recycled materials. This certification not only strictly verifies the recycled content of products but also requires companies to establish a fully traceable system covering raw material procurement, production processes, and finished product delivery, while setting quantitative standards for environmental protection, chemical management, and social responsibility.
GRS-certified yarns are typically made from post-consumer recycled PET bottles (e.g., waste cola bottles) and recycled textiles. Compared with virgin polyester, recycled polyester (rPET) can reduce the carbon footprint by approximately 70% per ton. Industry estimates suggest that if a textile company fully adopts GRS-certified recycled polyester fiber for knitting yarn, carbon emissions can be reduced by about 40% at the raw material stage alone. The global market for recycled fiber fabrics for apparel is forecast to grow from US$13.7 billion in 2025 to US$25.4 billion by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 9.19%. In terms of sportswear brands, Li Ning’s 2025 ESG report showed that its annual usage of recycled polyester yarn reached 4,715 tons, cumulatively recycling about 380 million waste plastic bottles. Adidas has committed to achieving 100% recycled polyester by 2025, and the sustainable material procurement ratios of brands such as Nike and Anta are also increasing year by year. More importantly, over 60% of mainstream global apparel brands now use GRS certification as a hard threshold for supplier procurement; companies without certification risk being excluded from core supply chains.
In industry practice, Fuen Co., Ltd. starts at the source, primarily using GRS-certified recycled polyester fiber and eco-friendly viscose fiber, combined with color spinning technology to reduce energy consumption and emissions in dyeing and finishing. Through customised intelligent production lines and the use of green energy sources such as solar power and biomass fuels, the company has built a full‑chain green production system from raw material to finished product. Its products are now sold in Europe, America, and Southeast Asia, and it has established long‑term partnerships with internationally renowned brands such as Uniqlo, H&M, and ZARA. Zhongwang Fabric uses GRS-certified eco‑friendly DTY yarn made from recycled waste cola bottles through high‑tech recycling technology, achieving resource circularity at the source. Supplemented by rooftop photovoltaic power generation and waste heat recovery from RTO exhaust treatment units, the company has been recognized as a provincial‑level green and low‑carbon factory. Xinyuanhui Technology has built a closed‑loop model of “recycling – remanufacturing – certification”, processing over 50,000 tons of recycled polyester raw material annually, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 120,000 tons, with certification covering all production stages: weaving, dyeing and finishing, grey fabric, and colored fabric. Zhongshan Guotai Dyeing & Finishing regards GRS certification as a key tool for securing international orders – each batch of recycled fabric comes with a dedicated yarn “ID card”. Its water reuse rate reaches 30%, saving 174,000 tons of water annually.
Using GRS-certified yarn at the raw material source means that from the moment of creation, the product carries a traceable “green identity”. Behind each product lies the rebirth of waste plastic bottles, a significant reduction in carbon footprint, and a fully transparent and verifiable green commitment across the entire chain. From raw material selection to weaving and processing, from environmental certification to brand cooperation, this commitment embodies the philosophy of “weaving a green future with technology”. Guided by the “dual carbon” goals, GRS certification is not only an environmental mark for products but also a crucial step for companies to fulfill their social responsibilities and move toward sustainable development. When every yarn carries the concept of resource circularity, green and energy-saving measures are no longer just slogans – they become measurable, verifiable results, truly paving a green and sustainable development path from raw material to finished garment.
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