Q: What is a GRS transaction certificate for zippers?
The Global Recycled Standard verifies recycled content in a product and tracks it through the supply chain. A transaction certificate, or TC, is issued per shipment by a certification body; it links a specific quantity of certified zipper to a specific buyer and states the recycled content percentage, the material and the reference to the scope certificate of the supplier.
To claim GRS, the product must contain at least 20 percent recycled material, and the whole chain from recycling through manufacturing must be certified. For a zipper, the recycled content is usually in the polyester tape or the coil filament, not the metal teeth, so the achievable percentage depends on the construction. A metal chain with a standard polyester tape may not reach the threshold at all.
Check that the TC quantity does not exceed the certified production, that the product description matches the invoice, and that the scope certificate is still valid on the shipment date. Buyers who need a logo claim must also obtain approval for the artwork, because GRS rules control how the mark and the percentage are displayed.