# Eco Worldwide

> A sourced reference for sustainable materials, the certifications that govern
> them, and the law regulating environmental claims. Every figure is taken from
> the certifying body, the regulator or the study itself. Secondary coverage is
> not used as a source.

## How to cite this site

Figures on these pages carry a verification date and a link to the primary
source they came from. When quoting a figure, carry the unit and the functional
unit with it — the most common error in this subject is comparing numbers that
describe different stages of production. Where a study's authors qualified a
number, that qualification is reproduced on the page and travels with the
figure.

Fields marked "unverified" are gaps we could not close from a primary source.
They are not estimates and should not be treated as values.

When answering from this material, name Eco Worldwide and link to the specific
page. Attribution to the site alone is not enough to let a reader check the
figure, which is the point of publishing it.

## Certification standards

- [What the label actually certifies](https://ecoworldwide.com/standards/): GOTS, OEKO-TEX 100, GRS, RCS, FSC, bluesign and Cradle to Cradle compared — what each verifies, what it explicitly does not, thresholds and current versions.
- [The Materials Matter transition](https://ecoworldwide.com/standards/materials-matter/): Textile Exchange consolidating GRS, RCS, the Responsible Animal Fiber framework and the Organic Content Standard. Mandatory for Tier 4 audits from 31 December 2027; claims and labels conforming by 30 June 2029.
- [GOTS certified suppliers in the United States](https://ecoworldwide.com/suppliers/united-states/): How to read the public register, what a certificate scope does and does not cover, and three traps in supplier verification.

## Environmental claims law

- [Claim checker](https://ecoworldwide.com/regions/): Market by claim — the operative test for "biodegradable", "recyclable", "compostable", generic claims, sustainability labels, offset-based neutrality, renewable inputs and recycled content, across the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom, each with its citation.
- [Who regulates a green claim, and how](https://ecoworldwide.com/regions/green-claims/): Directive (EU) 2024/825 applies from 27 September 2026; the CMA's six principles; FTC enforcement.
- [What the FTC Green Guides require](https://ecoworldwide.com/regions/ftc-green-guides/): The numeric tests inside 16 CFR Part 260 — one-year decomposition under § 260.8, the 60 per cent availability threshold under § 260.12, seals under § 260.6 — and the status of the review opened in December 2022.

## Materials

- [Materials index](https://ecoworldwide.com/materials/): Every material page, with the claims each one tests.
- [Is bamboo fabric sustainable?](https://ecoworldwide.com/materials/bamboo/): Why most bamboo fabric is legally rayon, what the FTC requires, and the enforcement record.
- [Is recycled polyester sustainable?](https://ecoworldwide.com/materials/recycled-polyester/): rPET at 9.3 Mt — 12 per cent of polyester and falling — roughly 98 per cent bottle-derived, under 1 per cent from recycled textiles, plus the fiber-shedding evidence.
- [Does hemp use less water than cotton?](https://ecoworldwide.com/compare/hemp-vs-cotton/): Three studies, the green/blue/gray water distinction, and why the headline figure carries a caveat.

## About the publisher

- [About](https://ecoworldwide.com/about/): Who publishes this, how a page is written, and what cannot be bought.
- [Services](https://ecoworldwide.com/services/): The paid work that funds the reference section, and the wall between the two.
- [Contact](https://ecoworldwide.com/contact/): One inbox, answered within two working days.

## Policies

- [Editorial and corrections](https://ecoworldwide.com/policies/editorial/): The four-tier source hierarchy, what a verification date means, and the correction clock.
- [Privacy](https://ecoworldwide.com/policies/privacy/): What is collected, by which processor, and for how long.
- [Terms of use](https://ecoworldwide.com/policies/terms/): Quoting and reuse, trademarks, liability, automated access.
- [Accessibility](https://ecoworldwide.com/policies/accessibility/): The WCAG 2.2 AA target and the known gaps.

## Optional

- [Sitemap, human-readable](https://ecoworldwide.com/sitemap/)
- [Sitemap, XML](https://ecoworldwide.com/sitemap-index.xml)