Foreward

   TextileExchangeisaninternational,member-supported,non-profitorganizationthatwasestablishedin2003undertheoriginalnameofOrganicExchange.TextileExchangeoperatesinternationallyandiscom-mittedtotheresponsibleexpansionofbothorganiccottonandallothersustainabletextilevaluechains.

   In2007OrganicExchangedevelopedtheOE100andOEBlendedstandardstoverifytheorganiccottoncontentclaimsonproducts.Thestandardsestablishedasystemfortrackinganddocumentingthepur-chase,handlinganduseofcertifiedorganiccottonfiber.Sincethentherehasbeenaneedforabroaderorganicstandardthatwouldsupportcontentclaimsforallorganicinputs,notjustcotton.Tomeetthisneed,TextileExchangehasdevelopedtheOrganicContentStandard(OCS),basedonthegenericchainofcustodyrequirementsoftheContentClaimStandard(CCS).

   TheCCSandOCSwerewrittenbyTextileExchange.ThefirstdraftoftheCCSwasputoutforreviewandcommentbyprofessionalsfromthecertificationcommunity.ThefinaldraftsofbothstandardswerereviewedandapprovedbytheOutdoorIndustryAssociationMaterialsTraceabilityWorkingGroup.

   CovorphotocourtesyofJenniferJones,MOXYInt.,copyright2012..comOCSLogosweredesignedbyTroyTucker.

  Introduction

   TheOrganicContentStandard(OCS)appliestoanynon-foodproductcontaining5-100%organicmate-rial.Itverifiesthepresenceandamountoforganicmaterialinafinalproduct.Ittrackstheflowofarawmaterialfromthesourcetothefinalproductandthisprocessiscertifiedbyanaccreditedthirdparty.Itallowsfortransparent,consistentandcomprehensiveindependentevaluationandverificationoforganicmaterialcontentclaimsonproducts.Itcanbeusedasabusiness-to-businesstooltogivecompaniesthemeanstoensurethattheyaregettingwhattheyarepayingforandselling.

   TheStandarddoesnotcoverthecertificationoftherawmaterialitself-thatwillbeverifiedindepen-dentlyoftheproductionprocesscertification.Italsodoesnotaddressotherinputs,environmentalaspectsofprocessing(suchasenergy,waterorchemicaluse),anysocialissuesorlegalcompliance.ThebenefitsofthisStandardarethatorganicclaimsmadeonfinalproductscanbefullybackedupthroughthirdpartycertification,transparencyisincreased,andconsumertrustisimproved.TheIndustrywillhaveaclearanduniformprocess,leadingtogreaterconsistency,efficiencyandintegrity.

   IntendedusersoftheOCSaremanufacturers,brandsandretailers,certificationbodies,andorganiza-tionssupportingorganicinitiatives.Thisisavoluntarystandardthatisnotintendedtoreplacethelegalorregulatoryrequirementsofanycountry.Itistheresponsibilityofeachoperationtodemonstratecom-pliancewithallapplicablelawsandregulationsrelatedtomarketing,laborandbusinesspractices.

  OCSandCCS

   TheOCSusesthechainofcustodyrequirementsoftheContentClaimStandard(CCS),combinedwithclearrequirementsfortheuseofcertifiedorganicinputsandrulesregardinglogouseandlabellingclaims.TheCCSisagenericchainofcustodystandardbeingusedforthechainofcustodyrequirementsforanumberofstandards,includingtheOCS,RecycledContentStandard(RCS)andGlobalRecycleStandard(GRS).Byhavingacommonsetofrequirementsacrossthesestandards,wearecontributingtotheconsistencyandefficiencyofthecertificationprocess.OnceacompanyhasbeencertifiedtotheCCSrequirementsforonestandard,thismeansthattheymeetthesamechainofcustodyrequirementsforotherstandardsbasedontheCCS.