Why Choose GRS & OEKO-TEX Certified Manufacturers?

June 18, 2026 100

A growing number of brands now include a line in their supplier screening form that asks whether the factory holds GRS or OEKO-TEX certification. For a buyer encountering these two standards for the first time, it is rarely obvious what each one covers, why both are needed, or how to verify whether a certificate is genuine.

If you are managing sustainable sourcing for a brand and evaluating metal button suppliers on their environmental credentials, this article uses Songji as a reference to break it down.


I. What GRS actually governs


GRS stands for Global Recycled Standard. It governs the recycled content in a product and the traceability of the supply chain behind it. The core question it asks is: how much recycled material is in this product, where did it come from, and can every step be verified.

For metal buttons, GRS certification means the recycled copper and alloy the factory uses comes from verified sources, and the proportion of recycled content is backed by records. A factory cannot simply claim "we use recycled material" and call it done. A third-party certification body must audit the entire chain—from raw-material procurement records through to the production process itself—to confirm that the flow and proportion of recycled material are genuine and traceable.

Songji holds GRS certification covering its metal button product range. This means the recycled copper supply chain has been independently audited, and buyers can verify the certification status by entering the certificate number on the GRS website.


Why Choose GRS & OEKO-TEX Certified Manufacturers?


II. What OEKO-TEX governs


OEKO-TEX Standard 100 answers a different question: does the finished product contain any harmful chemical residues.

The certification divides products into four classes. Class I is the infant-product grade—the most extensive testing and the tightest limits. Formaldehyde must be below 16 ppm, and the limits for extractable heavy metals are far lower than those for adult-product grades. Class II covers direct skin contact. Class III is for non-direct skin contact. Class IV is for decorative materials.

For buttons, passing Class I means the product can be used on infant and children's clothing—the highest safety backing available. Songji holds OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Class I certification across its entire metal button range, from five-prong buttons to snap fasteners, from fashion buttons to pushchair hardware. The same safety standard applies throughout.


Why Choose GRS & OEKO-TEX Certified Manufacturers?


III. GRS and OEKO-TEX are not substitutes for each other


These two certifications are frequently required together, but their logic is complementary.

GRS governs whether the raw material is environmentally responsible—how much recycled content is present and whether the source can be traced. OEKO-TEX governs whether the finished product is safe—whether any harmful substances remain. A factory could use a high proportion of recycled material but introduce hazardous chemicals at the surface-finishing stage. It would pass GRS but fail OEKO-TEX. The reverse is equally possible: a factory with strong safety standards that uses only newly mined copper cannot obtain GRS.

Songji holds both GRS and OEKO-TEX Class I certifications concurrently. This means recycled-material traceability at the raw-material end and finished-product safety testing at the output end run within the same quality system. From the moment recycled copper enters the factory to the moment a finished button leaves it, each step is governed by the corresponding certification. No single checkpoint is doing all the work.


Why Choose GRS & OEKO-TEX Certified Manufacturers?


IV. What actually separates a certified factory's quality system from a standard one


Neither GRS nor OEKO-TEX is a "send one sample, pass one test, and you are done" certification. Both require annual recertification—the issuing body returns each year to verify that the system is still operational, the records are complete, and the material flows and test data align.

This places an ongoing demand on supply chain traceability. GRS requires every batch of recycled material to have its source and composition recorded, with the recycled content in the finished product verifiable. OEKO-TEX requires the harmful-substance test data for every batch to be retrievable. Together, they mean the factory must run a traceability system that goes end to end—not one propped up by a few paper certificates.

Songji's system has been repeatedly verified through the 72 international brand audits the factory has passed over the past decade. The scope of these audits covers quality management, environmental compliance and document traceability—the same categories of records that GRS and OEKO-TEX require. Songji retains testing records for at least five years, and both the recycled-material batch records that GRS demands and the harmful-substance test data that OEKO-TEX demands sit within that same archiving system.


Why Choose GRS & OEKO-TEX Certified Manufacturers?


V. How to verify whether a supplier's certification is genuine


Both GRS and OEKO-TEX certificates carry unique numbers that can be checked on their respective official websites. GRS is managed by Textile Exchange. OEKO-TEX certificates are issued by authorised bodies such as Hohenstein. Both certificates are valid for 12 months and lapse automatically if not renewed.

When checking, note the scope of coverage stated on the certificate. A GRS certificate specifies the product categories covered and the scope of recycled material usage. An OEKO-TEX certificate specifies the class—Class I is the infant-product grade. Songji's GRS and OEKO-TEX certifications both cover the full metal button product range, not a handful of selected styles.

There is also a less obvious signal: how well the supplier knows the operational details of the certification. Ask what document checklist a GRS audit requires, or what the testing-item differences are between OEKO-TEX Class I and Class II. If the supplier cannot answer at the operational level, the certificate may have been purchased rather than earned through a genuinely running system.


Why Choose GRS & OEKO-TEX Certified Manufacturers?


Songji holds both GRS and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Class I certification, covering the full product range. If you need metal buttons that meet sustainable sourcing standards, we would be glad to work with you. Get in touch today.