The Basics of FSC Labels
The FSC label is a seal awarded by the Forest Stewardship Council to specific products, indicating that the materials used in production are recycled and sustainably sourced. The symbol also indicates that the product has passed the council’s high environmental and social standards. Because these tests are so rigorous, earning an FSC label not only indicates that the product itself contains sustainable materials, but so does the label and packaging. There are three different types of FSC labels that can provide consumers with information about what’s inside:
FSC 100%
This label is most consistent with the FSC’s mission. It states that the product’s ingredients come entirely from forests that comply with responsible forest management and practices that meet the FSC’s level of excellence.
FSC MIX
FSC MIX appears on products that are made from materials from different places. Part of a product may come from ethical and sustainable forests, just like an FSC 100% product. Some are recycled materials, while others are made from FSC-controlled wood. While FSC-controlled wood does not come from sustainable or responsible forests, it is reused to discourage overproduction.
FSC Recycled
The FSC Recycled label indicates that FSC has verified the use of 100% post-consumer or post-consumer recycled materials. This is for two reasons: The first is that consumers’ products are not going to landfill. The second is that it reduces the need for new material production and further deforestation.
Why FSC on the label is important
While it can be difficult to trust a company’s commitment to its production and environmental standards, FSC offers consumers a unique opportunity to control what practices they are paying for. To be fair, FSC uses independent third-party investigators to check companies’ operations and the forests they support. This allows buyers to make decisions based on unbiased information. Given the Forest Stewardship Council’s impeccably high standards, earning this label shows that a company truly acts in an eco-conscious manner.