What Is Green Seal Certification? Standards, Process, and Benefits Explained

What Is Green Seal Certification?

Green Seal Certification is a prestigious product certification program developed and awarded by Green Seal, a globally recognized nonprofit organization. This certification covers a wide range of products across various industries.

To obtain this certification, products or services must undergo a comprehensive and rigorous assessment conducted by Green Seal’s team of scientists and auditing professionals. These evaluations are based on strict criteria relating to performance, health, and environmental standards. Only products or services that fully meet these standards are granted the Green Seal certification.

Why Is Green Seal Certification Important?

Green Seal’s standards are science-based and developed through a transparent process that prioritizes input from the public and stakeholders. As one of the most trusted ecolabels worldwide, Green Seal represents a mark of environmental leadership and responsibility.

Achieving Green Seal certification not only showcases a company’s commitment to sustainability but also helps consumers and procurement professionals identify safer, more environmentally responsible, and more sustainable product choices.

Today, hundreds of leading global companies have had their products, services, or facilities certified by Green Seal. Furthermore, over 100 procurement policies at the federal, state, and local levels in the U.S. explicitly reference or rely on Green Seal certification to ensure that purchased products meet high standards of health and environmental safety.

Which Products Can Be Green Seal Certified?

Green Seal Certification currently offers standards for a wide variety of product categories, including:

• GS-1: Sanitary paper products
• GS-7: Printing and writing paper
• GS-8: Cleaning Products for Household Use
• GS-11: Paints, Coatings, Stains, and Sealers
• GS-20: Environmental innovation
• GS-33: Hotels and lodging properties
• GS-34: Cleaners and degreasers agents
• GS-36: Adhesives for Commercial Use
• GS-37: Cleaning Products for Industrial and Institutional Use
• GS-40: Floor care products for Industrial and Institutional Use
• GS-41: Hand cleaners and Hand sanitizers for industrial and institutional use
• GS-42: Commercial and institutional cleaning services
• GS-44: Soaps, Cleansers, Hand Sanitizers, and Shower Products
• GS-48: Laundry care products for Household Use
• GS-49: Residential cleaning services
• GS-50: Personal care and cosmetic products
• GS-51: Laundry care products for industrial and institutional use
• GS-52: Specialty Cleaning Products for Household Use
• GS-53: Specialty Cleaning Products for industrial and institutional use
• GS-60: Plastic trash bags and can liners

Green Seal Certification Requirements

To obtain Green Seal certification, products must meet a series of stringent requirements outlined in relevant standards. For example, the requirements for personal care and cosmetic products include:

• Chemical Safety: All formulation ingredients must be disclosed. The product must not contain banned substances such as PFAS, BPA, phthalates, or ozone-depleting compounds. The product must also meet health and environmental criteria, including restrictions on acute toxicity, skin and eye irritation, sensitization, endocrine disruption, carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, VOCs, bioaccumulation, eutrophication, aquatic toxicity, and biodegradability etc.
• Responsible Sourcing: If the product includes disposable wipes or similar materials, they must be made from 100% renewable materials (e.g., cellulosic fibers) and meet advanced recycled content standards.
• Social Responsibility: Manufacturers must provide documentation demonstrating compliance with social responsibility criteria, including freedom of association, collective bargaining, non-discrimination, labor rights, health and safety, and fair working conditions.
• Sustainable Packaging: Packaging must maximize post-consumer recycled content, prohibit aerosol packaging, and restrict single-use or pump-spray packaging for certain product types. Packaging must also feature clear usage instructions and meet thresholds for restricted substances such as heavy metals, phthalates, and BPA.
• Product Performance: Products must undergo performance testing to demonstrate that they meet consumer expectations.
• Product Labeling: Labels must clearly and accurately describe ingredients, disposal instructions, and product efficacy in compliance with Green Seal standards.

Green Seal Verification

Green Seal Verification is a process used to confirm that raw materials, concentrates, formulations, or parent rolls meet certain Green Seal criteria. While not a full certification, verification indicates compliance with specific certification requirements, such as the safety of chemical ingredients.

Once verified, companies receive an official Green Seal Verification Letter, which they can use to demonstrate that their materials meet relevant standards. This can significantly streamline the Green Seal certification process for downstream customers. Additionally, verified suppliers are listed in Green Seal’s online database, boosting visibility and market competitiveness.

Green Seal Certification Process

Our Services

• Full-Service Certification Support
  We provide end-to-end assistance throughout the Green Seal certification and verification process—from initial preparation and material submission to audit coordination, ensuring efficient and accurate project delivery.
• Customized Safety Evaluation Reports
  With a team of experienced toxicologists, we deliver professional safety assessments tailored to certification requirements, thoroughly analyzing ingredient safety and compliance.
• Supply Chain Coordination
  We act as a communication bridge across your supply chain, helping you gather essential formulation data and removing information barriers that could delay certification.
• Tailored Service Solutions
  We offer personalized service packages to meet the unique needs of each client, whether for specific product categories or complex certification scenarios.

Why Choose Us?

• Strong Technical Expertise
  REACH24H has a dedicated Green Seal certification team backed by experts in pharmacy, chemistry, environmental science, and veterinary medicine, including board-certified toxicologists (certified by Chinese and American toxicology societies).
• Extensive Certification Experience
  We have years of hands-on experience supporting companies through various green and sustainable certification programs, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.
• Broad Product Coverage
  Our services span a wide range of product types, including paper products, paints, cleaning agents, laundry care products, and personal care and cosmetics etc.
• Global Service Capability
  Our multilingual service team supports Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, and more, enabling us to assist clients around the world with local expertise and global vision.