Grüner Knopf | academy

The Green Button was introduced as the German textile seal of corporate social responsibility on 9 September 2019. The national label was developed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in cooperation with the German Association for International Cooperation.

The code of conduct established for the use of the label aims to ensure high environmental and social standards for textile products placed on the market.

The ecological product criteria include a ban on softeners and hazardous textile chemicals as well as natural fibres tested for harmful substances. The social product criteria include a ban on child and forced labour, minimum wages and occupational health and safety.

So far, however, only the end of the production chain has been examined (sewing, cutting, dyeing, bleaching), not cotton cultivation and weaving. An extension of the Green Button to all other production steps in the textile supply chain is planned for the coming years. In total, a product that is to bear the Green Button must meet 26 social and environmental standards.

The Green Button is awarded to products from companies that already meet particularly demanding social and environmental standards and will continue to do so in the future. For the Green Button- the alliance is an important basis with regard to corporate due diligence.

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With which seals already existing on the market are the product criteria fulfilled?

In order for an existing Green Button label to be recognised, it must not only fulfil the specified social and/or environmental criteria. It must also be classified as credible. This means, for example, that the process for setting standards must be public, the (financial) structure must be transparent and a review must take place regularly and independently. The criteria for the recognition of seals are laid down in the Green Button Statutes.

With the following credible seals, the social and ecological requirements for the Green Button can be proven in the introductory phase!

This recognition is a recognition of the preparatory work done by the companies and particularly credible seals. The Green Button does not replace existing seals. Membership of the Alliance for Sustainable Textiles is also an important basis for the Green Button in terms of corporate due diligence.

If a company produces exclusively in the EU, a recognised seal for compliance with environmental standards must be presented. Proof of compliance with social standards can be provided through the company audit. In this case, the company must prove in which EU member states and at which suppliers the production takes place and that possible remaining risks for the fulfilment of the product-related social criteria are also appropriately addressed within the EU. Proof of seals of approval for social standards is then no longer required.

German Vocational Training Institute

With the following credible seals, the social and ecological requirements for the Green Button can be proven in the introductory phase!

This recognition is a recognition of the preparatory work done by the companies and particularly credible seals. The Green Button does not replace existing seals. Membership of the Alliance for Sustainable Textiles is also an important basis for the Green Button in terms of corporate due diligence.

Datenschutzerklärung

With the following credible seals, the social and ecological requirements for the Green Button can be proven in the introductory phase!

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This recognition is a recognition of the preparatory work done by the companies and particularly credible seals. The Green Button does not replace existing seals. Membership of the Alliance for Sustainable Textiles is also an important basis for the Green Button in terms of corporate due diligence.