FSC Claim, Labels, and Logo
The ability to promote using the FSC labels, trademarks, and logos highlights that the organisation has legitimately sourced for forest-derived materials responsibly. Having a label, trademark or logo also informs the users that their purchases are part of the goal of protecting the world’s forests.
FSC Claim
An FSC claim is the designation on sales and delivery documents (such as invoices and packing slips) that shows a product’s status as FSC certified or as an eligible input. FSC claims include:
* FSC Controlled Wood claims can only be made on sales and delivery documents to other FSC Chain of Custody certificate holders.
FSC Labels
An FSC on-product label is placed on FSC certified products to allow consumers to easily identify an FSC certified product in the marketplace. There are 3 types of FSC labels:
FSC 100%
All materials used come from responsibly managed, FSC-certified forests. Products with the FSC 100% label contribute most directly to our mission to ensure thriving forests for all, forever.
FSC Recycled
The product is made from 100 per cent recycled materials. Using recycled material makes the most of precious forest resources and reduces the pressure to harvest more trees.
FSC Mix
The product is made with a mixture of materials from FSC-certified forests, recycled materials, and/or FSC-controlled wood. While controlled wood doesn’t come from FSC-certified forests, it mitigates the risk of...
Only FSC certified companies are authorised to place FSC labels onto products. The FSC label applied to a product depends on the FSC claim an FSC-certified company makes and the control system they employ when producing the product.
FSC-certified companies can access to the FSC on-product label graphic files through the FSC Trademark Portal.
FSC 100% label
Video in English (with Bahasa Melayu subtitles)
FSC Recycled label
Video in English (with Bahasa Melayu subtitles)
FSC Mix label
Video in English (with Bahasa Melayu subtitles)
Get To Know FSC Labels
Components of an FSC Label
Three Types of FSC Labels
Certification Verification
Chain of Custody Control Systems
What FSC control system should I use?
The FSC chain of custody control system is used for controlling the quantities of products in a product group that can be sold with the FSC claims. The three control systems are transfer, percentage and credit systems, summarized below. For detailed requirements of each control system, please refer to FSC-STD-40-004 (Chain of Custody Certification).
Transfer System
Most FSC certified companies, including printers, brokers, distributors, and merchants, employ the transfer system. This is the most straightforward and simple of the three systems. Most companies that use the transfer system purchase FSC certified products with a specific FSC claim and then sell that product along with its FSC claim to their customers.
Percentage System
Many manufacturers employ the percentage system, including mills, woodworkers, and some printers. Companies using this system will monitor inputs of eligible materials through either a rolling average or by batch method. For a product to be eligible to carry an FSC on-product label under this control system, FSC requires a minimum of 70% certified inputs into the product or batch of products. The other non-certified inputs into the product MUST be from eligible inputs such as Controlled Wood or pre-consumer reclaimed wood. FSC does not allow non-eligible inputs into FSC certified products. Products that do not meet the 70% labelling threshold can still be sold with an FSC claim on the invoice, including the actual percentage, but the products are NOT allowed to carry an FSC on-product label. Under certain conditions, FSC- certified companies may also apply the percentage system across multiple sites under one certificate by using the average percent of FSC inputs among the sites.
Credit System
Many different types of manufacturing companies employ the credit system, including paper and solid wood mills. The credit system allows manufacturers to store “credit” into a credit account when they source claim-contributing input materials such as FSC certified material (either FSC 100%, FSC Mix Credit, or FSC Mix XX%) or inputs of post-consumer reclaimed material, pre-consumer reclaimed paper fiber. A manufacturer can mix eligible inputs together (both claim-contributing and not) based upon product groups, and then label and/or sell products by removing credit from what is available in their credit account. The credit system works so that the volume being sold as FSC Mix Credit is only as much as the volume of FSC claim contributing input into that specific product group. If a manufacturer runs out of credit in their account, they can no longer sell products as FSC certified.
They can sell the remainder of their stock as Controlled Wood, but only to other FSC certified customers. Under certain conditions, FSC certified companies may also apply the credit system across multiple sites under one certificate by maintaining a centralised credit account that each site would contribute into.
FSC Logo and Other Trademarks
Using the FSC logo and other trademarks is a powerful and trusted way to demonstrate to your customers, your commitment to sustainability, positive ESG outcomes, and the future of our forests.
The FSC Promotional Licence allows companies to use the FSC logo and other trademarks in their marketing and advertising efforts including printed, training and point of sale materials, catalogues, press release, social media, video, websites, reports and more. With a promotional license, you can:
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Promote specific FSC-certified products...
... with the FSC trademarks on promotional materials e.g. website, brochures, advertisements, videos, press releases, catalogue, reports, etc., as long as the products being promoted are FSC labelled and sourced directly from an FSC-certified supplier.
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Assistance with promotional materials and campaigns
A promotional license also allows retailers to engage FSC directly for help in developing content in promotional materials and campaigns.
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Have your brand and FSC-certified product featured on our communication channels
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Get listed in FSC’s public global certificate database
which enables third parties (consumers, businesses, media, etc.) to confirm that certification claims made by the promotional/trademark license holder are verified.
For non-FSC certificate holders, you will need to apply for, and secure a promotional license to enable you to use the FSC logo and other trademarks for promotional purposes. Learn more here.
FSC promotional licence holders will have access to the FSC logo and trademarks graphic files through the FSC Trademark Portal.
FSC Certificate and Licence Codes
Each FSC certificate holder will receive two codes from its accredited certification body:
1) FSC Certificate Code
- FSC certificates will bear a code which follows the format: ACB-XXX-######.
- The FSC Certificate Code must be shown on the sales documents (e.g. invoice / delivery document) to pass down the FSC claims.
2) FSC Trademark License Code for certificate holders
- Follows the format FSC-C###### (unique to each certificate holder)
- FSC licence codes are seen on FSC labels and promotional use of the FSC logo (i.e. promotional panel)
- This is a revocable, non-exclusive and non-transferable license to use the FSC trademarks.
You can search for FSC-certified companies on the FSC Public Search Database using the codes above.