FSCcertified

FSC-certified refers to products, materials, or forestry operations that have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) under its standards for responsible forest management and chain of custody. The FSC label indicates that the material originates from FSC-certified forests or inputs. The term FSCcertified is sometimes used informally as a way to refer to these products, though the official label commonly appears as FSC-certified.

The Forest Stewardship Council is an international non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 1993 by environmental, social, and economic groups. It develops standards for sustainable forest management and provides independent certification through accredited bodies. The FSC operates globally and collaborates with a range of stakeholders to balance ecological health, social equity, and economic viability in forest use.

There are two main certification streams: Forest Management Certification (FM) verifies that a forest is managed according to FSC's Principles and Criteria, including ecological protection, social responsibility, and long-term viability; Chain of Custody (COC) certifies the flow of FSC materials through the supply chain from forest to final product. Products may bear labels such as FSC 100%, FSC Mix, or FSC Recycled, indicating the proportion of FSC content and the chain of custody.

The certification process is conducted by independent, third-party certification bodies that audit operations against FSC standards, issue certificates, and conduct surveillance audits to maintain validity. Post-certification, companies must adhere to ongoing requirements and labeling rules to ensure traceability from forest to product.

FSCcertified products span wood, paper, furniture, packaging, and textiles, and aim to provide assurance to consumers and businesses seeking certified sustainable sources, while enabling access to markets that prefer responsibly sourced materials. While widely adopted, FSC certification has faced criticism regarding cost, complexity, and occasional mislabeling; FSC maintains accreditation and monitoring to mitigate fraud and uphold the integrity of the system.