FSC 100%, FSC Mix, FSC Recycled: three different labels
FSC 100% means all fibre comes from certified forest. FSC Mix means a blend of certified and controlled sources. FSC Recycled means reclaimed material. All three are valid FSC labels, but they do not make the same claim, and some procurement specifications accept only one of them.
The three compared
What 'controlled wood' means
The uncertified share inside FSC Mix is not arbitrary: illegal harvesting, destruction of high conservation value forest and contentious sources are excluded. The whole blend is subject to control, though not all of it originates in certified forest.
Chain of custody is the real document
For the label to mean anything, every party handling the product needs Chain of Custody certification. A certified forest is not enough; the converter, the printer and the seller each need their own. This is usually the document a procurement team is actually asking for.
FSC does not mean compostable
FSC certifies where material came from, not how it breaks down. The two claims rest on different criteria and neither substitutes for the other.
Verifying the licence code
Every FSC label carries a licence code that can be checked against FSC's public database. Supplier due diligence looks at both validity and the product groups the certificate covers.
Frequently asked
- How does PEFC differ from FSC?
- Both are forest certification schemes. Corporate specifications usually name one, so it is worth asking which is accepted before assuming.
- Can bamboo be FSC certified?
- Yes. Although botanically a grass, bamboo can be certified under FSC.
Last updated: 2026-09-13