FSC Labels | Forest Stewardship Council

What It Means When You See the FSC labels on a Product

FSC labels can be found on millions of products around the world – from toilet rolls to your favourite book, to that milk carton in your fridge, and other food products. What does the label mean? Simply put: by choosing products with FSC labels, you are helping to take care of the world’s forests.

Three FSC labels

FSC 100%

The FSC 100% label means that the wood within the product comes entirely from FSC-certified, well-managed forests.

FSC Recycled

The FSC Recycled label means all the wood or paper in the product comes from reclaimed or re-used material.

FSC Mix

The FSC Mix label means the wood within the product is from FSC-certified forests, recycled material, or controlled wood. While not FSC-certified, controlled wood cannot be:

illegally harvested
harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights
harvested in forests where high conservation values are threatened
harvested in forests being converted to plantations or non-forest use
harvested in forests where genetically modified trees are planted

FSC 100%

FSC Recycled

FSC Mix

FAQs

How can certificate holders download the label?

The Trademark Portal allows certificate holders to download the FSC labels in over 60 languages.

Check out the video tutorial to see how to generate and download the FSC label.
Why are there three FSC labels?

The great thing about the FSC on-product labels is that once you know about them, you will see them everywhere.

But the sourcing of wood is complex, and we need to carefully track how products get from forest to store. So, behind every label, we work to ensure that the product has been made with forest materials from approved sources.

One day, we hope that every product will be labelled FSC 100%. The more you choose FSC-certified products, the more companies will want to meet that demand and will work to be become FSC-certified.

Whichever FSC label is on your product, you can be sure that you’re purchasing a product that has not been manufactured at the expense of the forest, or the animals, plants, and people who rely on it. So keep an eye out for the FSC label on your next trip to the supermarket, furniture store, or coffee shop.

We all make choices every day – and now, when you see any of the three FSC labels, you can make a choice that helps take care of the world’s forests.
Does FSC certification mean that all products by the company selling the product are FSC-certified?

Any company that wants to add the FSC label to any of the products it makes must first receive chain of custody certification. This certification proves it is sourcing materials from FSC-certified forests, recycling and/or controlled sources and is following FSC-defined best practice throughout the production process and supply chain. But it does not mean that all products they produce are comprised of these materials.

Only products that use FSC-certified materials can carry the FSC on-product label. So, just because one product carries it, does not mean all products from the same company are made from responsibly sourced materials. You still need to look for the FSC label on individual products to find out which are FSC-certified and which are not.