Certification Guide
FSC®
Understanding FSC® certification and what it can tell you about forest-based materials.
FSC® stands for Forest Stewardship Council®. FSC certification provides a recognised system for supporting responsible forest management and tracing eligible forest-based materials through the supply chain. Across promotional merchandise, FSC-certified materials may be found in products containing paper, cardboard, wood and other forest-derived materials.
What does FSC® mean?
FSC is an international certification system associated with responsible forest management and chain-of-custody controls for forest-based materials.
FSC certification can help provide greater confidence about the sourcing of eligible wood, paper and other forest-based materials.
Importantly, FSC is not a material itself. A product may be made from paper, cardboard, wood, bamboo or another material and separately carry an FSC certification or claim where supported by the appropriate documentation.
Understanding the chain
- 1
Forest
Forest-based raw materials originate from managed forest resources or other eligible sources.
- 2
Processing
Raw materials are processed into materials such as timber, pulp, paper or board.
- 3
Supply chain
Chain-of-custody certification provides a system for tracing eligible material as it moves through certified organisations.
- 4
Manufacturing
Certified material can be incorporated into eligible finished products and packaging.
- 5
Finished product
An FSC claim or label may be used where the relevant certification, product and trademark requirements have been met.
Where you may find FSC®
FSC-certified forest-based materials can appear in a range of promotional merchandise, either in the product itself or in its packaging.
Paper & notebooks
Selected notebooks, journals, cards and paper-based stationery may use FSC-certified paper.
Packaging
Selected boxes, sleeves and other paper or board packaging may carry an FSC claim.
Wooden products
FSC certification may apply to eligible wood used in selected promotional products.
Office & gifting
FSC-certified forest-based materials can appear across stationery, desk products, gift sets and other merchandise.
Understanding the claim
FSC certification provides information about the sourcing and chain of custody of eligible forest-based materials.
It should not be interpreted as a blanket environmental claim about every aspect of a finished product.
An FSC-certified component does not automatically mean that every material or component within the finished product is FSC certified.
Likewise, FSC certification alone does not tell us the complete carbon footprint, recyclability, biodegradability or overall environmental impact of the finished item.
Check what is actually certified
FSC certification may relate to the product itself, a particular forest-based component, or packaging. This distinction matters.
For example, FSC-certified packaging does not mean the product inside the packaging is FSC certified.
Similarly, if only a paper component is certified, the claim should not automatically be applied to unrelated materials within the finished product.
Ecosource should display FSC against a product only where the supplier information or documentation supports the relevant claim.
Different FSC® claims
FSC has different label and claim categories.
FSC 100% — material comes from FSC-certified forests.
FSC Recycled — the forest-based material is made from recycled sources in accordance with FSC requirements.
FSC Mix — the product uses material from a combination of eligible FSC-controlled/certified and/or recycled sources according to FSC requirements.
This section is educational. Ecosource only shows a specific FSC label against a product where supplier data confirms that claim.
FSC® and carbon footprint are different measures
FSC certification and product carbon footprint information answer different questions.
FSC primarily relates to responsible forest management and the chain of custody of eligible forest-based materials. A carbon footprint considers greenhouse-gas emissions associated with stages of a product's lifecycle.
A product carrying an FSC claim should therefore not automatically be assumed to have a lower carbon footprint than another product.
Where supplier-provided carbon information is available, Ecosource displays that information separately.
Making accurate FSC® claims
When presenting an FSC-certified product to a customer, use only the certification information supported for that specific product.
Avoid assuming that:
- FSC is a material;
- every wooden or paper product is FSC certified;
- FSC-certified packaging means the product itself is FSC certified;
- one FSC-certified component means every component is certified;
- FSC certification means the product is automatically biodegradable;
- FSC certification means the product has a lower carbon footprint; or
- all FSC products carry the same FSC claim or label.
Always refer to the specific product information and available supplier documentation before making a certification claim.
Explore FSC® certified products
Discover promotional merchandise across the Ecosource range where FSC certification information has been provided and supported for the relevant product or material.