Top 5 Certifications to Look for in Eco-Friendly Promotional Merchandise
21 April 2025
How to tell if your promotional products are eco-friendly
How can you tell which items genuinely meet environmental and ethical standards? How do you know your promotional merchandise is eco? One of the best ways is by looking for trusted third-party certifications.
These certifications offer transparency, set rigorous criteria, and help ensure that your branded merchandise aligns with your sustainability values. Here's a quick guide to five of the most respected certifications to look out for when choosing eco-conscious products.
1. FSC – Forest Stewardship Council
What it means:
The FSC certification ensures that wood, paper, and other forest-based materials come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits.
Why it matters:
If you're sourcing promotional items made from wood or paper—like notebooks, packaging, or wooden gifts—FSC certification guarantees that the materials are sustainably harvested.
Look for:
Products marked with the FSC logo; and check the certificate number on the FSC Certificate Search.
2. GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard
What it means:
GOTS is a globally recognized certification for organic textiles. It ensures that fabrics like cotton are grown without harmful chemicals and processed in socially and environmentally responsible ways.
Why it matters:
Many promotional products, like tote bags, T-shirts, and towels, are textile-based. GOTS certification means these items are organic, safe, and ethically produced from farm to finish.
Look for:
A GOTS-certified label and supplier. You can verify through the GOTS Public Database.
What it means:
Fairtrade certification supports better prices, decent working conditions, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in developing countries.
Why it matters:
Products like cotton bags, chocolate bars, or coffee mugs with Fairtrade-certified contents ensure ethical treatment of producers and sustainable farming practices.
Look for:
The blue and green Fairtrade logo on packaging or labels.
4. OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100
What it means:
This certification verifies that textiles are tested for harmful substances and are safe for human use.
Why it matters:
Even "natural" fabrics can be treated with dyes or chemicals. OEKO-TEX® ensures that every component of the product—from threads to prints—is free from harmful levels of over 100 substances.
Look for:
The STANDARD 100 label and certification number for verification via the OEKO-TEX® Label Check.
5. Cradle to Cradle Certified®
What it means:
Cradle to Cradle certification assesses products for environmental and social performance across five categories: material health, circularity, clean air & climate protection, water & soil stewardship, and social fairness.
Why it matters:
This is especially valuable for innovative and multi-material products. It focuses on the entire lifecycle, not just sourcing or disposal.
Look for:
The Cradle to Cradle Certified® mark and specific level (Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum).
Why Certifications Matter for Your Brand
Choosing certified eco-friendly promotional products isn’t just about ticking a box—it shows your customers, staff, and stakeholders that you care about ethical sourcing, sustainable production, and long-term environmental impact. These certifications offer peace of mind and add real value to your brand story.
At Pavilion Earth, we’re proud to work with suppliers who prioritise sustainability and transparency. Want help finding the right certified products for your campaign? Get in touch with us — we’d love to help.
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The factors affecting the price of branded promotional merchandise
Statisics on the UK market for eco promotional products - size and attitude
T he Changing Cost of Eco-Friendly Products: Is There Still a Premium? SUMMARY • Eco-friendly promotional products used to be 25-30% more expensive • In recent years the volume of eco friendly products has grown substantially • So, the price differences have eroded • Eco and non-eco are now comparable in price – the product features and embellishments are more important to the price, than the eco status In recent years, the market for eco-friendly promotional products has undergone significant changes. Hi, I'm David from Pavilion, and I'm here to explore just how much the pricing paradigm has shifted for products branded as "eco" compared to their standard counterparts. If you'd asked me this question five years ago, I would have estimated a premium of 20-30% for eco products. However, the last half-decade has brought some surprising developments. Eco Products Go Mainstream Eco products have become increasingly mainstream, leading to higher volumes and reduced manufacturing costs. To understand how this has affected pricing, I conducted a survey comparing various popular products. Comparative Survey of Eco Versus Standard Products **Notebooks**: I started with notebooks, considering a batch of 100 with a one-color print. Comparing a standard hard-backed notebook made from PU (polyurethane) to a recycled PU version revealed minimal price differences—around 5%. While eco options like recycled leather or apple peel versions are pricier (£12-14 each), they compare more to luxury brands like Moleskine.
