If you’ve been reading AltruWood’s blog, you’re already familiar with FSC® certification and the recently revised FSC® labels: FSC® 100%, FSC® Mixed, and FSC® Recycled. But, what does it mean for FSC certified wood to be labeled FSC® Mixed or FSC® certified lumber to be labeled FSC® Recycled? How much of that wood comes from FSC® certified materials? How much comes from unverified wood materials? Your AltruWood team can address these questions. But first a review:

What is Chain of Custody?

FSC® Chain of Custody (CoC) is the second phase of FSC® certification, the first being FSC® Forest Management (FM) certification. FSC® CoC identifies and tracks wood sourced from an FSC® certified forest and sent to an FSC® certified manufacturer for production of FSC® products. It is during this second phase of FSC® certification that manufacturers with FSC® certificates are authorized to produce FSC® products and deem which of its products are labeled FSC® 100%, FSC® Mixed, or FSC® Recycled.

What is an FSC® claim?

An FSC® claim is the term of reference used to indicate the type of FSC® material used in FSC® manufactured products. An FSC® claim influences how FSC® products are identified, either with a label or with its original claim on sales documents. Whereas there are only three FSC® labels, there are multiple FSC® claims that a manufacturer can apply to the production of its wood-based products.

Some of them are:
• FSC® Pure claim, resulting in an FSC® 100% label
• FSC® Mixed claim, resulting in an FSC® Mixed label with 70% FSC® certified
• FSC® Mixed Credit claim, resulting in FSC® material combined with virgin material
• FSC® Recycled Credit claim, resulting in FSC® material with reclaimed material
• FSC® Recycled claim, resulting in FSC® verified post-consumer recycled material
• FSC® Controlled Wood claim, resulting in wood sourced from at-risk forestry areas that is FSC® monitored

Keep in mind that all FSC® manufactured products have claims, but not all FSC® claimed products can carry an FSC® label.

How do FSC® CoC and FSC® claims affect FSC® labels?

As of December 2010, the FSC® simplified its labeling system, as noted above, into FSC® 100%, FSC® Mixed, and FSC® Recycled. Although the labels are straightforward, the processes in which manufacturers employ to deem their products as FSC® Mixed or FSC® Recycled is not as straightforward. As a conscious consumer, we think you should know how these systems work, their advantages, and their disadvantages. We’ll focus on the complexities of the FSC® Mixed label from here on out.

Did you know that manufacturers worldwide can use one of three Chain of Custody (CoC) certification systems to produce FSC® products? These CoC sytems include:

• Transfer System – Under the FSC® CoC transfer system, a manufacturer knows that all of their wood input comes from FSC® certified materials, including pure and mixed materials. This manufacturer is permitted to use an FSC® label, usually FSC® 100% or FSC® Mixed depending on its FSC® claim.

• Percentage System – Under the FSC® CoC percentage system, the manufacturer includes the percentage of FSC® certified input material on its final products. However, only products that contain 70% or more FSC® material are eligible for the FSC® Mixed label. Under the new FSC® trademark standards (FSC-STD-50-001), manufacturers have the option of including the percentage of FSC® content on the FSC® Mixed label, which is called the Mobius loop.

• Credit System – Under the FSC CoC credit system, the manufacturer can deem a proportion of its product output as FSC certified even though the manufacturer does not hold FSC claims on all the wood; in other words, some wood is not FSC certified. Although the manufacturer can apply an FSC credit claim to all vouchers and billing statements, an FSC label can only be applied to a portion of the product group. This makes for a sticky situation as noted below when we discuss the disadvantage of multiple CoC systems.

With three CoC certification systems, that leaves manufacturers plenty of wiggle room to produce FSC® products for FSC® conscious consumers. Unfortunately, sometimes that wiggle room increases the likelihood of manufacturer missteps, both unintentional and intentional.

What is the advantage of multiple CoC certification systems?

The most notable advantage is that more FSC® products are produced. The FSC® CoC certification system is open to a broader range of manufacturers who wish to produce FSC® materials but whose manufacturing processes may not fit under one CoC certification system model.

Let’s say a small furniture manufacturer, Eco Small Furniture, can only afford to source 30% of its material input from FSC® Pure lumber. The remaining 70% is sourced from FSC® Mixed lumber. Eco Acme Furniture Makers can label their tables, chairs, and stools as FSC® Mixed or FSC® Mixed 70% and target clients looking for FSC® certified products, having an opportunity to compete in the FSC® market with the big guys.

What is the disadvantage of multiple CoC certification systems?

The number one problem and complaint is that uncertified materials slip into the manufacturing process of FSC® Mixed products. Under the current CoC Credit System, manufacturers are permitted to combine FSC® claimed materials and unclaimed materials together to manufacture wood products.

As noted above, the manufacturer can deem a proportion of its product output as FSC® certified even though the manufacturer does not hold FSC® claims on all of its wood source inputs; in other words, some wood is not FSC® certified. Yet, and this is where things get sticky and confusing. It’s up to the manufacturer to calculate how much of its product is FSC® certified (and how much isn’t by using an FSC®-based calculation), and then decide which portion of its product is labeled FSC® Mixed and which portion is not labeled. With so much wiggle room, the chances of things getting hairy are likely. To counteract that, FSC® certification bodies perform yearly audits on FSC® certified businesses.

Let’s consider a plywood manufacturer, Earth-friendly Plywood. This manufacturer inputs wood from three sources and has FSC® claims for two of its sources. A quarter of its wood source carries an FSC® Pure claim, 50% carries and FSC® Mixed claim, and the remaining 25% has no FSC® claim. The finished plywood is divided and a portion of it is deemed FSC® Mixed (based on its makeup proportion calculation). The other portion carries no FSC® label, but can be claimed FSC® Controlled Wood on vouchers and sales documents. Unfortunately, Earth-friendly Plywood does not maintain the best record systems nor does it update its FSC® data regularly.

It goes without saying that mistakes can be made and in the worst case scenario, the FSC® Mixed label can be abused.

What can I do as a consumer?

Although the FSC® continually revises its standards based on feedback from manufacturers, environmentalists, and consumers (as the FSC® did last December), you can do a few things to help ensure that vendors and their manufacturers practice responsible FSC® procedures:

• Buy only from vendors that sell FSC® Pure, FSC® Mixed 70%, and FSC® Recycled 85% labeled products.
• Ask the vendor what FSC® claims back up their FSC® labeled merchandise.
• When you purchase an FSC® labeled product, be sure to request a copy of its FSC® claim(s) for your records.
• Spread the word to your friends and family (and your Facebook profiles and Twitter feeds) about FSC® friendly vendors and manufacturers doing their part to support sustainable forestry.

- Nicole Morales