What FSC certified means.
FSC certified paper is made from wood fibre the Forest Stewardship Council approves: certified forests, recycled material or a controlled mix. You see its tree logo on paper bags, boxes and books. This page explains the three labels, how the claim is checked from forest to shop, and what to ask a bag supplier.
The short answerFSC certified means the wood fibre in a product is traced to sources approved by the Forest Stewardship Council. Those are certified forests, recycled material, or a controlled mix. The claim holds only if every company that owned the material on the way is certified too.
The three FSC labels
| Label | What is inside |
|---|---|
| FSC 100% | All the fibre comes from FSC certified forests. |
| FSC Mix | FSC certified, recycled and controlled wood fibre together. Under the percentage system, at least 70% must be FSC or post-consumer recycled. |
| FSC Recycled | All the fibre is recycled material. |
The Forest Stewardship Council was founded in 1993. Its label tells you where the fibre came from. It says nothing about whether the finished bag can be recycled.
Chain of custody
Chain of custody certification follows FSC material from the forest to the finished product. Every company that takes legal ownership of it on the way must be certified, or the claim breaks.
The FSC logo goes on a product only through a company with chain of custody certification. A promotional licence lets a company use the logo in its marketing. It does not allow the logo on a product that company did not make.
FSC paper on a custom bag
Our kraft, laminated and SOS bags can be made from FSC certified paper on request. The food grade bags take FSC paper and certificates on request too.
If you want the FSC logo printed on the bag, say so with your quote. We confirm what the stock and the supply chain for your run can carry, with the paperwork to match.
Questions
What does FSC stand for?
Forest Stewardship Council, an international organisation founded in 1993. It sets the standards for certified forests and for the companies that trade their wood and paper.
What is the difference between FSC Mix and FSC Recycled?
FSC Recycled is all recycled fibre. FSC Mix combines certified forest fibre, recycled fibre and controlled wood. Under the percentage system, at least 70% comes from FSC or post-consumer sources.
Is FSC certified paper recyclable?
The label covers where the fibre came from, not recycling. A plain kraft bag with paper handles recycles with ordinary paper, FSC or not. A laminated film makes recycling harder either way.
Can my bag carry the FSC logo?
Only through a supply chain with chain of custody certification. Ask with your quote, and we confirm what your run can carry before anything is printed.
Written by the Bag Bureau production team. Last updated October 2026.