What Are the Certifications for Bag Manufacturing Factories?

The current global trade landscape is in a highly unstable phase, with rising tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain disruptions, all of which present unprecedented challenges to international procurement.

For many importers and brands, diversifying production bases is no longer an option but a forced reality. However, as companies shift their supply chains to emerging markets, various "hidden costs" emerge—ranging from insufficient supplier capabilities, low communication efficiency, to unstable product quality—all of which can bring significant risks to businesses.

Data shows that manufacturing centers in countries like India and Indonesia still lag behind China in terms of product consistency and quality stability. These issues eventually erode buyers' profit margins and market reputation.

In this context, apart from building their own supply chain quality management systems, it is crucial for buyers to deeply engage with factory production lines and maintain close communication with factory teams. However, this still does not resolve all uncertainties. The vast majority of leading international brands.

choose to control quality from the source, thoroughly understanding factory compliance in areas such as social responsibility, quality systems, and material safety, and they rely on trusted third-party auditing mechanisms to mitigate supply chain risks.

To help businesses systematically evaluate suppliers, this article will delve into the five most common and frequently requested certifications in the bag manufacturing industry: certifications for social responsibility and human rights, management system certifications, material and product safety testing and certifications, environmental and sustainability certifications, and supply chain security certifications.

I Social Responsibility and Human Rights Certifications

Social responsibility and human rights certifications are among the most important factory audits for nearly all international brands, especially buyers from the European and American markets. The core purposes of these audits include the following three aspects:

• Ensuring that the factory respects labor rights
• Guaranteeing that the factory provides a safe working environment
• Ensuring that the product supply chain adheres to ethical standards

1. BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) Social Responsibility Audit

BSCI is the most widely used factory social responsibility audit system in Europe, and almost all European outdoor and fashion brands require factories to pass this audit.

Standard requirements (based on the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct):

• Prohibition of child labor and forced labor
• Legal employment and employees' free choice of profession
• Safe and healthy working environment
• Reasonable working hours (usually not exceeding 60 hours per week)
• Fair remuneration
• Non-discrimination
• Protection of the freedom of association
• Environmental protection requirements

The audit results are displayed in grades: A, B, C, D, and E.

These five levels of BSCI represent different levels of factory performance in social responsibility, compliance risk, and the maturity of the management system. The higher the grade, the more compliant the factory is, with lower risks and greater trust from buyers.

2. SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit)

SMETA is promoted by the UK Sedex organization and is a globally recognized ethical audit system, widely used by international brands in the UK, Australia, Europe, and the US.

There are two versions:

• 2-Pillar: Labor Standards + Health & Safety
• 4-Pillar: Labor Standards + Health & Safety + Business Integrity + Environmental Assessment

The scope is similar to BSCI, but SMETA reports have broader applicability and higher acceptance among brands.

SMETA evaluates factory performance based on the number and severity of Non-Compliance (NC) findings.

The audit report will list:

• Major NC (Major Non-Compliance)
• Minor NC (Minor Non-Compliance)
• Observations
• Good Practices

The report will be uploaded to the Sedex platform, where buyers can view it online.

Report Results and Buyer Judgment: 

3. SA8000 (Social Accountability 8000)

SA8000 is one of the most globally recognized and stringent social responsibility standards, often adopted by high-end brands emphasizing ethical sourcing.

Standard Requirements:

• Child labor and forced labor
• Health and safety
• Freedom of association and collective bargaining
• Wages and benefits
• Working hours
• Management systems

SA8000 audits not only review the "results" but also evaluate the "mechanisms" of the factory's internal management system. It is stricter than BSCI, which makes the audit costlier and more challenging, but also more prestigious.

The audit results are divided into Pass and Fail.

If the result is Pass, the factory is awarded a certificate, which is valid for three years. The factory must undergo a surveillance audit every six months. After three years, a recertification audit is required.

If the result is Fail, the factory will not receive a certificate, will not be listed in the SAAS public certification list, and cannot submit a valid SA8000 certificate to brands.

4. WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production)

Originally used in the apparel industry, but many bag factories also obtain this certification.

Standard Requirements (12 Principles):

• Legal employment
• Prohibition of forced labor
• Prohibition of harassment
• Prohibition of discrimination
• Health and safety
• Environmental protection
• Security and anti-terrorism

The certification levels are: Gold, Silver, Bronze.

The summary comparison of these three levels is as follows:

II. Management System Certifications

For brands, whether a factory has a systematic production process and quality management mechanism is a key criterion for evaluating its supply chain capability.

1. ISO 9001 (Quality Management System)

This is the most basic and common system certification for bag factories. Factories with ISO 9001 typically excel in process standardization and product consistency.

Standard Requirements:

• Full-process quality control from raw material procurement to production, inspection, and shipping
• Continuous improvement mechanism
• Risk management

2. ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System)

Used to assess a factory's environmental management capabilities, including:

• Wastewater and exhaust gas emission control
• Chemical management
• Energy use efficiency

This certification is suitable for brands that place a strong emphasis on environmental responsibility.

3. ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System)

This certification ensures the safety of employees' work environments and prevents work-related injuries, including:

• Safety training
• Work risk assessments
• Injury prevention
• Emergency response mechanisms

The three ISO certifications — ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 — all use a "Compliant / Non-Compliant" result mechanism, without levels or scores. As long as the factory meets the system requirements, it can receive the certificate, which is valid for three years and requires annual surveillance audits to maintain its validity.

III. Material and Product Safety Certifications

When exporting bag products to Europe and the United States, they must meet strict chemical safety requirements.

1. OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 (Harmful Substance Testing)

Main applicable materials: Fabrics, zippers, threads, and other accessories.

Purpose: To ensure that materials are harmless to human health.

Testing Items:

• Formaldehyde
• Carcinogenic/allergenic dyes
• Heavy metals
• Phthalates (plasticizers)
• Chlorobenzene / Chlorotoluene

If a bag uses OEKO-TEX certified fabrics, it can significantly increase consumer trust.

2. REACH (EU Chemical Regulation)

Covers over 240 high-concern substances (SVHC), with very strict testing standards.

Common testing issues include:

• Exceeding limits for phthalates (common in PVC plastic components)
• Exceeding limits for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (common in rubber components)
• Heavy metals exceeding limits in metal parts
• Organotin compounds

All products entering the European Union market must comply with REACH substance limits.

3. California Proposition 65

Covers over 900 chemicals and is considered one of the strictest chemical regulations in the world.

Common testing substances include:

• Lead
• Phthalates
• PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons)

U.S. customers often require bags to pass Prop 65 testing.

4. RoHS (EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive)

Applicable to bags with electronic modules, such as:

• LED light-up backpacks
• Backpacks with charging ports

Restricted substances include lead, cadmium, mercury, PBDE, PBB, hexavalent chromium, etc.

5. CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act)

Applicable products: Mainly children’s bags, children’s pencil cases, children’s backpacks, and other products for children under 12 years old (adult bags are generally not subject to CPSIA mandatory requirements).

Testing Items:

• Lead content
• Phthalates
• Small parts testing
• Mechanical & physical safety testing
• Traceability requirements (Tracking label)

Purpose: To ensure that children's products entering the U.S. market are safe, non-toxic, and comply with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards.

IV. Environmental and Sustainable Material Certifications (Most Relevant for Outdoor Brands)

The outdoor and fashion industries are rapidly evolving towards environmental protection and sustainability, making relevant certifications increasingly important.

1. GRS (Global Recycled Standard)

Applicable to: Recycled Nylon, Recycled Polyester (RPET)

Certification Requirements:

• Recycled material content (with traceability throughout the supply chain)
• Chemical restrictions
• Social responsibility
• Environmental management
• Supply chain transparency

Feature: All stages of the supply chain (e.g., spinning, weaving) must be GRS certified in order to display the GRS label on the product.

2. RCS (Recycled Claim Standard)

RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) is a recycled material content certification developed by Textile Exchange. Its sole purpose is to verify that the recycled materials used in a product are genuine and traceable.

RCS is similar to GRS but focuses more on material content verification and does not include social responsibility requirements. It has a lower cost and is more suitable for small and medium-sized brands.

RCS audits mainly examine three areas:

• Recycled material documentation
• Warehouse and production records
• Output calculation and document traceability

Differences Between RCS and GRS

Therefore, when customers only require “recycled material certification,” RCS is easier to achieve, more commonly used, and more cost-effective.

3. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Chain of Custody Certification

FSC is the most authoritative global certification system for sustainable wood and paper products, ensuring that all wood comes from legally and sustainably managed forests.

Factories typically use FSC-certified materials for:

• Cartons
• Paper tags
• Hangtags
• Packaging paper, etc.

FSC audits primarily focus on the following areas:

• Procurement document traceability
• Material management
• Production records
• Sales and documentation
• Annual surveillance audits

FSC’s Three Main Labels (Certification Types):

• FSC 100% (All materials come from FSC-certified forests. This is the strictest and most preferred by customers.)
• FSC Recycled (100% comes from recycled paper. Many environmentally conscious brands prefer this type.)
• FSC Mix (A combination of FSC-certified wood and recycled or controlled wood. This is the most widely used and easiest to achieve.)

FSC audit results are also displayed as Pass or Fail. Once passed, the factory will receive an FSC CoC "Scope Certificate" (SC).

If the audit fails, the certification body will not issue a certificate (new application) or may suspend/revoke the certificate (surveillance audit). During the suspension, the factory cannot provide any customers with FSC Claims or use the FSC Logo.

4. Bluesign® System

Bluesign® is one of the most stringent textile chemical management and environmental safety systems in the world. Its core philosophy is "Input Stream Management", which focuses on controlling chemicals from the source. It not only checks whether the finished product is safe, but also ensures that the chemicals used are safe.

This highest level of sustainable chemical management certification is ideal for fabrics and brands that require high environmental standards, commonly seen in premium outdoor brands, such as hiking backpacks and trekking bags.

Bluesign® Audit Requirements:

• Chemical management (core) – Prohibited substance list, content requirements, inventory usage registration, etc.
• Environmental performance – Water treatment systems, air emissions, energy consumption, solid waste management, etc.
• Worker safety – Personal protective equipment, chemical storage, machinery safety, employee training, etc.
• Product compliance – Whether Bluesign® approved materials are used, whether brand-specific requirements are met.

Bluesign® audit results, like ISO, RCS, and GRS, do not have levels or scores, but rather only "Pass" or "Fail" results. However, they are reflected in different categories as shown in the table below:

V. Supply Chain Security Certifications (Commonly Required by U.S. Importers)

1. C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism)

• A supply chain anti-terrorism program initiated by U.S. Customs
• Most commonly required by U.S. brands, especially mid to high-end brands
• Factories cannot directly apply for "C-TPAT Certification," but must undergo an audit to meet C-TPAT standards
• Audit focuses on: Fencing, access control, surveillance, loading areas, seal management, visitor management, etc.

In simple terms: This is the supply chain security audit standard most commonly required by U.S. customers.

2. GSV (Intertek System)

Full Name: Global Security Verification

• A supply chain security audit service launched by Intertek
• Audit content: Based entirely on C-TPAT + ISO 28000
• Issues a "GSV Audit Report" rather than a "Certification Certificate"
• Results are scored (e.g., 96/100)

U.S. brands prefer GSV because it provides a score, making it easier to evaluate the factory's performance.

In simple terms: GSV is a scored version of C-TPAT and is commonly used by U.S. brands.

3. SCS / SCAN (Supply Chain Security Audits)

SCS audits are not a certification owned by a single organization, but rather a general term for supply chain security audits.

Some brands conduct SCS audits through SGS, BV, or ITS.

SCAN is a supply chain security audit program jointly launched by the Retailer Alliance (Walmart, Target, Amazon, etc.).

Key Features:

• Recognized by multiple major buyers (reduces redundant audits)
• Standards are based on C-TPAT and EU AEO standards
• Results are typically Pass / Fail
• Some customers specifically require: The factory must undergo a SCAN audit

In simple terms: A supply chain security audit recognized by both European and U.S. retailers.

In short, supply chain security audits for bag factories = C-TPAT (most important) + GSV (scored version) + SCAN (retailer alliance version).

VI. Other Relevant Certifications

The following certifications are not required by all bag factories but may be encountered with specific customers or markets:

1. Higg Index (FEM / FSLM) — Sustainability Audits

Certain outdoor brands (NIKE, Patagonia, Decathlon) may require this. It is considered a "green supply chain audit" and is not mandatory, but the trend is becoming more widespread.

• FEM: Factory Environmental Management
• FSLM: Factory Labor and Social Responsibility

2. GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)

Applicable products: Bags made from organic cotton fabric

Commonly seen in: Eco-friendly brands, maternity brands, outdoor brands

3. LWG (Leather Working Group)

If the factory or supplier uses leather materials, this certification will apply.

4. FCC / CE (Bags with Electronic Functions)

Applicable to bags with power banks, lights, fans, Bluetooth devices, etc.

• FCC: U.S. electronic certification
• CE: EU electronic product safety certification

5. ISO 28000 (Supply Chain Security Management System)

A more systematic supply chain management standard than C-TPAT.

Conclusion: Certifications Reflect Factory Strength and Are a Key Safeguard for Brand Supply Chains.

As consumer attention to sustainability, environmental protection, human rights, and product safety continues to rise, factories with a comprehensive certification system will gain a significant advantage in the competition.