What GRS covers
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is a voluntary certification for products with recycled content. It covers the recycled material through the supply chain, along with social and environmental requirements at each processing stage.
For a teamwear buyer, the practical point is traceability. A GRS claim should come with a transaction certificate for the specific fabric lot, issued along the supply chain, rather than a generic logo on a marketing sheet.
The GRS recycled soccer jersey is listed with a GRS-certified recycled polyester fabric. Certification documents for the ordered fabric are confirmed with your quotation.
Why it suits a match jersey
The recycled jersey is a 160 GSM polyester built as a tailored match fit, with mesh side ventilation and a 3D silicone crest. Recycled polyester can be engineered to the same weight and drape as conventional polyester, so the environmental story does not require a performance compromise.
For a club or academy, that means the kit can carry a sustainability message without changing how it plays. For a brand, it opens a retail conversation that a standard jersey cannot.
What it does not mean is that every style in the range is recycled. Check the individual style before making a range-wide claim.
Decoration on recycled polyester
Dye sublimation works on recycled polyester in the same way as conventional polyester: the dye bonds into the fibre and the surface stays flat. Edge-to-edge graphics, gradients and sponsor blocks remain possible.
Silicone crests and heat-transfer marks still need substrate testing. Recycled yarns can vary slightly from lot to lot, so the approved sample should be made from the production fabric, not a substitute.
The same care applies to colour. Base shade affects the final sublimated result, and a recycled fabric can have a slightly different base tone. Approve the colour on the actual substrate.
Documents to ask for
Before a recycled claim goes on a hangtag, request:
- The GRS scope certificate covering the supplier and the product category.
- The transaction certificate for the fabric lot used in your order.
- The fibre composition and the percentage of recycled content.
- Confirmation of which styles in your order use the certified fabric.
Keep the documents with the order file. If the kit is sold at retail, the buyer downstream may ask for the same evidence.
Where recycled fabric makes sense
Recycled polyester is a strong fit for match jerseys, training tees and retail capsules where the fabric is visible and the story is part of the product. It is less relevant for accessories where the shell is a coated Oxford or the grip is silicone.
Start with one style, prove the fabric and the decoration on a sample, then extend the approach to the rest of the range. That keeps the claim accurate and the production predictable.
See the soccer category for the current recycled build, or send a brief for a specific colourway.
