Evidence for recycled and recyclable claims
Obtain evidence tied to the ordered goods: material composition, recycled-input records, production traceability and support for the actual recycling route. Match the wording to what those records prove before approving packaging or advertising. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate evidence collection with its staff in China.
Define the claim before requesting evidence
Write the proposed wording and identify exactly what it covers: the goods, a named component or the packaging. Recycled content concerns material already used in manufacture; recyclability concerns what can happen after use. Ask separate questions for each. Avoid treating a recycled material declaration as proof that the finished item can be recycled.
The CMA's Green Claims Code checklist says businesses making green claims must comply with consumer protection law. Its supply-chain guidance calls for robust, credible, relevant and up-to-date evidence. Build a claim file before approving artwork, rather than collecting certificates after the goods arrive.
Trace recycled content to your order
Ask for the material specification, claimed recycled proportion and calculation basis, source of the recycled input, material purchase records and production records linking that input to your order. Identify whether the input comes from manufacturing waste or discarded consumer goods. Reconcile the records with the component weights and material mix, including virgin material, fillers and coatings.
If a certificate is offered, check its issuer, validity, named site, material and scope. Ask for shipment or transaction evidence where available; a factory certificate alone does not show which material entered your batch. Use batch traceability for record linkage and our Plastic Packaging Tax guide for the separate tax evidence question.
Check how the finished item will be recycled
Obtain the finished material breakdown, including laminates, adhesives, inks, labels and closures. Ask for any recyclability assessment and its assumptions. Check collection, sorting and processing routes available to the intended UK customer, rather than accepting that the base material is technically recyclable somewhere.
Record any preparation or access conditions, such as separating a lid or using a specialist collection point. Test whether customers can realistically follow those instructions. Make the component clear in the proposed wording: evidence about an outer carton should not become a claim about the goods inside.
Treat sustainable as a broader evidence question
The CMA guidance says that making a claim requires considering the full life cycle of the product or service. Before using sustainable, ask for an assessment covering material sourcing, manufacture, transport, use and disposal, with its boundaries, data sources, assumptions and limitations. A favourable material choice alone is a weak basis for a broad claim.
Prefer a specific, evidenced statement if you cannot support the broader wording. Keep labour and environmental evidence distinct: our ethical audit guide explains what a factory social audit covers. Do not turn an audit report into proof of a finished product's environmental performance.
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Make evidence approval part of the order
Keep the approved wording, evidence, material specification, sample photographs and artwork together. Name who checks the evidence and who releases the artwork. Ask the factory to notify you before changing materials, material suppliers, coatings or the production site, so you can reassess the claim before accepting a substitution.
Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can request records from the actual production site and compare them with the order and inspection findings. Agree what still needs specialist assessment. A production inspection can check materials and records against the specification; visual inspection alone cannot establish recycled content or a UK recycling route.
Frequently asked questions
Is a supplier declaration enough for a recycled claim?
Ask for records linking the declared material to your order and explaining the calculation. Treat an unsupported declaration as a starting point for questions, rather than approval to print the claim.
Does recycled plastic mean recyclable packaging?
No. Check the finished packaging, including coatings and mixed materials, and the collection and processing route available to the intended customer.
Can I call China-made goods sustainable?
First obtain evidence broad enough to support that wording and assess the whole life cycle. If the evidence covers only a component or process, use a specific claim with that scope.
What should I check before printing green claims?
Match the exact wording to the evidence, identify the component covered, check recycling conditions and approve the final artwork against the claim file.