Chemistry Management Qualifiers

Guidance and Definitions

1. Higg MSI Content Guidance

2. Higg MSI Communications Guidelines

3. Higg MSI Methodology Document

4. Higg MSI Change Log

5. Higg MSI API References

6. Higg MSI Glossary

1. Chemistry Certifications

The chemistry score of a material can be reduced by adding Chemistry Certifications. These are certifications and programs that have submitted assessments and been reviewed as part of the Higg MSI Chemistry Impact Framework. For more information, see Appendix D of the Higg MSI Methodology Document and read the Frequently Asked Questions.

Chemistry Management Qualifiers can be added in two areas of the Higg MSI:

  • As part of the “Chemistry Certifications” Production Stage (Material level)
  • As part of the “Chemistry Certification” column in Additional Process Options (Facility and Process level)

The Chemistry Certifications are mapped to different material and process types and only applicable certifications are shown. Below is the full list, as well as when they should be applied:

All Chemistry Certifications that can be selected at the Production Stage require the full material to be certified. The facility having certification without confirmation of material level certification is not sufficient.

  • Bluesign Certified[Material] should be selected only when the material is confirmed to be a bluesign® APPROVED material. For more information, visithttps://www.bluesign.com/en. Materials produced at bluesign system partner facilities without confirmed bluesign APPROVED status should not select this certification.
  • Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified[Material] should be selected only when the material is confirmed to be a Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold or Platinum materials. For more information, visit https://www.c2ccertified.org/. Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Basic, Bronze, and Silver should not select this certification.
  • Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Certified [Material]should be selected only when the full textile material is GOTS certified. For more information, visit https://www.global-standard.org/. The full textile must be GOTS certified. Organic content without GOTS certification at the material level should not select this certification.
  • Global Recycled Standard (GRS) Certified[Material]should be selected only when the full material is GRS certified. For more information, visit https://textileexchange.org/. The full material must be certified. Recycled content without GRS certification at the material level should not select this certification.
  • OekoTex Made in Green Certified [Material] should be selected only when the full material is OekoTex® Made in Green certified. For more information, visit https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/. This certification encompasses both OekoTex Standard 100 and STePcertification. When selecting this certification, it is not required to select both certifications separately. Additionally, selecting OekoTex Standard 100 and/or STeP certification will not result in a difference of scoring.
  • OekoTex Standard 100 Certified [Material] should be selected only when the full material is OekoTex® Standard 100 certified. For more information, visit https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/. Intermediate products (such as yarn) that are Standard 100 certified should not select this certification.

All Chemistry Certifications that can be selected in the Additional Process Options section of the Higg MSI are applied to the specific process selection. If a certification is applicable to multiple Production Stages, then it should be applied to each process.

  • Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) [Raw Material] should be selected when the cotton raw material is BCI cotton. For more information, visit https://bettercotton.org. This selection is only available for cotton raw material source.
  • Global Recycled Standard (GRS) [Raw Material] should be selected when the recycled content is certified GRS. For more information, visit https://textileexchange.org/. This selection is only available for recycled raw material sources. If the full material is GRS certified, as selected through the Production Stage [Material] option, this certification does not have to be additionally selected at the process level.
  • Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified [Raw Material] should be selected when the raw material is certified Cradle to Cradle Gold raw material.For more information, visit https://www.c2ccertified.org/. If the full material is Cradle to Cradle Gold certified, as selected through the Production Stage [Material] option, this certification does not have to be additionally selected at the process level.
  • Oeko-TexSTeP Level 2+ [Facility] should be selected when the process takes place at a facility that has achieved OekoTexSTeP Level 2 certification.For more information, visit https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/. If the facility has only achieved STeP Level 1, this certification should not be selected. If the full material is OekoTex Made in Green certified, as selected through the Production Stage [Material] option, this certification does not have to be additionally selected at the facility level.
  • Global Recycled Standard (GRS) [Facility] should be selected when the process takes place at a facility that has achieved GRS certification. For more information, visit https://textileexchange.org/. If the full material is GRS certified, as selected through the Production Stage [Material] option, this certification does not have to be additionally selected at the facility level.