Organic Content Standard

The OCS

The Organic Content Standard (OCS) is a voluntary chain of custody standard that provides companies with a tool for third-party verification that a final product contains the accurate amount of a given organically grown material. Each organization along the supply chain must take sufficient steps to ensure the integrity and identity of the input organic material. It does not address the use of chemicals or any social or environmental aspects of production beyond the integrity of the organic material.

The OCS is built on the chain of custody requirements of the Content Claim Standard (CCS). The CCS Implementation Manual includes additional clarifications which are specific to the Organic Content Standard.

What's New?

All organically grown inputs are now allowed, no longer restricted to organic cotton.
Chain of custody requirements are detailed separately in the Content Claim Standard, which is a binding document.
The OCS is a single standard with two labeling options (OCS 100 and OCS Blended logos and language), depending on the material composition. The OCS requires the material name to be included in labeling.
Read more: OCS updates from OE standards

Organic Content Standard

Transition from the OE standards to the OCS:

If you are currently certified to the OE standards, your transition to the OCS will occur on your next annual renewal. For additional information, contact your Certification Body. You can read an overivew of what has changed in this document: OCS updates from OE standards.

Looking for suppliers?

As companies currently certified to the OE standards renew their certification, they will transition to being certified to the OCS. Look for “OCS” in the column where the standards are listed to find companies who have transitioned.

Companies certified to the OE standards

Looking to become certified?

We will soon have a list of certification bodies qualified to certify against the standard, check again soon. Certification Bodies that are currently certifying to the OE 100 and OE Blended will be allowed a transition time to start working with the new standards.