The scenario
Taiwan-based company, Yuan has manufactured a variety of personal care products since 2005. Its range includes natural soaps, shampoos, body wash, skincare, haircare and hand sanitizers. Its products combine biological technology with essential oils and locally grown herbs as the principal ingredients. Blending is based on the ancient Taiwanese concept of herbal nourishment, which as well as cleansing and sustenance, promotes natural stress reduction.
Environmental and social responsibility is embedded in Yuan’s business culture, with a commitment to the reduce, reuse, recycle concept in its manufacturing chain. In 2018 it won Taiwan’s National Sustainable Development Award; in 2020, its farm was awarded a Green Conservation Product Certificate; and in 2022, the farm’s herbal plants attained an Organic Agricultural Product Verification Certificate. It is a certified B Corporation which meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. It has recently begun local smallholder farming and is using local materials in its packaging to reduce its carbon footprint from material transportation.
From 2023, upgrades to Yuan’s packaging design and production have incorporated the effective use of more sustainable resources, with 100% PCR (Post-Consumer Resin) now used in PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottle production following a two-year development cycle.
Yuan required certification of its PET bottle for bath products to comply with Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment regulations, win the trust of environmentally conscious consumers and facilitate marketing and sales into both home and export markets.
The process
Yuan contacted SGS to verify the inclusion of post-consumer recycled content to prove this aspect of its sustainability credentials to customers and regulators in both Taiwan and its export markets. The aim was to achieve an internationally recognized certification for recycled content via the SGS green marks. The mark displays the percentage of certified recycled content, as assessed against ISO 14021 or EN 15343.
Recycled content certification – the first that Yuan had applied for under the SGS green marks program – was awarded in July 2024, following a process taking approximately two months. As well as providing the testing and analysis required for certification, SGS supported Yuan’s aims by proactively identifying various opportunities including improvement of the recycled material management system, which the Yuan team found highly effective.
SGS launched green marks (in full, the SGS Environmental Claim Certification/Verification Scheme) in 2023. The scheme provides independent third-party verification of specific environmental attributes of the materials and/or processes used in the manufacture and supply of products. This, in turn, enables brands, manufacturers, suppliers and retailers to meet increasing consumer and regulatory demand for environmentally preferable products and services.
SGS green marks are based on recognized standards such as ISO/IEC 17065, ISO/IEC 17029, ISO 14065 and ISO 14021. Compliance is confirmed through rigorous assessment in SGS’s global network of laboratories. They not only provide valuable competitive advantage but also reduce the risk of greenwashing.
The outcome
The SGS green mark for Recycled Content – assessed against ISO 14021 – certifies that the level of recycled content in the Yuan PET bottle is ‘greater than 95%’. It proves that the recycled materials come from verifiable sources and the veracity of the manufacturer's declared proportion of recycled materials. This is achieved through raw material tracking and comparison of production materials.
The verified packaging is now used in the home market as well as for products exported to North America and Europe. The potential usage for this type of bottle extends to other personal care products and other chemicals.
Why SGS?
Yuan chose SGS as its certification partner because of the company’s existing recognition by the Taiwan Ministry of Environment – the country’s primary agency to oversee governance of carbon-reduction efforts – and the existence of the company’s large team with its substantial expertise and experience.
SGS provides a comprehensive range of scientific and professional solutions covering an array of materials and products, recognized in multiple markets around the world and also aligning with local regulations.
SGS has recently announced the launch of IMPACT NOW for sustainability, a new concept in the delivery of sustainability services designed to address ever-changing market demands and the urgent needs of the planet. Acknowledging that every organization is at a different stage in the sustainability journey, the platform provides tailored solutions to assist clients in achieving their specific goals, consolidating SGS’s offerings under four strategic pillars:
- Climate – greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and the energy transition towards net-zero
- Circularity – reducing plastic pollution and enabling circularity through sustainable design, material optimization, recyclability and effective waste management
- Nature – environmental risk management, including contamination (PFAS, microplastics, etc), to curb biodiversity loss and ecosystem damage
- ESG assurance – aligning skills and strategy with regulatory and corporate objectives requirements to ensure accountability, accuracy and consistency in ESG (environmental, social and governance) disclosures