Does the FSC label on a carton cover the product inside it?

Not automatically. FSC’s trademark standard treats forest-based packaging as a separate element from the product it holds, so a label can refer to the carton, the product inside, or both, depending on which parts are certified. A certified carton around a serum, a candle, or a phone says nothing about the contents. Where only the packaging is certified, the product type on the label (for example, paper) tells the shopper which part the claim applies to.

Can a carton say “FSC certified” in text without the FSC label?

No. Under FSC-STD-50-001, a text reference to FSC certification on a product may only be made in addition to an on-product label. A line of copy reading “printed on FSC certified board” with no label beside it does not meet the standard. The same applies to extra FSC logos: They are allowed only when the full label is visible to the consumer without opening the pack.

What is the difference between an FSC certificate code and an FSC license code?

They do different jobs. The certificate code identifies a company’s chain-of-custody certificate and belongs on invoices and delivery documents, where it lets the next company in the chain check the claim. The trademark license code, written FSC® C followed by six digits, belongs on the label and on any promotional use of the FSC marks. A brand reading its carton invoice should expect the first; a shopper reading the carton sees the second.

What does “FSC Mix Credit” mean on a packaging invoice?

It means the board was sold under FSC’s credit system. A mill or converter books the volume of certified and recycled fiber it buys into a credit account, then sells an equal volume of output with an FSC Mix Credit claim, even though fiber is blended in production. FSC-STD-40-004 lets products sold with that claim carry the FSC Mix label. It is a recognized claim under the standard, not a lesser one, and on the carton it reads exactly like any other FSC Mix label.

What is FSC Controlled Wood, and can it carry an FSC label?

Controlled Wood is fiber that does not come from an FSC-certified forest but has been assessed as low risk of coming from unacceptable sources such as illegally harvested wood. It cannot carry an FSC label on its own. It can make up part of an FSC Mix product, up to 30% under the percentage system, which is why a carton made from blended virgin fiber can still carry the FSC Mix label.

What does the percentage in the recycling loop on an FSC label mean?

It is the share of reclaimed fiber in the product, counting both post-consumer and pre-consumer material, and the figure has to be backed by chain-of-custody records. The loop is optional on FSC Mix and FSC Recycled labels, but FSC does not allow it without a percentage. On a carton made from virgin SBS board there is no reclaimed fiber to report, so the loop usually does not appear.

FSC Label on Packaging: 100%, Mix and Recycled Explained

Key Takeaway

The label tells you where the fiber came from. FSC 100% is all certified forest fiber, FSC Mix is a blend, and FSC Recycled is all reclaimed fiber. Check the license code. Every label carries a code, such as FSC® C123456, that you can look up in FSC’s public database. Only a certified company can apply it. The printer or carton maker must hold an active FSC chain-of-custody certificate.

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What Does FSC Mean on Packaging?

FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council®, an international nonprofit organization that promotes responsible forest management. FSC does not supply material. It sets the standards that forests and companies are audited against.

When you see FSC on packaging, it means the paper or wood in the pack comes from forests certified to those standards, from recycled material, or from a mix of both, and that the material was tracked from the forest to the finished product.

What Is an FSC Label?

An FSC label is the mark printed on a product to show that claim. It has four parts:

The FSC “checkmark and tree” logo.
The label type: FSC 100%, FSC MIX, or FSC RECYCLED.
The product type, such as “paper,” when the label needs to say which part is certified.
The license code, which identifies the company that applied the label.

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Types of FSC Labels

FSC 100%: All forest-based materials come directly from FSC-certified, well-managed forests.
FSC Mix: The packaging uses a combination of FSC-certified forest materials, recycled content, and/or FSC Controlled Wood, which meets strict risk criteria to keep out illegally logged wood. This is the most common label for general packaging.
FSC Recycled: All forest-based materials are 100% recycled, using pre-consumer or post-consumer reclaimed material.

The label a carton can carry depends on the board it is printed on. A converter can only pass on the claim it bought from the mill, so the label is set by the board’s paperwork, not by preference.

For premium folding cartons, that usually means FSC Mix. Solid bleached sulfate (SBS), the bright white board used for premium cartons, is made from virgin fiber, so it cannot carry FSC Recycled. An SBS carton carries FSC Mix, or FSC 100% if the board was bought with that claim. Our paperboard packaging guide compares SBS with other grades, and our article on PCR packaging covers recycled board.

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Key Details to Look For

License code: A unique code printed beneath the label, such as FSC® C123456, which you can verify in the FSC public certificate database to confirm the supplier is certified.
Chain of custody: To place an FSC label on packaging, the manufacturer or printer must hold an active FSC chain-of-custody certification, which tracks the material from the forest to the final product.

Back panels of two folding cartons, orange and pink, each printed with an FSC MIX label reading “Packaging | Supporting responsible forestry” and license code FSC C013430. — An FSC Mix label on a carton back panel, showing the logo, label type, product type and license code.

What Is FSC Certification for Packaging?

FSC certification for packaging is chain-of-custody certification. It is an audit of a company, such as a paper mill, printer, or carton maker, that proves it tracks FSC-certified material from the moment it buys it to the moment it sells it.

FSC Chain of Custody: How a Sustainable Forest Supply Chain Is Verified

Every company that owns the fiber on its way from the forest to the shelf must be certified. If one link in that chain is not certified, the claim stops there. That unbroken chain is what lets a brand verify its forest supply chain instead of taking it on trust.

For a brand buying cartons, the proof is in three documents:

The supplier’s chain-of-custody certificate, covering the products you buy.
An invoice or delivery note showing the supplier’s certificate code and the FSC claim, such as FSC Mix.
The approved label artwork with the supplier’s license code.

If the sales documents do not show the certificate code and the claim, the supplier has not passed on an FSC claim, whatever the artwork says. Our ethical sourcing guide explains how to read what the certificate database returns.

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Who Can Put an FSC Label on Your Cartons?

Only a company with a valid FSC chain-of-custody certificate and trademark license can apply the label, and only to products its certificate covers. For printed cartons, that is normally the carton converter, so the label carries the converter’s license code.

A brand does not need its own certificate to sell an FSC-labeled carton. If both the brand and the supplier are certified, the supplier can print the brand’s own license code under a written agreement both certification bodies are told about. When choosing a supplier, ask for its certificate code and license code, check that its certificate covers folding cartons, and ask how long label approval takes.

FSC, SFI and PEFC

SFI and PEFC are two other forest certification schemes, each with its own standards, chain-of-custody rules, and labels. A converter that holds all three can supply cartons under whichever scheme a brand’s retailers or markets ask for. Our guide to sustainable packaging certifications compares them, and SFI certified packaging explains SFI’s labels.

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How Arkay Handles Certified Board

With more than 100 years of carton manufacturing across four generations of family ownership, Arkay buys and converts certified board as a routine part of production. Arkay is FSC certified, SFI certified, and PEFC certified for chain of custody, and in 2023 it procured 1,229 metric tons of triple-certified paperboard, as reported in its sustainability reporting.

Board certification is documented per project: Arkay’s sustainability spec sheets cover the board’s certification, the finish composition, and recyclability characteristics, and are available on request. More on Arkay’s wider program is on our sustainability page.

Put the Right FSC Label on Your Next Carton

Let’s talk about which mark your cartons should carry. Bring the retailers and markets you sell into, and the board you have in mind, and we will work through the claim, the artwork, and the paperwork with your team before anything goes to press. Start the conversation with Arkay.

Arkay Editorial Team

Premium Packaging Experts • Est. 1922

With over 100 years of experience in luxury packaging, Arkay's team of specialists combines deep industry knowledge with cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities. From design to delivery, we partner with the world's most prestigious brands to create packaging that tells their story.

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