Transaction certificate
Also searched as: TC, transaction certificates, shipment certificate, GRS TC, OCS TC
A document issued by a certification body confirming that a specific shipment of goods, sold by a certified supplier, contains material certified to a named standard.
In detail
In Textile Exchange's certification system and similar schemes, a supplier holds a scope certificate showing that its site, processes and product categories are certified. That alone proves nothing about a particular sale. A transaction certificate fills the gap: the certification body issues it for a defined shipment, listing the products, quantities, shipment details, the buyer's name and address, and the certification status of the goods. Its details are expected to match invoices and shipping documents, and a TC is issued each time certified goods change ownership along the chain.
The science and numbers
Transaction certificates are the link records of a chain-of-custody system. During audits, each certified seller's inputs and outputs are reconciled, and the TC tells the next buyer what certified quantity it received, which in turn caps what that buyer may claim on its own outputs. Textile Exchange sets its rules in a Policy for Transaction Certificates (ASR-104), revised several times, including version 3.0 dated September 2021 and version 3.1 dated 1 October 2023. The policy governs when TCs are issued, what data they carry and how they relate to claim rules. Where a certified step lacks a TC, the documentary chain for downstream claims is generally broken, even if the material itself was never altered.
A practical example
A brand receives a fabric delivery described as containing certified organic cotton. The fabric mill's scope certificate shows that it is certified, but the brand's reviewer also asks for the transaction certificate covering this delivery. Matching the TC's invoice numbers, net weights and product descriptions against the delivery paperwork is what connects the claim to the goods actually received.
What to distinguish
A TC confirms certified content and chain-of-custody status for one shipment under one standard, nothing more. It does not certify labor conditions, chemical use or environmental performance unless the standard itself covers them. Because TCs are generally issued after goods ship, buyers may have to wait; the testing and certification firm IDFL says the delay is often one to two weeks. Confirm authenticity with the issuing body.
Origins and history
The name describes its function: a certificate tied to one commercial transaction rather than to a company. Shipment-level certificates are also used in other certified supply chains, such as organic agricultural trade. Textile Exchange built TC requirements into the accreditation and certification procedures that support its content standards, including the Organic Content Standard and the Recycled Claim Standard, and the Global Organic Textile Standard uses transaction certificates in its own chain of custody.
Related terms
Sources & further reading
- Textile Exchange: Transaction Certificate (TC), glossary
- Textile Exchange: Policy for Transaction Certificates ASR-104 V3.1
- IDFL: Transaction Certificates
Technical references reviewed 2026-09-22. Examples are illustrative. Industry organizations and manufacturers describe their own fields; their references are not independent product endorsements. Figures are approximate and depend on the stated test conditions.