When you sell a wooden object, sooner or later the question comes up: "But where does the wood come from?" It's a legitimate question, and it's also one of the few that you can't answer by feeling. Either you have a document that proves it, or you're telling someone you don't know.
The problem is that there's a lot of confusion surrounding forest certifications, fueled by those who put a green logo on the product sheet hoping no one will ask for the number. I'll explain what FSC and PEFC really mean, how to verify certification in two minutes, and what you can write on the sheet without risk.
FSC and PEFC: two systems, two philosophies
They are the two most widespread international standards for responsible forest management, and are not interchangeable.
FSC, The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was founded in 1993 at the instigation of environmental organizations. It is the system with the most stringent criteria for biodiversity, workers' rights, and local communities. It is also the one most recognizable by consumers: the stylized tree with a check mark has become a popular trademark.
PEFC, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, was founded in 1999 by the associations of European forest owners. It does not certify directly: it recognizes (endorsement) national schemes that meet its requirements. It is very popular among small forest owners, especially in Italy and Central Europe, because group certification reduces costs.
Neither is "the best" overall. FSC is more demanding on environmental and social protection; PEFC is more accessible to small-scale farms, which are the norm in Italy. A PEFC-certified beech cutting board from an Apennine forest is no less sustainable than an FSC one: it's certified under a different scheme.
The part almost everyone skips: the chain of custody
This is where the problem lies, and it is the point that distinguishes those who have done things well from those who have bought a label.
Certifying the forest isn't enough. For the finished product to bear the mark, each step of the supply chain must be certified: the sawmill that cuts, the wholesaler that stores, the laboratory that works. It's called Chain of Custody, chain of custody, and serves to ensure that certified wood is not mixed along the way with wood of unknown origin.
Translated for sellers: If you buy semi-finished products from a certified supplier but your company does not have its own CoC certification, you cannot put the FSC logo on your product. You can say that the wood comes from certified suppliers, that's true and can be proven with invoices, but not the brand.
It's a distinction that seems formal but is actually substantial, and it's the one that's causing the controversy.
How to get certified in two minutes
Each certified company has a license code: for FSC it is in the format FSC-C followed by six digits: and that code is in a public register that anyone can consult.
The method is this. Ask the supplier for the code, not the PDF of the certificate: PDFs can be modified, but registers cannot. Look for the code on info.fsc.org for FSC or on pefc.org for PEFC. Check three things: that the certificate is valid and not expired, that the company name corresponds to the one that invoices you, and above all that it is included the product category you are buying. A company can be certified for construction timber but not for semi-finished kitchen products.
If a supplier is hesitant to give you the code, you already have the answer.
What can you write on the product sheet?
Environmental declarations are a delicate matter: the European directive on green claims The Consumer Code punishes generic and unprovable claims. And on Amazon, reporting this can result in the ASIN being suspended.
If you have chain of custody certification: You can use the trademark and license code, respecting the scheme's usage rules: which are precise regarding dimensions, colors, and permitted texts.
If you buy from certified suppliers but are not certified yourself: Write the facts, not the brand. "Wood from FSC-certified suppliers" is true and verifiable. "FSC product" is not.
Always avoid: «"Eco-friendly," "green," "sustainable," "environmentally friendly." These are terms that the law considers vague by definition, and they add nothing. A simple fact is better: the wood species, the origin, the type of finish, the presence or absence of adhesives.
The paradox is that honest communication sells better: "European beech, solvent-free cooking oil, no glue" tells the customer much more than any green adjective.
If you sell wooden products on Amazon and need to sort out the data sheets and declarations, or want to understand if what is written today exposes you, write to meLet's start with what you already have.