Use the PEFC label

Are you selling PEFC-certified products? Then you need to tell your customers about it! You can do this through the PEFC trademarks. As a PEFC chain of custody certified company, you have the right to use the PEFC label on both your PEFC-certified products and your promotional materials, such as brochures and websites. 

The PEFC label enables you to communicate your responsible practices visibly to your customers. This is becoming ever more important as consumers are increasingly conscious of the impact of their buying decisions.

The PEFC label also enables you to demonstrate your commitment to sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, as well as highlighting your engagement with sustainable forest management. Furthermore, by generating awareness and demand for products from PEFC-certified forests, you are helping to increase the value of forests and therefore reduce the risk of deforestation.

PEFC labels are created quickly and easily through the online PEFC Label Generator. By using the Label Generator, you can customize the label to suit your needs, while being assured that the label remains in line with our graphic requirements.

The PEFC trademarks

The PEFC trademarks cover the PEFC initials and the PEFC logo. PEFC chain of custody certified organizations have the right to use these trademarks on-product (directly, or indirectly to refer to the certified material included within a product) and off-product (for promotional purposes).

The PEFC on-product labels

The PEFC on-product labels are only available for PEFC-certified products. They provide consumers with assurance that the forest and tree based materials within your product come from a sustainably managed forest.

You can use these labels directly on a product, as well as on the packaging of products that are PEFC certified. You can also use it on documentation associated with, or referring to, a particular PEFC-certified product, such as adverts and brochures. 

We offer two on-product labels: the PEFC certified label and the PEFC recycled label.

PEFC certified label

You can use this label on-product when at least 70% of the forest and tree based material included in your product is PEFC certified. Any remaining material must be from PEFC controlled sources, ensuring there is no forest and tree based material from controversial sources in your product.

If the product does not include recycled material, you can remove the word 'recycled' from the label message. If your product includes only forest and tree based material sourced directly from PEFC certified forests and delivered with the 'PEFC 100% Forest Origin' claim, you can remove 'recycled and controlled sources' from the label message.

You can also replace the text 'This product is' with the name of the product that is certified, for example: 'This table is...', helping to provide clear information about your certified products to your customers. If you're short on space, you can remove the label message and website, and replace the label title with the name of the product.

PEFC recycled label

If your product includes only recycled forest and tree based material, you can use our recycled label.

You can also replace the text 'This product is' with the name of the product that is certified, for example: 'This paper is...' Helping to provide clear information about your certified products to your customers. 

If you're short on space, you can remove the label message and website, and replace the label title with the name of the product.

The PEFC off-product label

As a certified company, you can use the PEFC off-product label to enhance your communication about your responsible practices, including on your website, annual and CSR reports, marketing materials, catalogues and brochures and in-store materials. It's important to note, that this label cannot be used to claim that products are certified.

This label includes the standard text ‘Promoting sustainable forest management’. However, you can use the messages listed below as alternatives (modify text in italics with appropriate term):

• [Company name] has a PEFC certified chain of custody
• [Company name] offers PEFC certified products
• By sourcing PEFC, [we/company name] are supporting sustainably managed forests globally
• By sourcing PEFC [wood/paper/packaging], [we/company name] are supporting sustainably managed forests globally
• The PEFC logo on our products ensures that our [wood/paper/packaging] comes from sustainably managed forests, recycled and controlled sources.
• Every purchase of a PEFC-labelled product makes a difference for forests and forest communities across the world.

Note: If you are still following the requirements from the older PEFC Logo Usage Rules standard, there are two possible alternative messages:

• “[Name of company] has a certified Chain of Custody”
• “[Name of company] offers PEFC-certified products”

The legal part...

The PEFC logo and the initials "PEFC" are the exclusive property of PEFC and are internationally registered trademarks. They must be used with correct reference to the PEFC Council, PEFC members and their systems.

They cannot be used as part of, or integrated into, other trademarks or labels, within product brand names, company names or website domain names. They cannot be used together with other claims, messages or labels that can be misunderstood or misleading with regard to the qualities, characteristics, content, production process, etc. of the product they are accompanying, PEFC certification or PEFC in general.

PEFC reserves the right to refuse the use of any PEFC trademarks which does not align with PEFC’s strategic vision and mission.

Abuse

As the trademarks are a visual cue that consumers are increasingly looking for, it is vital to correct misuse of the PEFC trademarks, even if it is unintentional. We encourage anyone to report improper uses to allow us to investigate the matter.

For further information about PEFC trademarks and to report suspected trademark or label misuse, please contact us at info@pefc.org.