# OBP Brand Standard (Ocean Bound Plastic) - Certification body: ETKO Ecological Agriculture Control Organization - Category: Plastic Certification - Canonical page: https://www.etko.com.tr/certifications/plastic/obp-brand-standard-ocean-bound-plastic - Markdown: https://www.etko.com.tr/certifications/plastic/obp-brand-standard-ocean-bound-plastic.md ## Summary The OBP Brand Standard is an international certification that verifies ocean-bound plastic claims on consumer products and packaging, ensuring transparency… ## Does ETKO provide OBP Brand Standard (Ocean Bound Plastic) certification? Yes. ETKO certifies OBP Brand Standard (Ocean Bound Plastic) within its Plastic Certification program. This page covers the standard, the application process, and related documents. ## What is OBP Brand Standard (Ocean Bound Plastic)? The OBP Brand Standard is an international certification that verifies ocean-bound plastic claims on consumer products and packaging, ensuring transparency… ## Details # **What is the OBP Brand Standard?** Representing the final, consumer-facing link in the Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) Certification Program managed by Zero Plastic Oceans (ZPO), the OBP Brand Standard is designed for retail brands that put finished products or packaging on the market. The primary objective of this standard is to independently verify that a brand's environmental claims—such as "our product is made with ocean-bound plastic" or "we are a plastic-neutral brand"—are truthful, transparent, and provable. By building consumer trust, this standard grants brands the right to use official OBP logos on their packaging, distinguishing them from competitors. ## **Key Technical Criteria of the OBP Brand Standard** Rather than focusing on manufacturing processes, the Brand Standard concentrates on the accuracy of supply chain data, logo usage rules, and the transparency of marketing claims. The technical framework can be summarized as follows: - **Supply Chain Verification and Transaction Certificates (TCs):** To make an OBP claim, the brand must purchase the raw materials or finished goods strictly from approved suppliers holding an **OBP Recycling Organization** certificate. - Every batch of OBP-containing products sourced must be legally documented with Transaction Certificates (TCs) issued directly to the brand. - **Content Claims and Logo Usage Rules:** Strict rules are enforced to prevent consumer misleading in marketing communications. If the OBP logo is used on product packaging, the exact percentage of OBP used in the packaging or the product must be declared transparently in the format dictated by the standard. - **Plastic Neutrality and Credit System:** The OBP Brand Standard also provides a pathway for brands that cannot physically use OBP materials in their products (e.g., due to strict food-contact regulations). - Brands can finance the removal of plastic from nature by purchasing "Plastic Credits" from OBP-certified collectors, effectively offsetting their plastic footprint to claim **"OBP Neutral"** status. To prevent double counting, all transactions are strictly audited through the OBP Credit Registry. ## Who this standard is for The OBP Brand Standard is for brand owners that put ocean-bound plastic content into consumer products and want an OBP brand claim. The brand must buy from a certified OBP chain (collection → recycling → producer/user as applicable). ## What is certified - Finished products carrying an OBP brand claim - Bills of materials showing OBP recyclate percentage - Purchase of OBP materials from certified upstream organisations - On-pack claims and marketing that match the certified percentage and module ## What this standard does not cover - Operating a collection programme without the Collection standard - NEU offset claims presented as recycled content in the product - A GRS recycled-content claim used as if it were OBP origin ## Questions buyers and operators usually ask ### We buy GRS recycled polyester. Can we print OBP? Only if that polyester is also in an OBP-certified chain with ocean-bound origin documents. GRS proves recycled content, not OBP origin. ### Is mass-balance OBP allowed on a bottle that is not physically OBP? Follow the Brand standard’s allowed claim models. If the standard and your certificate are segregation-only, you cannot use mass-balance artwork. If mass balance is allowed, the claim language must not imply every bottle is physically ocean-bound. ### Does the filling contractor need OBP? If they take ownership or physically add OBP material, they generally need to be in the Producer/User or relevant module. A brand certificate does not cover an uncertified filler that doses the recyclate. ### Can we mix OBP and NEU claims on the same SKU? They answer different questions (content vs financed collection). Stacking them is a labelling decision under each standard’s claim rules — do not describe NEU tonnes as if they were grams of plastic in the pack. ## What to have ready before the audit - Supplier OBP certificates and incoming lot documents - BOM and percentage calculation for each claimed SKU - Artwork and claim wording for legal review against the standard - List of contract manufacturers that handle OBP material - Reconciliation of OBP purchased versus OBP claimed on packs ## Frequent findings - OBP logo on a product fed only by GRS conventional recyclate - Percentage on pack higher than the BOM - NEU copy written as “made with ocean plastic” - Uncertified co-packer dosing the OBP masterbatch ## How do I apply for OBP Brand Standard (Ocean Bound Plastic) certification with ETKO? Apply through the ETKO Ecoport portal: https://ecoport.etko.com.tr/apply ## Application Process At ETKO, we manage your application process transparently, quickly, and clearly. Our process consists of the following steps: 1. **Application and Information Exchange** — We gather preliminary information about your company's structure and production processes. 2. **Proposal and Contract** — We present a detailed proposal for the inspection process and sign a contract upon your approval. 3. **Pre-Audit Preparation** — This is the process of preparing the necessary documentation (chemical inventory, social compliance documents, etc.). 4. **On-Site Audit** — Expert ETKO auditors visit your facility and examine your compliance with the criteria on-site. 5. **Reporting and Certification** — After non-conformities are resolved (if any), the audit report is approved and your certificate is issued. ## Accreditations - GOTS: International Organic Accreditation Service - accreditation for certification programs worldwide. - National Organic Program (NOP): United States Department of Agriculture — NOP accredited certifying agent. - TR Organik & GLOBALGAP & İTU: Turkish Accreditation Agency (TURKAK) — Turkey's national accreditation body for conformity assessment. - COSMOS: International Organic Accreditation Service — accreditation for certification programs worldwide. - Textile Exchange Standards: International Organic Accreditation Service — accreditation for certification programs worldwide. - ISO/IEC 17065:2012: International Organic Accreditation Service — accreditation for certification programs worldwide. ## Countries of operation Bangladesh, Pakistan, Ukraine, Korea, China, Denmark, Germany, Syria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Romania, Sweden, Bulgaria, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar ## Where can I find OBP Brand Standard (Ocean Bound Plastic) regulations and forms? ETKO's document center lists regulations, application forms, and current guidelines for this standard: https://ecoport.etko.com.tr/apply ## Related pages - HTML: https://www.etko.com.tr/certifications/plastic/obp-brand-standard-ocean-bound-plastic - About ETKO: https://www.etko.com.tr/about - Contact: https://www.etko.com.tr/contact - Document center: https://www.etko.com.tr/documents?category=plastic&standard=obp-brand-standard-ocean-bound-plastic