The world’s gold standard for forest certification, FSC International, has extended a blockage on a major Chinese bamboo manufacturer after it was found to repeatedly make false claims about large volumes of bamboo plywood.
The latest measure comes after the company failed to disclose its certification history to the new certification body and thus continued to make false claims about its products despite being blocked by FSC International.
The company has certified itself under the following names:
- Zhejiang Anji Double Tiger Bamboo & Wood Industry Co., Ltd. (referred to as Anji Double Tiger)
- Zhejiang Anji Shuanghu Bamboo & Wood Industry Co., Ltd. (referred to as Anji Shuanghu)
Wood Central understands that FSC International considers the actions and intentions of Anji Double Tiger (and Anji Shuanghu) to be a serious threat to the integrity of the FSC system. Thus, as per FSC’s Advice Note 18 (FSC-ADVICE-40-004-18 V2-0), FSC has blocked the company till July 2027.
“FSC has evidence of how this company, operating under its two names, repeatedly made false claims. They hindered the ability of its certification body and Assurance Services International to conduct investigations,” they said in a statement overnight. “Additionally, they falsely made zero sales claims while making FSC claims on products even after being blocked. These actions by Anju Double Tiger (and Anji Shuanghu) indicate a clear intent to manipulate the FSC system.”
By blocking the company, “FSC prevents it from re-entering the certification system until the blockage is lifted. Re-entry is only possible after the company has implemented corrective preventative and remedial measures or when the predetermined blockage period expires.”
The implications of a blockage are as follows:
- They can no longer claim FSC certification on their products or use the FSC trademark.
- They cannot seek re-certification, either as a single certificate holder, a group member, or a multi-site chains of custody certificate.
- They cannot become contractors for other certificate holders with valid FSC certification.
In recent months, FSC-certified bamboo has come under increased scrutiny, with Wood Central revealing that some of the world’s fastest-growing bamboo toilet brands were making false and misleading claims about sustainability, misusing the FSC “gold standard,” and even using fast-growing virgin hardwoods—linked with massive deforestation—instead of bamboo fibres.
“The Forest Stewardship Council (or FSC) is seriously concerned about allegations regarding bamboo toilet paper containing other timber fibre,” according to a statement published by FSC International in August. “These allegations were investigated by Assurance Services International (ASI). The investigation included 14 certificate holders from the brands’ supply chains, as identified by (European publication) Which? – (including) Bazoo, Naked Sprout, and Bumboo.”
- For more information about false claims and blockages, refer to Advice Note 18 (ADVICE-40-004-18 V2-0), which can be accessed on page 11 of the FSC Directive on Chain of Custody Certification (FSC-DIR-40-004).
