Korean Eco-Label Program (Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI))

The Korea Ecolabelling is a certification scheme enforced by the Ministry of Environment and KEITI (Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute). Since its foundation in April 1992, the scheme has granted certification to a wide range of eco-friendly products, which were excellent in terms of their environmental preferability, quality and performance during their life cycle.

Korea Ecolabelling is a voluntary certification scheme that provides product information to consumers by attaching a label to products environmentally superior to similar products.

For 30 years, we have launched more than 160 ecolabelling product standards, including construction materials, office equipment furniture, personal and household goods, etc. Since the foundation of Korea Ecolabelling, it has granted certification in consultation with other ministries to products, excluding food, drugs, medicines, pesticides and wood.

Each standard covers environmental and quality criteria, such as harmful substances reduction, energy-saving, resource-saving, carbon neutrality, resource circulation, etc. As of March 2022, there are 18,053 products (4,632 companies) certified with Korea Ecolabel.

Currently, 60 % of the certified products are construction materials, office supplies and furniture. Korea Ecolabel has successfully supported the legal requirement of green products by public procurement.

With the enforcement of green procurement laws since 2006, more companies have participated in the certification scheme, which has enabled consumers to use more eco-friendly products.

Korea Ecolabel has recently focused on standards for consumer focused products. Firstly, to support green products consumption and production, we plan to continuously research and develop new certification standards that are easy for general consumers to access. Recently, we have supported consumer products by establishing new standards for multi-use containers, rental services and tumbler products.

Secondly, in response to the growing demand for differentiation of the ecolabelling scheme, the “premium” ecolabel standards, higher than the existing standards, will be expanded to focus on consumer focused items. Lastly, we support efforts to reduce the use of disposable products and plastic waste in our daily life by excluding disposable products from the scope of individual standards within Korea Ecolabelling.

Korea Ecolabelling scheme enables companies and consumers to produce and consume eco-friendly products. Consumers can participate in environmental conservation activities by receiving accurate environmental information about products. And businesses can develop and manufacture eco-products in line with consumers’ eco-friendly product purchasing preferences. Korea Ecolabelling scheme aims to achieve sustainable production and consumption.