Purchasing program
Sustainable product purchasing
AFS Wholesale helps organizations with environmental purchasing goals identify products that carry manufacturer-verified sustainability attributes across everyday categories — from paper and tissue to cleaning chemicals, can liners, and disposables. We surface the attributes and certifications the manufacturer provides so your team can compare and standardize with confidence.
AFS Wholesale does not certify products or make independent environmental claims. Any certification, recycled-content percentage, or reduced-impact attribute is the manufacturer's and is shown only where they provide and verify it.
Purchasing aligned with your environmental goals
Many organizations set purchasing goals tied to sustainability — increasing recycled content, choosing products with recognized certifications, or reducing packaging and waste. AFS Wholesale can help you find products whose manufacturers document these attributes, so your buyers can evaluate options and build standardized lists that support those goals.
We want to be clear about our role: AFS Wholesale does not certify products and does not make its own environmental claims. Where a manufacturer provides and verifies an attribute — such as a recycled-content figure or a third-party ecolabel — we surface it on the product page so you can see exactly what the manufacturer states.
Where to look for sustainable options
Paper & tissue
Towel, tissue, and napkin lines where manufacturers document recycled content or certifications.
Cleaning chemicals
Cleaners and dilution systems where manufacturers provide certification or reduced-impact attributes.
Can liners
Liner options where manufacturers document recycled or reprocessed content.
Food-service disposables
Cups, plates, and cutlery where manufacturers provide compostability or fiber-content claims.
Office supplies
Writing, filing, and desk products where manufacturers document recycled content.
Packaging
Mailers, boxes, and fill where manufacturers provide recycled-content or recyclability attributes.
How we present sustainability
Sustainability attributes and certifications appear on our product pages only when the manufacturer provides them. That includes items such as third-party ecolabels, recycled-content percentages, fiber sourcing statements, and compostability claims. When a product page does not list an attribute, it means the manufacturer has not supplied verified information for it — not that we have evaluated the product ourselves.
If you are working toward a goal in a specific category, ask us. Our team can help identify the products in that category whose manufacturers document the attributes you are looking for, so you can compare verified options side by side.
Categories buyers standardize for sustainability goals
Frequently reordered products appear here once a collection is assigned and catalog data is connected.
Sustainable purchasing checklist
- Define goals: write down what "sustainable" means for your organization — recycled content, certifications, reduced packaging, or specific attributes.
- Identify categories: pick the categories where change will have the most impact, such as paper, cleaning chemicals, liners, or disposables.
- Request verified options: ask AFS to help identify products whose manufacturers document the attributes you need.
- Review documentation: check each manufacturer's certification, recycled-content figure, or claim against your goals.
- Standardize: build saved lists of the verified options your team has approved so buyers reorder the right products.
- Track: keep records of which categories and products meet your criteria so you can report on progress over time.
- Revisit: recheck manufacturer documentation periodically, since certifications and formulations can change.
Sustainable purchasing FAQ
How are sustainability attributes verified?
Can you help us find certified options in a category?
Does AFS certify products or make its own environmental claims?
How do we standardize a sustainable purchasing list?
Talk to a sustainability specialist
Tell us about your environmental purchasing goals and the categories you want to review. An AFS Wholesale specialist will help identify products whose manufacturers provide and verify the attributes you need. We surface manufacturer-provided information only and do not make independent environmental claims.