What BSCI / LFGB / FDA/Reach Tests Actually Mean
When buyers contact us, these four terms come up almost every time: BSCI, LFGB, FDA, and REACH.
They are often listed together, which makes them look similar, but they actually serve very different purposes.
Some are about how a factory runs, some are about whether a bottle is safe to drink from, and others are about chemical compliance required by law. Asking for all of them without understanding the difference can lead to unnecessary cost or, worse, the wrong level of compliance for your market.
From a factory’s side, the key is not having “more certificates,” but having the right ones.
Three Different Types of Compliance Buyers Should Know
In drinkware manufacturing, these requirements usually fall into three clear categories.
Factory compliance comes first. This is where BSCI fits in. It focuses on working conditions and management systems, not on the product itself.
Food contact safety is the second category. LFGB and FDA are used to check whether materials that touch food and beverages are safe under normal use.
The third category is chemical compliance, mainly REACH for the European market. REACH looks at restricted or high-concern substances in materials such as plastics, coatings, or silicone parts. It does not test taste or food performance.
Once this basic structure is clear, it becomes much easier to decide which tests actually matter for your project.
BSCI — A Factory Audit, Not a Product Test
BSCI is often the first thing buyers ask about, especially when they work with large brands or retail chains. From a factory perspective, it is important to clarify one point early: BSCI does not test the bottle itself.
BSCI is a social compliance audit. It looks at how a factory operates on a daily basis, including working hours, labor conditions, workplace safety, and management systems. The purpose is to make sure production is carried out in a responsible and transparent way.
For buyers, BSCI mainly works as a supply chain qualification. Many retailers require it before they even discuss pricing or product details. However, BSCI alone does not say anything about food safety or whether a bottle meets market-specific regulations.
This is why, in real projects, BSCI is usually combined with product-level tests rather than used on its own.
LFGB — The Most Demanding Food Contact Standard in Europe
LFGB is a food contact regulation that is widely recognized across Europe, with particularly high acceptance in Germany. In the drinkware industry, it is often seen as the most demanding standard for food contact safety.
LFGB testing focuses on what happens when materials come into contact with beverages under real use conditions. This includes checks for substance migration, heavy metals, and overall material stability. One key feature that makes LFGB stricter is its odor and taste evaluation, which aims to ensure that the drink does not pick up any unwanted smell or flavor.
Because of this, LFGB is commonly requested by European retailers and mid-to-high-end brands. If a product can pass LFGB, it usually meets the expectations of most EU buyers when it comes to food contact safety.
From a water bottle factory’s experience, LFGB is less about paperwork and more about material control, especially for silicone parts, coatings, and colored components.
FDA — Food Contact Compliance for the North American Market
FDA requirements are the most common food contact standard for the United States and Canada. In daily communication, buyers often refer to this simply as “FDA,” but in practice, it means that the materials used in the product comply with US food contact regulations.
FDA testing focuses on whether materials are safe for contact with food and beverages under normal conditions of use. Compared with LFGB, FDA is generally considered more flexible in its testing approach, which is one reason it is widely accepted across different product categories.
It is also important to clarify a common misunderstanding. There is no such thing as an “FDA-approved bottle.” Instead, manufacturers provide test reports or material declarations to show compliance with relevant FDA regulations.
For most North American buyers, FDA compliance is sufficient unless a specific retailer or brand requires additional testing.
REACH — Chemical Compliance Required for the EU Market
REACH is often mentioned together with LFGB, but it serves a different purpose. While LFGB focuses on food contact safety, REACH focuses on chemical substances.
REACH is a European regulation that restricts or monitors certain chemicals that may pose long-term health or environmental risks. In drinkware products, REACH testing is commonly applied to materials such as plastics, coatings, paints, and silicone components.
What REACH does not do is evaluate taste, smell, or how a bottle performs during drinking. Instead, it checks whether restricted substances or substances of very high concern (SVHC) are present above allowed limits.
For many EU buyers, REACH is considered a basic legal requirement, even when food contact testing like LFGB has already been completed. So, REACH compliance is about meeting regulatory obligations and avoiding legal risks in the market.
How LFGB, FDA, and REACH Actually Work Together
Because LFGB, FDA, and REACH are often requested at the same time, many buyers assume they overlap or replace each other. In reality, they focus on different risks and answer different compliance questions.
To make this clearer, here is a simple comparison :
| Standard | Main Purpose | Market | Food Contact Test | Chemical Restriction | Typical Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LFGB | Food contact safety | EU (especially Germany) | Yes | Limited | EU retail, premium brands |
| FDA | Food contact safety | US & Canada | Yes | Limited | North American market, e-commerce |
| REACH | Chemical compliance | EU | No | Yes (SVHC, restricted substances) | Legal compliance for EU imports |
| BSCI | Factory social compliance | Global | No | No | Retail and brand qualification |
From this table, one thing becomes clear:
no single test covers everything.
LFGB and FDA focus on whether a stainless steel water bottle is safe to drink from. REACH focuses on whether restricted chemicals are present. BSCI focuses on how the factory operates. Each one solves a different problem.
This is why experienced buyers usually combine tests instead of relying on just one.
A Common and Risky Misunderstanding
One of the most frequent questions we hear is:
“If a product passes FDA or LFGB, does it automatically meet REACH requirements?”
The short answer is: not necessarily.
The reason is simple. These standards are designed for different purposes. Food contact tests simulate how a product is used for drinking. REACH checks the chemical composition of materials, even if those chemicals do not affect taste or immediate use.
In real projects, issues often appear in areas such as:
Silicone seals that pass food contact tests but contain restricted substances
Coatings or paints that meet FDA or LFGB limits but trigger REACH concerns
Colored plastic parts where chemical compliance is overlooked
This is why relying on a single test report can create hidden risks, especially for the EU market.
How Overseas Buyers Can Choose the Right Test Combination
The best approach is not to ask for “all possible tests,” but to choose a combination that matches your market and sales channel.
Before deciding, buyers usually only need to answer three questions:
Where will the product be sold?
Who is the end customer (retail, brand, promotion)?
How complex is the product structure and material mix?
For example, EU retail projects often combine LFGB + REACH, while North American sales typically rely on FDA. BSCI is added when supply chain compliance is required by brands or retailers.
When these factors are clear, compliance becomes a practical tool rather than a confusing checklist. And that is usually when communication between buyers and factories becomes much more efficient.
