Anna Lind

The Global Organic Textile Standard is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. 

 

The aim of the standard is to define world-wide recognized requirements that ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer. Textile processors and manufacturers are enabled to export their organic fabrics and garments with one certification accepted in all major markets.

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How to become certified
Textile processing, manufacturing and trading entities can apply for certification. Entites that wish to become cerified are requested to contact an appropriate OTS approved certification body. They are entrusted with implementation of the GOTS quality assurance system and are able to inform about the related procedures and timeline from the initial request through the inspection and certification process. They will be able to provide individual cost estimation for the certification based on the operator’s location, size, fields of operation and other relevant factors.

All GOTS approved certifiers are entitled to offer related inspection and certification services worldwide and each applicant may choose its certification body. Some certifiers operate local offices or work with local representatives in various countries whereas others coordinate all services through their head offices. There are limitations regarding the accredited scope for which a certifier may offer GOTS certification. 

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Applicability of the certification system
The applicability of the GOTS certification system starts with the first processing step in the textile supply chain. In the cotton supply chain the ginning is considered to be the first processing step, whereas in the wool supply chain processing normally starts with the scouring.

Organic fibre production is not directly covered by the GOTS certification system as GOTS does not set standards for organic fibre cultivation itself. Instead cultivation of organic fibres is under the scope of the governmental organic farming standards (e.g. the EEC Organic Regulation or the USDA NOP). Organic fibres certified according to these recognised international or national legal standards are the accepted raw material inputs for the GOTS processing and manufacturing chains.
The GOTS quality assurance system is based on on-site inspection and certification of the textile processing and trade chain. In particular operators from post-harvest handling up to garment making as well as traders up to the import stage have to undergo an on-site annual inspection cycle and must hold a valid certification as prerequisite in order for final products to be labelled as GOTS certified.

Processors and manufacturers that receive a GOTS scope certification have demonstrated to the assigned certifier that they are able to work in compliance with all applicable GOTS criteria in the fields of operations and for the product groups shown on their certificate. They may then accept orders for GOTS compliant processing / manufacturing in their certified scope. Accordingly certified exporters-, importers and traders are authorised to trade GOTS textile products that belong to the scope of their granted certification.
Entities that receive a GOTS scope certificate are free to advertise their certified status on the market. They further become listed in the public GOTS data base on this website.

 

Criteria
The consensus of the Founding Organizations was that a clear and unambiguous understanding of the content required that the Global Standard itself focuses on compulsory criteria only. The standard covers the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading and distribution of all textiles made from at least 70% certified organic natural fibres. The final products may include, but are not limited to fibre products, yarns, fabrics, clothes and home textiles. The standard does not set criteria for leather products.

Minimum Social Criteria
Minimum social criteria based on the key norms of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) must be met by all processors and manufacturers. They must have a social compliance management with defined elements in place to ensure that the social criteria can be met. For adequate implementation and assessment of the following social criteria topics the listed applicable key conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) have to be taken as the relevant basis for interpretation.