What is The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Certification all about?

What is GOTS Certification ? | Certifications are proof which tells you what you can expect from a product. It is a standard that assures a certain level of quality and superiority. Even though any certification by itself is a validation of quality, not all certifications are equal and have the same face value.

For instance, you might be looking for a mattress that is “organic”, but what does it mean? Since organic is not a regulated term, it is easy for any business to add the terms “organic”  with just some ingredients detached from sustainable ones.

It’s difficult to verify whether organic textiles firms offering to sell organic cotton are genuine these days. The reasoning for this is that, unlike food, textile goods can claim to be organic through a variety of certifications, but many of these certifications do not guarantee that the thing is organic from start to end.

With any casual seal of certification, it is easy for brands to get away with greenwashing. You see, a customer can be easily mistaken for false claims. One of the biggest concerns of the people is such companies that try to mislead customers by making false organic-related claims.

As a result, some items labeled as “organic” may only include a small proportion of organic cotton in the final product. It may also imply that the fiber was farmed organically, but the colors used in the item were hazardous

Certification that truly matters: GOTS Certification

As a conscious customer, you need to make sure to detect certifications as real and fake.

The truly genuine certification is GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard.

GOTS is an international leading processing standard all over the world to ensure the quality of organic textile and fibers, which is supported by a third-party independent certification for validating the entire supply chain.

The standard targets to ascertain and verify the recognized requirements to ensure the organic status – from sourcing of the raw materials and responsible manufacturing process that reflects credibility to customers and dealers.

If you come across any products that are GOTS certified, you can be assured that the products are made from top-notch organic materials that are safe, natural, and eco-friendly.

This covers the seeds used to cultivate the cotton, the harvesting procedure, the usage of raw materials, and ensuring that the goods are ethically made up to the labeling. This is done to offer the client a trustworthy and dependable product guarantee.

Significance of the GOTS label

The GOTS was established to fill a gap in the market for an internationally recognized standard that encompassed all organic fibers, including cotton, silk, wool, and bamboo. (Leather items are not included.) The goal of the specification is to provide high-quality, environmentally friendly textiles.

The GOTS standards were standardised in 2002 by four groups working together. The core team consists of the US-based Organic Trade Association (OTA) and three other member organizations from Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Every product that bears the GOTS mark must include a majority of organic natural fibers. The amount of organic fibre in the product determines which of two GOTS label classes to use:

• GOTS Organic: At least 95% of the fibres must be certified organic.
• GOTS Made with Organic: At least 70% of the fibers must be organic.

The products that are certified by GOTS should not include more than 10 percent of synthetic fiber, with some exceptions for products like socks, leggings, swimwear that can contain around 25 percent synthetic fibers. This improves the stretching ability of the product.

Characteristics of GOTS certification

The GOTS certification covers the entire supply chain of organic textiles. It involves fiber production, manufacturing and processing. The elements of a product from packaging to trading methods are evaluated before certifying the product.

Only by passing through GOTS qualified operators at each stage can a product acquire the GOTS designation. The cloth, for example, must be produced and processed in GOTS-certified facilities. GOTS certification is required for all merchants and suppliers that handle product packaging.

What does the GOTS certificate guarantee?

The concepts of the assessment are extensive and comprehensive, therefore receiving a GOTS certification is a time-consuming process. If an item complies with GOTS guidelines, it must fulfil a number of requirements, including

Environmental Criteria

• Prohibition of hazardous heavy metals, formaldehyde, scented solvents, functional nanoparticles, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and their catalysts.
• Azo dyes that emit carcinogenic amine chemicals are illegal.
• The use of aromatic solvents in discharge printing and phthalates and PVC in plastisol printing are both forbidden.
• Every business must have an environmental policy that includes target protocols and outcomes for reducing waste and discharges.

Criteria for Technical Quality and Human Toxicity

• Technical quality standards must be satisfied.
• Unwanted residues must be kept to a minimum in raw materials, intermediates, finished textile goods, and accessories.

Social Criteria

• All processors and manufacturers must adhere to some essential standards, such as safe and sanitary working practices, the ability to choose one’s job, and so on.

The Bottomline

Organic fibers are in high demand in today’s globe, as people become more aware of the negative effects of certain chemicals. Certain substances have the potential to be hazardous to human and environmental health.

The GOTS standard prohibits the use of hazardous compounds including formaldehyde and phthalates, which can release dangerous fumes. These goods have a massive appeal and are approved in major markets around the globe since GOTS certification organizations are located in over 45 countries.