Everything You Need To Know About GOTS Certifications

In recent years, we've learned to recognise plenty of sustainability logos decorating our products, from the green frog of Rainforest Alliance to the stylised butterfly of Positive Luxury and the cute rabbit of Leaping Bunny. These certifications are given to items produced by factories that pass rigorous assessments, proving the company's ethical working conditions, sustainable policies, or animal cruelty-free practices. 

The GOTS certification is the most widely recognised and respected in the garment industry, with a total of 13,549 facilities in 84 countries worldwide certified to this standard. India has the highest number of GOTS facilities, with a total of 3699, followed by Turkey and China, with 1674 and 1646 facilities, respectively. 

But what leads brands to get certified to these standards? GOTS certifications are known to benefit both our environment and the companies choosing to certify their brands. For instance, a 2022 survey showed how 60% of GOTS-certified businesses reported increased opportunities, while 90% said that GOTS goods accounted for 90% of their sales of organic products (GOTS, 2022). But what are the standards and criteria textiles must follow to get GOTS certified? 

GOTS Standards and Criteria

Textiles must match specific standards and criteria throughout all steps of their supply chain to receive the renowned GOTS certification. 

Organic fibres

For instance, choosing organic fibres is fundamental. The GOTS label can only be applied to products containing at least 70% certified organic fibres. Items carrying the organic GOTS label are even more sustainable as the percentage of organic fibres in the products must be at least 95%. But what do we mean by 'organic fibres'?

It's essential to specify that the GOTS certification does not set standards for what fibres are considered organic. These criteria are instead under the scope of organic farming standards, many of which are defined by national governments. 

Despite this, most governments across the world agree that organic fibres should be grown without synthetic pesticides or herbicides. This is excellent news as cotton plantations, the leading raw material used for clothes production, account for 16.1% of global insecticides and 5.7% of total pesticides, poisoning not only the soil but also 77 million workers per year (GOTS).

Environmental Criteria

Products also need to follow several environmental criteria to obtain the GOTS certification. For instance, factories must use GOTS-approved colourants in all their wet processing. On top of this, businesses must demonstrate good environmental management practices, such as being equipped with efficient wastewater treatment machines. This is fundamental as colourants used to dye clothes often contain harmful chemicals that are released into the water. This means that if these liquids are not disposed of properly, they will end up polluting nearby bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, and seas, with detrimental consequences for local ecosystems.

Social Criteria

The GOTS certification also requires factories to provide ethical working conditions for all employees. These are based on the central norms provided by the International Labour Organisation, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. For instance, workers should choose to work in the factory independently without external pressure, while child labour and discrimination are strictly prohibited. On top of this, the workspaces must be free from harassment and violence, employees must have good contracts without precarious conditions, and working hours must be monitored. But how do products receive the GOTS certification?

How Do Textiles Get Certified?

In order for a product to receive the GOTS label, all textile manufacturing and trading processes need to be checked. For instance, in the first processing stage, factories should show evidence that their organic and conventional fibres do not commingle, a fundamental step to avoid contamination. When it comes to weaving or knitting, namely the process through which yarns are turned into fabrics, companies should prove that all machine oils coming in contact with organic yarns are fully heavy metal-free. The GOTS label also has stringent rules concerning all wet processes, such as sizing, bleaching, and dyeing. For instance, at least 75% of sizing agents should be of natural origin, while ammonia and treatment and chlorination of wool are strictly prohibited in pre-treatment processes. 

It's important to stress that even after a product earns the GOTS certification, factories continue to be routinely inspected to ensure that standards are met over time. But how do GOTS certifications benefit our planet?

Why is the GOTS certification necessary? 

To this day, the garment industry is responsible for 10% of all global carbon emissions as well as 20% of clean water pollution. GOTS certifications are a great way to limit this sector's negative environmental impact on our planet. For example, traditional farm methods are known for locking CO2 in the soil, decreasing its fertility. Contrary to this, growing organic cotton has been linked to a 94% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in less water waste (GOTS). 

On top of this, the garment industry is vastly renowned for its connection with unethical work practices, such as child labour and employee exploitation. According to a report published by UNICEF, these remain massive issues in countries such as Bangladesh. For instance, in Dhaka, one of Bangladesh's textile hubs, roughly 60% of the 185,000 workers in this sector are under 18. While some of these are above the legal age for work, most of them not only don't attend school but work for a total of 17 hours per day (Unicef, 2015). GOTS-certified textile guarantees ethical work practices by checking whether factories employ children among their workers, provide fair wages to their employees, or discriminate based on gender or ethnicity. 

Entrepreneurs wanting to start using GOTS-certified manufacturers for their designs can subscribe to the Clear Factory Website, where they will be able to search for the ideal manufacturers for their products. Or alternatively join our Pro plans where we will help find a suitable supplier by filling out a quote form.