User:Susolu/Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

is the processing standard for textiles made from organic fibres worldwide. It defines high level environmental criteria along the entire supply chain of organic textiles and requires compliance with social criteria as well.

GOTS was developed by leading international standard setters in order to define world-wide recognised 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 credible assurance to the consumer.

In 2002 four reputed organisations, namely OTA (USA), IVN (Germany), Soil Association (UK) and JOCA (Japan) founded the GOTS International Working Group (GOTS IWG) in 2002. They contribute to the GOTS, together with further international stakeholder organizations and experts, their respective expertise in organic farming and environmentally and socially responsible textile processing. Those four members of the GOTS IWG are quarter shareholders of the operating unit the GOTS gemeinnützige GmbH, a non profit organisation.

In 2006 certification started with 36 entities. In 2011 the GOTS Database listed more than 2700 certified entities worldwide.

Supported by the growth in consumption of organic fibres and by the remarkable demand for unified processing criteria from the industry and retail sector, the Global Organic Textile Standard has already gained universal recognition. It enables processors and manufacturers to supply their textiles made from organic fibres with one certification accepted in major selling markets.

CERTIFICATION

On-site inspection and certification of processors, manufacturers and traders performed by independent specially accredited bodies is the basis of the GOTS monitoring system.

LICENCING & LABELLING

With completion of GOTS certification, the certified entity acquires a licence which entitles it to participate in the GOTS program,including use of the standard and the GOTS logo on its respective GOTS goods. Details including the amount of the respec-tive licence fee are defined in the “Licensing & Labelling Guide”.

PUBLIC DATABASE

The GOTS public data base is a tool that enables its user to search, according to his individual needs, for GOTS certified entities in the supply chain, their location, field of operation, and GOTS certified products.