GOTS Certification for Organic Cotton Textiles
topic
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification requires minimum 70% certified organic natural fibres (GOTS Grade 2) or 95% organic content (GOTS Grade 1), combined with strict chemical restrictions throughout the entire wet processing supply chain. GOTS prohibits formaldehyde, heavy metals (Pb <1 ppm, Cd <0.1 ppm), phthalates, GMO fibres, and lists 76+ restricted substance categories. Permitted dyes include fibre-reactive dyes with low mutagenicity, direct dyes with low toxicity (MAK class III A1/A2 excluded), and vat dyes. Certification covers fibre production, yarn spinning, fabric manufacturing, dyeing, finishing, and garment making — all facilities must be independently certified annually. Over 10,000 facilities in 70 countries hold GOTS certification. Certification fee is $500–5,000/facility/year depending on turnover. GOTS-labelled products command 15–30% retail price premium over non-certified organic claims.
Role
Gold standard supply chain certification for organic textiles, providing consumer confidence in both fibre origin and chemical processing safety from farm to finished garment, enabling premium market positioning for brands committed to verifiable sustainability claims.