GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD

ECOLOGY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

GOTS NEWS · October 2021

CUGS Released for implementation

Version 3.1 of the Conditions for the Use of GOTS Signs – CUGS - (formerly named the Licencing and Labelling Guide) was released by GOTS in October 2021. The implementation deadline is 1 February 2022. Apart from clarifications, the new version also includes several new requirements. The use of GOTS Signs in e-commerce has been addressed precisely, GOTS approved chemical input companies are now allowed the use of GOTS signs under certain conditions and new options for the GOTS logo have been introduced.

The CUGS is available for download at this link.

FELICIA SHI APPOINTED AS GOTS REPRESENTATIVE IN APAC

We are pleased to announce that Felicia Shi has been appointed Representative in APAC. In addition to the Greater China Area (Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) Felicia will now also represent GOTS in Indonesia, Korea, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

While Singapore is an emerging trading hub for organic textiles in APAC, Indonesia has a solid basis for textiles industry, especially for the garment sector and Vietnam is one of the leading textiles exporting countries worldwide. Thailand is one of the few countries that provides an integrated supply chain and specialises in the production of cotton yarn and fabric. Korea has a sound foundation of organic farming and consumption. 

Given Felicia’s long-standing expertise and experience in Greater China, she is the ideal choice to lead GOTS’ efforts to bring increased visibility and support for the organic textile sector in these countries. 

New Certification Bodies for GOTS

Three new Certification Bodies (CBs) have received approval to perform certification according to GOTS and to implement its related quality assurance system:

1. CITEVE – covering Portugal and Spain
2. Intertek – global coverage
3. IDFL – global coverage

Every CB needs to be accredited to GOTS by an Accreditation Body and then conclude a contract with GOTS before offering their services. With these additions, GOTS now has 19 approved Certification Bodies around the globe. 

Find out more about the GOTS approval procedure for CBs by clicking here.
A complete list of all GOTS Approved Certifiers is available via this link.

Version 3.0 of TC and SC Policies and templates released. Implementation deadline: 1 July 2022

GOTS released versions 3.0 of Scope and Transaction Certificates policies and templates on 7 October 2021. After a lengthy process of revision that included two separate consultations with GOTS CBs and harmonisation with Textile Exchange, these updated versions are to be implemented by CBs within the deadline of 1 July 2022. The new versions contain several changes to the documents incorporating important information for traceability and transparency of GOTS Goods. The templates have been aligned to the needs of the GOTS central database system which is currently under development.

The new documents are available for download by clicking here.

New documents releated to classification of geopraphic regions: Materials, processes and products released 

The GOTS Standard Development and Quality Assurance Team released two new documents: Geographic Classification Version 1.0 and Materials, Processes & Products Classification Version 1.0 for the use by CBs, primarily in the Scope and Transaction Certificates. The geographic classification ensures countries and regions are consistently designated across all stakeholders while the Materials, Processes and Products classification ensures a harmonised use of terms and an introduction of classification codes for GOTS central database system. This was necessary to ensure a standardised system across the documents used within the certification system, accurate data aggregation and impact measurement. Both documents are also harmonised with Textile Exchange to the extent possible and are required to be implemented at the earliest by CBs.

Click here to download Geographic Classification Version 1.0
Click here to download Materials, Processes & Products Classification Version 1.0

GOTS Motion passes IFOAM OI General Assembly 2021 

IFOAM Organics International (IFOAM OI) is the global organisation promoting organic around the world. GOTS is proud to be a member of IFOAM OI. The General Assembly of IFOAM OI is the way in which members can propose motions that are voted on by the membership. This is how IFOAM OI can take on new areas of work that members consider to be important. 

GOTS proposed a motion to advocate for the inclusion of social criteria in organic standards, in line with the 12 key norms of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and to start a dialogue with standard setters to implement standards for social justice into organic standards. These would be verified by independent organic certification bodies and / or Participatory Guarantee Systems. 

GOTS already requires the approved certification bodies to verify that the 12 key ILO norms, which are included in the standard, are met in the organic fibre production at certified organic farms. This motion will require these social justice standards as an integral part of organic farm production standards around the world. 

One of the IFOAM OI principles of organic is the principle of Fairness (the others are Ecology, Health and Care). We are proud to announce that the motion passed and believe that it will help to strengthen and support the delivery of the organic principles. 

GOTS & IFOAM Organics Europe bring organic textiles in line with organic food 

GOTS and IFOAM Organics Europe (IFOAM OE) are closely working together to achieve that the term organic textiles can only be used where both the natural fibre (cotton, linen, hemp etc.) is produced according to organic farming standards and the fibres are processed to the finished product according to an organic textile processing standard such as GOTS. IFOAM has formally recognised and endorsed GOTS, and requests governments to refrain from establishing other national organic textile processing standards.

This would bring organic textiles in line with organic food. For organic food, both the farm production and the processing of the food product have to meet organic standards and the term is protected in Europe through the EU organic regulation. GOTS believes that this is important for organic textiles as well. At present, there is no control over the use of the term organic for textile products. This means that greenwashing – an unsubstantiated green claim – is prevalent in fashion, apparel, kids clothing, home textiles and hygiene products.

Meet GOTS

• Africa Regional OCRT Summit: 1 November 2021
  
  Join GOTS Representative in Africa, Muktar Dodo at the Africa Regional OCRT Summit to get the latest news from the Pan-Africa Sourcing Working Group. Receive updates from the field on yield/production and impact data and learn more about African organic cotton in terms of demand, fibre quality, sourcing models, and processing.
  
  Click here to register for the event.
  
  

• GOTS & OTB Roundtable - Raising the profile of GOTS certified organic products: 25 November 2021
  
  The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Organic Trade Board (OTB) are working in partnership, to raise awareness of organic textile products. The Roundtable will update on GOTS and OTB's shared plans. Two OTB members certified to GOTS will give in-sights from their sectors of the market: Bernie de La Cuona, founder of luxury interior textiles brand de La Cuona, as well as Lucy Todd, Founder of online childrenswear store, My Little Green Wardrobe. Since this is a participatory event, input and feedback from attendees is welcome. 
  
  For more info and to provide your input to the roundtable please contact: 
  Christopher Stopes, GOTS UK Representative, 
  
  Click here to register for the event.

• La Materia conference: 25.-26. November 2021
  
  GOTS Representatives in the United States, Lori Wyman, will be giving a presentation on GOTS at La Materia conference. The presentation will be available in Spanish and English. 
  
  Click here to register for the event. 

• GOTS Seminar Ethiopia - Towards an African Value Chain: 5 December 2021
  
  The first ever GOTS conference in Africa will be held on the 5th of December 2021 alongside the Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The conference will bring together organic cotton farmers, textiles processors and garment manufacturers from Africa with buyers from Europe and the Americas
  
  Click here to register for the event.

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