Stuttgart, Germany -
Global Standard, the non-profit organisation behind the internationally recognised Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), announces the launch of the public consultation period for its new voluntary sustainability standard: the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS). This milestone marks the next phase in Global Standard’s mission to drive the highest levels of social and environmental impact across the textile value chain.
A Natural Evolution: Extending GOTS’ capabilities
Since 2006, GOTS has established itself as the global benchmark for environmentally and socially responsible organic textile production. Today, it is implemented in over 15,000 certified facilities across 87 countries. Trusted by governments, industry bodies, NGOs, and consumers worldwide, GOTS provides credible third-party assurance that organic textiles are produced to the highest standards of environmental integrity and social responsibility.
Building on this robust foundation, the new GRTS aims to extend the same principles of health, ecology, fairness, and care to a broader range of fibres. While GOTS remains the global benchmark for organic textiles, GRTS will enable companies using other responsible fibres to credibly demonstrate both environmental and social performance under the same trusted system.
Why GRTS? Meeting Market and Regulatory Demand
GRTS is Global Standard’s response to the tightening global regulatory landscape and increasing demands for value chain transparency and accountability. Like GOTS, GRTS will support businesses in meeting and exceeding compliance requirements while reinforcing their commitment to responsible sourcing.
Many GOTS-certified entities already process fibres that fall outside the scope of organic. With GRTS, these companies can now extend rigorous certification to those materials without duplicating effort or introducing complex new systems.
Shared Core Principles, Same Trusted Process
The Global Responsible Textile Standard is rooted in the same robust criteria and processes that define GOTS. These include:
- Human Rights and Social Criteria: Strict prohibition of child labour, forced labour and discrimination; mandatory safe working conditions and fair treatment of workers.
- Environmental Protection: Mandatory use of environmentally sound processes and materials with rigorous restrictions on chemical inputs.
- Due Diligence: Systematic implementation of responsible business conduct, including risk assessment and mitigation procedures
- Traceability: Transparent tracking and volume reconciliation throughout the value chain.
- Third-Party Certification: Independent assurance by GOTS-approved certification bodies.
- Comprehensive Scope: Certification from raw material sourcing to the finished textile product.
- No GMO-Origin Fibres: All fibres used under GRTS must originate from independently verified, non-GMO sources and are certified to meet stringent environmental and social standards. To uphold this standard of integrity, GRTS requires all fibre inputs to be registered in the Global Fibre Registry (GFR), a traceability tool developed by Global Standard to track and verify the origins of all fibres entering the GRTS and GOTS systems.
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Development Process and Public Consultation
In line with ISEAL best practices, GRTS is being developed through a transparent, multi-stakeholder process. The public consultation period opens July 11th, 2025, inviting input from companies, NGOs, consumers, and certification bodies to ensure the new standard reflects real-world needs and expectations.
Finalisation and publication of GRTS Version 1.0 is scheduled for Q4 2025.
Have Your Say: Join the Public Consultation
Global Standard welcomes all stakeholders to contribute their insights and perspectives. Your participation will help shape a credible, effective standard that extends responsible practices across more fibre types and business models, strengthening the industry’s ability to deliver on its social and environmental goals.
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The public consultation for GRTS is open until 15 August 2025.
Find out more about GRTS here.
The draft version of GRTS is available here.
The draft version of the Implementation Manual for GRTS is here.
Submit your comments through this form: https://forms.office.com/e/afBPYKYw5R