GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD

ECOLOGY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

GLOBAL STANDARD NEWS · May 2025

Momentum, Milestones & Meaningful Action

From shaping textile legislation to elevating sustainability on the world stage, Global Standard has been busy in the past months. In this edition, we highlight how we are building partnerships, influencing policy and strengthening our global presence. Scroll down to see what’s new - and what’s next..

Annual Report Released

Global Standard’s 2024 Annual Report highlights key developments designed to support GOTS-certified entities. From the Due Diligence Handbook for Auditors and new online trainings to help you meet compliance requirements, to the AI satellite project improving fibre integrity, 2024 brought practical innovations to strengthen your business. The year saw a 5% increase in GOTS-certified facilities, reflecting growing global demand. With the GOTS Version 8.0 revision process underway, certified entities can help shape the future of the standard, while the #BehindTheSeams campaign reached over 70 million consumers, boosting visibility for GOTS-certified products.

• View the interactive web version of the report here.
• Download the PDF version here

New Certification Pathway Empowers Small-Scale Operators

To expand access to GOTS certification and promote inclusive sustainability, Global Standard has launched the new Controlled Supply-Chain Certification Scheme (CSCS) — a simplified pathway tailored for small-scale textile operators in low-risk countries.

The CSCS enables 4 to 30 facilities, each with 20 or fewer workers, to certify as a group. Internal inspections are conducted by trained members within the value chain, significantly reducing costs and administrative burden - while maintaining full alignment with GOTS requirements.

This new approach helps smaller facilities stay competitive, enhances traceability, and strengthens responsible production at every level of the textile value chain.

Learn more about CSCS and how it can benefit your operations.

Global Standard joins two alliances to drive transparency and sustainability

To accelerate progress toward responsible, transparent, and science-based textile supply chains, Global Standard is proud to announce two significant new memberships. Both partnerships expand our reach to foster science-based methods, transparent supply chains, and responsible industry collaboration.

We are now part of the Make the Label Count coalition - an international alliance working to ensure sustainability labels reflect reality, not just marketing. As a recognised authority in the organic textile industry, Global Standard will contribute its extensive expertise and leadership, while ensuring that voices from every segment of the value chain are heard. We're helping shape a fairer, more science-based Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method - so sustainability claims become clearer and more credible for everyone.

As of May 1st, Global Standard is an Associate Member of International Apparel Federation (IAF). This membership marks a step forward in our mission to promote sustainability, due diligence and integrity across the global textile and apparel industry. As part of the IAF network, we look forward to provide our expertise and knowledge in certification and standard stetting, and collaborating with industry leaders for responsible and transparent textile value chains.

Be part of the #BehindTheSeams 2025 Campaign in September

Last year’s #BehindTheSeams campaign achieved outstanding results thanks to a record number of participants like you. Together, we achieved:

• Over 151 million impressions generated on social media
• More than 70 million individual consumers reached

This year, Global Standard is raising the bar by strengthening our commitment to certified brands and companies, along with consumers, and showing why both the Standard – and all of you – are truly ‘Anything but Standard’. We invite you to be part of the next chapter, where sustainability and social responsibility are not seen as burdens and restrictions, but as advantages

Mark your calendars for 1-30 September, and don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the next #BehindTheSeams success. Register here to signal your interest – full participation details will follow.

Appointment to European Commission Stakeholder Group

Aleksandra Czajka, Public Procurement Specialist at Global Standard, in January was appointed as a member of the European Commission Stakeholder Expert Group on Public Procurement. This prestigious appointment arrives at a key moment with the European Commission recently launching public consultation on the Public Procurement Directives -- an excellent opportunity to shape the future of procurement policy across Europe.

Aleksandra is honoured and excited to have the chance to collaborate with a diverse group of exceptional professionals. She looks forward to engaging with the fellow experts to exchange ideas, share insights and contribute to creating a more efficient and sustainable procurement system.

Introducing New Members of the Global Standard Team

Astrid Jakubaß – People Specialist
Astrid is an experienced HR professional with over 10 years in talent acquisition, leadership development, and strategic HR operations. She holds a degree in Business Administration (Diplom-Kauffrau) from the University of Duisburg-Essen, with a focus on Business Law, Production Management, Procurement, and Logistics. We are glad to have her support in the continued development of a strong, values-aligned staff at Global Standard.

Anna Cain – Digital Marketing Associate
As a graduate of Parsons School of Design and holding a postgraduate degree in Sustainable Textile Technology, Anna brings a background in environmental and fashion communications to help share the impact and values behind GOTS certification. We’re happy to have her join us in content creation, community education, and brand strategy within the organic textile space.

Sharafat Mallik – Head of Quality Assurance
With over 20 years of leadership in sourcing operations and quality management, Sharafat brings deep knowledge of raw material innovation and product performance. His work has helped scale sustainable sourcing strategies, build networks of organic cotton farmers, and develop next-gen material solutions. At Global Standard, he’ll be managing quality assurance and advancing industry transformation.

Vidhya Kurri – Implementation Specialist
Vidhya is a textile expert with over seven years’ experience in sustainability, certification, and safe textile chemistry. She has worked extensively across Asia, supporting brands, managing certification processes, and driving harmonised training programmes. Passionate about quality and continuous improvement, Vidhya strengthens Global Standard’s work by bringing practical industry knowledge and a hands-on approach to implementation.

Join Our Growing Team!

Communications and Public Relations Manager (remote)
We are seeking a dedicated Communications and Public Relations Manager to join our international team. We value your strategic thinking, creative storytelling and ability to craft compelling narratives that shape public perception and engagement. This is a remote home-office position, and fluency in both German and English is desired. Travel may be required when necessary. Since this is a remote position, there are no geographical limitations for the applicant.

Learn more about this role here.

Global Engagement Highlights

Rahul Bhajekar participates in Green Fashion India Conference



From 5-7 March, Global Standard Managing Director Rahul Bhajekar participated in the 10^th Green Fashion India (GFI) Conference focused on “Nurturing the Health of the Fashion Ecosystem”. Bhajekar, who sits on the GFI Advisory Board, spoke about the future of sustainable fashion and moderated panels. The annual event highlights designs by students at Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samantha’s School of Fashion Technology and convenes experts for roundtables, panels and speeches about the latest in sustainable fashion. “I love working with young people and seeing their incredible designs,” said Bhajekar.

GOTS Representative in South Asia speaks at Bharat Tex 2025



GOTS Representative in South Asia Ganesh Kasekar had the opportunity to speak on the day first of Bharat Tex 2025 at a roundtable titled 'Innovate Forward: Shaping a sustainable Textiles Future'. The discussion centred on actionable strategies for integrating sustainability in India’s textile industry; identifying ways for collaboration between industry stakeholders, policy makers and academia to create sustainable practices; learning on how India can align with the global sustainability standards and market trends; and identifying key areas where regulation and industry initiatives can work together.

Global Standard attends OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector



Global Standard staff attended the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector in Paris 11-12 February, which was a great opportunity to keep up to date with the latest developments and discussions about human rights due diligence and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The common thread through all the sessions and discussions was how to make CSDDD impactful and effective for those mostly suffering from human rights violations and poor working conditions. The OECD provided insights into the findings of ongoing Alignment Assessment processes for certification schemes (in which GOTS is also participating), while highlighting the important role of Voluntary Sustainability Standards in the Due Diligence process (see the OECD’s latest report this here).

GOTS Representative in APAC speaks at at VIATT 2025



Felicia Shi, GOTS Representative in APAC, delivered an informative presentation on GOTS as a holistic solution to sustainability from field to fashion at the Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) in February. Felicia shared: "This was our second time presenting GOTS at VIATT through our valued collaboration with Messe Frankfurt. We were very pleased with the engagement – not only with the number of visitors at our booth and seminar but also with the quality of connections made at the Econogy Hub. We had meaningful discussions with global brands, retailers, embassy delegates and key industry organisations committed to sustainable textiles and fashion."

Global Standard participates in Intertextile Shanghai Spring 2025



Felicia Shi, GOTS Representative in APAC, hosted a booth and delivered an insightful presentation titled “Meet GOTS – Your Source for Sustainable and Ethical Textiles Made with Organic Fibres” at Intertextile Shanghai Spring 2025 from 11-13 March. Held at the rebranded Econogy Hub, where sustainability takes centre stage, the presentation covered key topics such as the origins of GOTS, its core features, the evolving global regulatory landscape and the next steps for Global Standard. The session deepened attendees’ understanding of GOTS requirements and highlighted how GOTS certification helps companies align with sustainability laws and regulations.

Global Standard sits on panel at Demystified Data Summit in Berlin

Global Standard Head of Data and Technology César Escobedo was the lead on a panel titled 'How to Gain Data & Analytics Buy-in from Key Stakeholders' at the Data Demystified Data Summit in Berlin. With over 30 expert speakers, more than 150 data professionals and three hours of networking, the event on March 4 brought together industry leaders to share insights, exchanges ideas and foster meaningful connections. Global Standard's Public Procurement Specialist Aleksandra Czajka and Senior Product Manager Diego Centurión also attended.

Meet Global Standard: Upcoming Events

• 22 May | Workshop on EU policy and Supply Chain Resilience, Brussels
  Organised by the EU-funded ReSChape project, Marie-Luise Pörtner and Diego Centurión of Global Standard will join policymakers and industry representatives to discuss how the EU can better anticipate supply chain disruptions and boost the competitiveness of the EU single market.
  
  
• 23-24 May | Organic Lifestyle EXPO West, Kyoto, Japan
  Visit the GOTS booth at the Organic Lifestyle Expo in Kyoto, where Fiona Matsumoto, Representative in Japan, will engage with visitors in a co-hosted booth with the Japan Organic Cotton Association (JOCA).
  
  → Learn more about the event here.
  
  
• 3-5 June | Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark
  Meet Global Standard staff, who are tooking forward to valuable industry inputs, connections and collaborations.
  
  → Learn more about the event here.

• 11-13 June | 2025 Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics, Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center (Futian), China
  Visit Felicia Shi, GOTS Representative in APAC, at the GOTS booth. Felicia will deliver a presentation at the Econogy Hub on ‘what’s new’ with Global Standard. She will also engage with SME leaders to discuss opportunities to explore what’s next in textile innovations.
  
  → Learn more about the event here.
  
  
• 2-4 September | Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn 2025, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), China
  Meet Global Standard at the GOTS booth.
  
  → Learn more about the event here.
  
  
• 3-5 September | IFOAM Asia x Messe Düsseldorf x Global Standard | First Edition Organic Festa Asia, Shanghai New International Expo Center, China
  Global Standard plans to host a seminar aimed at engaging audiences interested in organic and sustainable practices in textile sector. Global Standard will also feature a booth and give a speech at the main conference alongside the show.
  
  → Learn more about the event here.

Global Standard in the News

With over 38,000 media mentions in 2024, here are a few key features from recent months:

✩ Ecotextile | Global Standard receives ISEAL grant
✩ JustStyle | GOTS joins Make the Label Count to boost textile sustainability
✩ Textile Network | Global Standard: Concern over EU Omnibus package
✩ Sourcing Journal | GOTS Joins ‘Make the Label Count’ Coalition
✩ Vogue Business | EU slashes sustainability red tape — at what cost?

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