Global Standard News January 2026 🌱

GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD

ECOLOGY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

GLOBAL STANDARD NEWS · January 2026

Looking Back on 2025 as We Move Forward into 2026

This year marked the announcement of major changes and exciting new directions for Global Standard. We reached out for input on the newest revision towards the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) 8.0, we unveiled our new Standard, the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS), for public comment, expanding our rigorous social and environmental criteria to a whole new set of responsible materials.

Beyond new standard development, the OECD conducted an assessment of GOTS 7.0 against OECD due diligence, confirming strong alignment and further bolstering GOTS' credibility. In parallel, we continued advancing impact data collection and traceability through new tools, such as the Global Trace Base.

2026 will signal the launch and implementation for all these exciting developments, and we look forward to sharing our continued growth and commitment with you in the new year as we turn the page on 2025.

2025 Global Standard Annual Meeting: Connected and Inspired in Egypt

In November, the Global Standard team gathered in Egypt for our 2025 Annual Meeting, an opportunity to align on strategic priorities, strengthen collaboration across units and regions and continue advancing our mission to ensure the highest level of social and environmental impact in textile value chains.

As a remote team with colleagues working across the globe, the Annual Meeting is a special time where we can finally connect in person to reflect on progress, address challenges and plan future work without screens or time zone barriers.

We are grateful to SEKEM Group for welcoming us and providing the ideal environment for productive dialogue and exchange. Founded in 1977, SEKEM is a pioneer of sustainable development in Egypt, demonstrating how biodynamic agriculture, responsible business, education, healthcare and cultural initiatives can work together as one holistic system. The setting offered a living example of ecological and social principles in practice, inspiring our conversations and reinforcing the kind of systemic impact we strive to advance through our work.

On Track to GOTS 8.0

The revision of GOTS to version 8.0 is almost finished, with two rounds of public consultation completed. The new version will have significant improvements coming from our OECD Due Diligence Assessment and structural improvements related to ISO 17065 alignment. The new version also contains changes that came through consultations with stakeholders across the textile industry.

To date, our established Standard Revision Committee has reviewed and discussed the inputs for GOTS version 8.0, which will be released in March 2026 alongside its Implementation Manual.

Get the 101 on GOTS: Global Standard launches its Academy

What is GOTS really about? What is the basis of GOTS’ environmental criteria? And what is special about GOTS’ social and human rights provisions? Global Standard invites you to our brand-new learning platform: the Global Standard Academy. The Academy includes educational videos and training units on Global Standard topics that everyone can take at their own pace and are completely free of charge. The training units are easy to understand and provide learners with the chance to test their knowledge at the end. We will add new training modules in the future, so check back often!

Preparing for Round Two of GRTS Public Consultation

The highly anticipated GRTS is currently undergoing a detailed review of the first public consultation. The second revised draft of the new Standard is expected to be released early in 2026 for public consultation in preparation for a formal release later in the year.

We received over 97 responses from the first consultation, which provided us with a wide range of perspectives from public stakeholders on how to ensure the Standard represents their needs and meet the strict social and environmental criteria reflected in GOTS. We look forward to your continued engagement in our second round of consultations!

EU Bioeconomy Strategy: Organic textiles, Bioeconomy in Action

On December 2, Global Standard Representative in the UK and to the EU Christopher Stopes joined the EU Bioeconomy Conference under the Danish Presidency. The event brought together a range of stakeholders including policymakers, industry leaders and youth advocates to mark the official launch of the European Commission’s new EU Bioeconomy Strategy, which sets a course away from fossil fuels and towards a competitive economy based on sustainable biological resources. Encouragingly, textiles are recognised as a lead market for sustainable biomaterials, highlighting the role of natural and organic fibres in driving this shift. Yet, it stops short of explicitly acknowledging organically produced natural fibres.

To ensure real impact, the Strategy must deliver regulatory clarity, harmonised definitions of “organic” and “bio-based textiles,” sustainability metrics that reflect true environmental and social externalities and prioritise organic farming to protect biodiversity and soil health. If Europe wants a resilient, truly sustainable bio-based future, organic food and fibre must be part of the solution. Read our full press release for more details.

What was the Impact of #BehindTheSeams 2025? Are You Ready for 2026?

290M+ impressions. 144M+ people engaged. 850K+ website visits.

That’s the power of our global #BehindTheSeams 2025 campaign, made possible by our incredible certified community. These results prove what we already know: transparency matters and certified organic textiles are capturing worldwide attention.

Now, we’re gearing up for #BehindTheSeams 2026 and we would love to have you involved. Don’t miss this chance to showcase your unique sustainability story, grow your global visibility and position your brand in front of millions of consumers.

Inform your marketing colleagues to prepare for September 1-30, 2026.

Share your feedback on the 2025 campaign here: #BehindTheSeams 2025 Feedback Form – Fill out form

Introducing New Members of the Global Standard Team

We are delighted to welcome two new colleagues who have joined Global Standard this quarter:

Dr. Michael Otto, Head of Standard Development

Michael brings a wealth of experience spanning over two decades in sustainability, quality management, and international standardisation. His career includes leadership roles in global organisations, where he successfully implemented environmental protection goals, developed multi-stakeholder standards processes and drove innovation in compliance and sustainability frameworks. With a strong academic background and extensive intercultural expertise, he is passionate about advancing rigorous, transparent standards that foster trust and sustainability across industries.

Adam Jennison, Communication & Public Relations Specialist

With more than eight years of international experience in strategic communications, Adam has worked with organisations including USAID, SEEK Development and the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management, where he helped shape communication strategies, manage digital campaigns, and engage diverse stakeholders around the world. At Global Standard, he will help strengthen our external voice and shape clear, impactful storytelling across our channels.

GOTS Roundtable Lisbon: “Bridging Perspectives and Strengthening Supply-Chain Dialogue”

On October 13, Global Standard hosted a roundtable in Lisbon, bringing together leading brands, manufacturers and certification bodies for a highly productive exchange on current challenges and future opportunities within the textile sector. Participants welcomed updates on key GOTS developments and strongly valued the chance to engage directly with stakeholders across the supply chain in an open and collaborative setting. Discussions affirmed strong opportunities for GOTS to deepen structured engagement with stakeholders, further drive alignment across standards and continue enhancing traceability, transparency and harmonized training and reporting. Participants also welcomed GOTS’ growing role in digital innovation, consumer communication and policy advocacy.

Save the Date: GOTS Roundtable Vancouver 2026

The next GOTS Roundtable will be held on October 12, 2026 in Vancouver, ahead of the Textile Exchange Conference. Further details will follow. We welcome topic suggestions from the brand community—please share them with Juliane Ziegler, Representative to Global Brands, and Franziska Dormann, Head of Regional Representatives & Representative to Luxury Brands.

Driving Awareness through Experience: Yoga with Mandala Yoga Wear and Global Standard

On December 11, Global Standard partnered with Mandala, one of Germany’s leading GOTS-certified yoga wear brands, for a yoga session at Hairu Studio in Munich. The event offered participants a direct and tangible way to experience sustainably produced textiles, showing how responsible fibre choices, clean processing and verified social criteria translate into comfort and performance on the mat. The event started with a presentation about GOTS, its benefits and how sustainability aligns with the values of yoga. Representative to Global Brands, Juliane Ziegler gave the presentation before leading participants in a yoga session, showcasing her yoga teacher training.

Global Standard Shares Expertise in Due Diligence Training for Auditors at ISEAL Members’ Week

Global Standard attended this year’s ISEAL Members’ Week from October 6-10 in Antwerp, where Dr. Ruslan Alyamkin, Responsible, Standard Development and Implementation (Social Responsibility), hosted a drop-in table to present key insights from its recent ISEAL Innovations Fund project, “Developing a Continuous Learning Process for GOTS Auditors and a Targeted Training on Due Diligence Requirements.”

The session provided an overview of the project and presented participants with a structured curriculum designed to strengthen auditors’ competencies in human rights due diligence. The training details the six-step due diligence approach, covering relevant legal frameworks, advanced auditing techniques and cross-cutting issues, including gender and cultural sensitivity. The holistic nature of the training provides in-depth continuous learning for auditors and ensures that lessons learned are scalable, targeted and context sensitive.

Meet Global Standard: Upcoming Events

13-16 January | Frankfurt | Heimtextil 2026
Global Standard will be present at Heimtextil 2026, the industry's most important global event for interior textiles, interior design and interior trends. Visit us in the 'Econogy Hub' at booth 6.0 B45B!
26-28 February | Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies 2026
Global Standard will be participating as part of the German Pavilion at VIATT 2026. We invite you to visit our booth and attend the seminar hosted by Felicia Shi, Representative in APAC, where she will share the latest insights on the sustainable and organic textile industries. We look forward to seeing you there!
11-13 March | Shanghai | Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Spring 2026
Visit our booth at the Econogy Hub to learn more about GOTS and GRTS and exchange insights with Felicia Shi, Representative in APAC. Additionally, Felicia will be delivering a seminar. Stay tuned for further updates on the topic and timing.
In addition, Global Standard and Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong have officially renewed collaboration for 2026, continuing our partnership across four major textile trade shows in the APAC region, including the aforementioned Vietnam lnternational Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies and lntertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Spring, as well as lntertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and lntertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn 2026. The extension of the collaboration underscores a shared commitment to facilitate sustainable transformation in Asia's textile industry.

Global Standard in the News

With a focus on thought leadership, here are selected features from Q4 2025:

✩ Just Style – New EU Bioeconomy Strategy has sustainable textile push
✩ BVB – Borussia Dortmund erhält erstmals GOTS-Zertifizierung
✩ Ecotextile – GOTS owner welcomes new EU Bioeconomy Strategy
✩ Financial Times Sustainable Views - Breaking the cycle of child labour in cocoa and textile supply chains
✩ Just Style – Textile standards can be a catalyst for growth
✩ Apparel Insider – Global Standard expands scope with new GRTS

Follow Global Standard on LinkedIn to stay up to date about upcoming events!

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