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Global Organic Textile Standard Logo
GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD
ECOLOGY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

How to get certified

STEP BY STEP  -
HOW TO GET GOTS-CERTIFIED

Join the movement towards sustainable supply chains by getting GOTS certified today!

Certified textile products show your commitment to environmental and social responsibility. The GOTS certification is more than just a label, it is a symbol of trust and transparency in the textile supply chain – from field to finished goods in stores.

Step 1:
Inform yourself about GOTS

Familiarise yourself with our Standard by having a look at our GOTS materials, our latest Standard version, and our Q&A section. This will provide you with an overview of the requirements that must be met for your certification.

Step 2:
Reach out to the GOTS Representative in your region

If you seek initial consultation, you can reach out to one of our GOTS Regional Representatives, listed here. If you require more detailed assistance or guidance on complex issues, please get in touch with a GOTS Approved Consultant.

Step 3:
Choose a GOTS-approved Certification Body


Here you will find a list of independent GOTS-Approved Certification Bodies, responsible for the on-site audit and certification to GOTS.

Step 4:
Contact your GOTS Certification Body

 

 

Submit an application to the Certification Body of your choice. The application may require you to provide details about your facility or product, including your location, scope of operations, and the goods you manufacture

Step 5:
Prepare for the on-site audit


 

The Certification Body will inform you about the implementation and schedule an audit. It is important to prepare all necessary documentation and records for review, about which you will be informed by your Certification Body ahead of time. In case any non-compliances with the Standard are detected, these will be assessed and a timeline for correction will be provided to you.

 

Step 6:
Receive your GOTS Scope Certificate

 


 

Once you receive your GOTS Scope Certificate, you can leverage it to showcase your commitment to sustainable and ethical textile production. Your company will be found in the GOTS public database.

 

GOTS certification process at a glance

Infographic - GOTS certification process

How do you correctly label your certified products?

Anyone who intends to sell, label or represent any textile product with the trademark-registered GOTS logo, with GOTS labelling and/or any other reference to GOTS (certification) must first ensure that they meet the respective criteria and conditions of the Global Organic Textile Standard Programme.

 Find more information about the right labelling here.

Read more …How to get certified

Approved Certification Bodies

APPROVED CERTIFICATION BODIES

Look for Certification Bodies that are currently approved to Certify entities of the textile supply chain and their products according to GOTS All listed Certification Bodies can offer their GOTS certification services in their approved scopes worldwide. Approval for certification is provided for 4 different scopes by GOTS:

  •  Certification of mechanical textile processing and manufacturing operations and their products (scope 1)
  •  Certification of wet processing and finishing operations and their products (scope 2)
  •  Certification of trading operations and related products (scope 3)
  • approval of textile auxiliary agents (chemical input) on positive lists (scopes 4)

Search for the respective scope and contact details of the certification Body and local office representatives that may provide information with regard to GOTS certification are also stated.

Note that not all offices have the services of a locally available GOTS auditor/inspector. Prospective GOTS entities are encouraged to obtain more information by contacting the certifiers.

Read more …Approved Certification Bodies

Certification & Labelling

With the rise of the conscious consumer and the global movement towards sustainable development, claiming to have a sustainable supply chain is no longer enough.

The Global Organic Textile Standard covers the entire production process based on the use of organic fibres from textile processing and manufacturing up to licensing and labelling. While this is a rigorous process in which all criteria must be met, the result is an internationally recognized organic certification demonstrating to stakeholders, partners, and consumers your commitment to providing sustainable, ethical, and high-quality products.

In this section you can find out more about what types of entities can be certified, what the steps are, how to get in touch with approved organic certification bodies near you, and what you can do with your GOTS certification. The Guidelines especially developed for Virtual Audits during COVID-19 can be found here. For more in depth information on the specific ecological and social criteria that need to be met, go to this section. If you are interested in how to become a GOTS approved certification body go here.

The completion of GOTS certification by an approved certifier includes the right to use the GOTS logo on GOTS goods. This section describes for you the relevant licensing and labelling conditions.

GOTS certified manufacturing in India labelling GOTS certified organic textiles workers in a GOTS certified factory GOTS label on organic textiles

Read more …Certification & Labelling

Who needs to be certified

WHO NEEDS TO BE CERTIFIED

The GOTS logo can only be applied to the final product if all stages comply with the GOTS criteria. Therefore, all processors, manufacturers, and traders of textiles need to be certified. 

More information in the Are you Allowed to Label GOTS Goods or Mention GOTS in your Advertising Flyer.

See the individual stages of the textile supply chain to find out more about the different steps, the elements of inspections and contacts for GOTS Approved Certification Bodies, a list of countries where they have currently clients in as well as the accredited scopes.

Read more …Who needs to be certified

Certification

From Field to Fashion: The GOTS quality assurance system is based on on-site inspection and certification of the entire textile supply chain (processing and trade).

Operators from post-harvest handling up to garment making, as well as wholesalers (including exporters and importers), have to undergo an on-site annual inspection cycle and must hold a valid certification in order for the final products to be labelled as GOTS certified.
Information on how to get certified under Approved Certification Bodies

Any claim to be compliant to GOTS as the worldwide leading textile processing standard is invalid until an independent Certification Body has checked – through a set of inspection methods – and attested – through formally issued certification documents – that a product and its processor, manufacturer or trader is, indeed, GOTS compliant.

There are two types of such certification documents:
Scope Certificates (SCs) which prove that a supplier meets all criteria to be allowed to process GOTS goods and
Transaction Certificates (TCs) which prove that the goods themselves meet all GOTS product criteria.

  • Benefits of GOTS Certification

    benefits
    • Products carrying GOTS logos contain the credible assurance of organic origin of the product, as well as environmentally and socially responsible processing. 
    • The entire organic supply chain is covered, from harvesting to manufacturing and trading, delivering credible assurance to end consumers. 
    • Verification through independent third-party certification. 
    • Risk management tool for buyers. 
    • Protection of health, safety and rights of employees. Social Criteria and Ethical Business Behaviour are essential prerequisites and assure responsible business practices, irrespective of organic orders at hand. 
    • Cost-effectiveness through sustainability – Certified Entities have access to the GOTS Monitor (Water/Energy) to collect data on water and energy consumption (per kg of textile output). Environmental management and wastewater treatment are highly important when it comes to sustainability. 
    • Only low impact GOTS Approved Chemical Inputs free from hazardous substances are allowed to be used for the processing of GOTS Goods, following the Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL).
    • Accessories are scanned for residues of hazardous substances, following the Restricted Substances List (RSL). 
    • GOTS Goods meet technical quality parameters like colourfastness, shrinkage, etc. 
    • A variety of products can be certified to GOTS, such as garments, home textiles, mattresses, combined products (like furniture, baby bassinets, etc.), personal hygiene products (like diapers, female hygiene, earbuds) and food contact textiles.

    See the GOTS Fact Sheets to find out:

  • Elements of Inspection

    elementsofinspection

    Generally, a company participating in the GOTS certification scheme needs to work in compliance with all the criteria of the standard. The assigned certifier makes use of appropriate inspection methods.

    • Review of bookkeeping in order to verify the flow of GOTS Goods (input/output reconciliation, mass balance calculation and trace back lots and shipments). This is a key aspect of the inspection of any operation that sells/trades GOTS Goods.
    • Assessment of the processing and storage system through visits to the applicable facilities.
    • Assessment of the separation and identification system and identification of any areas of risk to organic integrity.
    • Inspection of the chemical inputs (dyes and auxiliaries) and accessories used and assessment of their compliance with the applicable criteria of the GOTS.
    • Inspection of the wastewater (pre-)treatment system of wet-processors and assessment of its performance.
    • Check on social criteria (possible sources of information include interviews with management, confidential interviews with workers, personnel documents, physical on-site inspection, unions/stakeholders).
    • Verification of the operator's policy on risk assessment of contamination and residue testing, which includes residue testing of random samples (optional) and testing of samples drawn in case of suspicion or manifest non-compliance (compulsory).

  • Approved Certification Bodies

    approvedcertificationbodies

    On-site inspection and certification of processors, manufacturers and traders performed by independent specially accredited bodies is the basis of the GOTS monitoring system in order to provide a credible assurance for the integrity of GOTS certified textiles. Entities that wish to become certified should contact a GOTS approved certification body.

    Certification bodies are entrusted with implementation of the GOTS quality assurance system and are able to inform you about the necessary procedures and timeline from the initial request through to inspection and certification. They will be able to provide an individual cost estimation for the certification based on the operator’s location, size, fields of operation and other relevant factors.

    All GOTS approved certification bodies are entitled to offer related inspection and certification services worldwide and each applicant may freely choose their certification body. Some certification bodies operate local offices or work with local representatives in various countries, whereas others coordinate all services through their head offices. There are limitations regarding the scope for which each certification body is accredited to offer GOTS certification. Certification bodies of textile supply chain operators may be accredited to cover the following scopes:

    • Certification of mechanical textile processing and manufacturing operations and their products (scope 1).
    • Certification of wet processing and finishing operations and their products (scope 2).
    • Certification of trading operations and related products (scope 3).
    • Approval of textile auxiliary agents (chemical inputs) on positive lists (scope 4).

    List Approved Certification Bodies

    Change of Certification Body

    Certified Entities may have to change their certification body for reasons, such as

    1. Change due to business reasons
    2. Certification body is closing operations
    3. Certification body loses accreditation or approval is withdrawn.

    The GOTS organisation has defined a Policy for Change or Migration of Certification Body, currently entailed in version 1.1 and available for download. 

     

     

  • Certificates

    certificates

    Scope Certificates

    Processors, manufacturers, traders and retailers, which have demonstrated their ability to comply with the relevant GOTS criteria in the relevant certification procedure, done through an approved Certification Body, receive a GOTS Scope Certificate confirming that the holder is able to produce textile goods of the kinds listed on the Products Appendix of the Scope Certificate in conformity with the Standard.
    Such companies are considered as GOTS certified suppliers (=certified entities). They are listed in the GOTS Certified Suppliers Database. The facilities and subcontractors that have been inspected and assessed for the certification are listed in the Facility Appendix of the Scope Certificate, although their names are not disclosed in the Certified Suppliers Database.

    Scope Certificate Policy
     Template for Scope Certificate (see below explanation under 'Certificate Templates')

    Transaction Certificates

    Whereas Scope Certificates declare that the certified entity is able to process the listed product categories under GOTS certification, they give no proof that specific shipments from this company contain GOTS certified products.

    In order to attest that a specific shipment of products sold by a certified entity is GOTS certified, the Certification Body of the supplier issues a Transaction Certificate. This document lists the individual (batches of) products and relevant shipment details, including the buyer’s name and address, and declares that all goods listed under the shipment are GOTS compliant.

    The buyer of the goods is entitled to receive the Transaction Certificate from the seller. The buyer uses those TCs as proof to their own Certification Body that GOTS certified products were used as an input to further processing or trading. Only with such proof can their Certification Body attest that the resulting products are GOTS compliant – provided that the buyer itself has a valid Scope Certificate and actually applies GOTS compliant processing/trading methods.

    A specific challenge for the practicability of the TC system is that many suppliers generate huge numbers of shipments which may significantly increase the administrative burden and cost if a separate TC is issued for each shipment. To adequately address this issue, the policy for issuing TCs allows to cover multiple shipments on a single TC.

    Transaction Certificate Policy
     Template for Transaction Certificate (see below explanation under 'Certificate Templates')

    Certificate Templates

    In a joint initiative the GOTS organisation and Textile Exchange (TE) developed harmonised policies and templates for transaction and scope certificates. The templates unify layout, format and text of both certificate types among the different certification bodies and standards. This will help all users, especially commercial buyers such as brands and retailers, which purchase goods certified to different standards from various suppliers, issued by different certification bodies to easily compare, handle and verify information provided with scope and transaction certificates issued to GOTS and any Textile Exchange standard.
    The templates are to be used by the GOTS / TE approved certification bodies for any Scope and Transaction Certificates.

     Template for Scope Certificate
     Template for Transaction Certificate

  • Approved Consultants

    approvedconsultants

    The GOTS organisation formulated a policy covering approval of formal consultancy services to prospective or existing GOTS certified entities. Approved Consultants can offer consultancy services to the textile industry to achieve certification to GOTS.

     Contact a GOTS Approved Consultant or find out how to become approved as a consultant to offer your services to prospective or existing GOTS certified entities. 
     Download the application form to become a GOTS Approved Consultant


     A Conversation with GOTS Approved Consultants

Read more …Certification

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