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"), the non-profit that owns and operates the Global [Organic](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/organic "'Organic' is a regulated term used to distinguish systems of managed production and products derived therefrom that adhere to principles of health, ecology, fairness and care, and which are certified compliant to an organic standard's regulations by an Approved Certification Body.
GOTS defines organic textiles as being made with fibres from organic agriculture systems that are certified to one of the IFOAM Family of Standards, and that are processed in socially and ecologically responsible ways, in alignment with organic principles.
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") ([GOTS](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/gots "The worldwide leading voluntary sustainability standard for the post-harvest textile value chain for certified organic fibres, covering environmental criteria, human rights, social criteria and business conduct.
")): “Global Standard applauds today’s announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to include the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) in its [Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing](https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/recommendations-specifications-standards-and-ecolabels-federal-purchasing). With this inclusion, GOTS-certified products will now receive clear preference in public tenders. The [EPA’s recommendations](https://www.epa.gov/chemicals-under-tsca/epa-releases-final-updates-recommendations-help-buyers-find-sustainable) direct federal agencies to maximize the procurement of sustainable textile goods and prioritize products that hold a recommended label, including GOTS. Federal purchasers, who collectively manage over $730 billion annually, now have stronger tools to purchase more climate-friendly, environmentally and socially responsible products. As a leader in the organic textile industry, GOTS is a dynamic standard with constant progress towards the development of better textile processing methods. GOTS provides rules and tools for fostering responsible business practices and sets strict environmental and social criteria for the entire textile value chain, backed up by independent certification. These criteria include bans of toxic chemicals, wastewater treatment restrictions, energy targets and the protection of human, employment and social rights. Choosing GOTS-labelled goods means choosing a commitment to [sustainability](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/sustainability "In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
") and [human rights](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/human-rights "Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination. (Source: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
"). We ask legislators and policymakers around the world to continue including sustainability in textile procurement.” 9 December 2024 [ Share this page ](#fs-toggle=share)