standard glossary text
"), the nonprofit 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.
standard glossary text
") ([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.
")), has joined the [Make the Label Count](https://www.makethelabelcount.org/) coalition of international natural fibre producers, [manufacturers](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/manufacturer "An entity in the manufacturing chain (sewing industry or so-called CMT (cut, make, trim) industry up to labelling and final packing) of GOTS Goods.
"), [brands](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/brand "A registered or unregistered trademark or other sign other than the GOTS Signs.
The term, in context, can also refer to an organisation that controls the design, development, and purchase of final products for sale under their own name. In that context, brands may sell to wholesalers, retailers, or directly to consumers. This does not include organisations who sell a branded intermediate product for use in further processing steps.
The practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product, service, technology or company practice.
(Source: International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), 2016)
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.”
") claims in the EU are credible and substantiated in a transparent and fair way. “GOTS, with more than 16,000 certified facilities, shows that businesses want to prove their sustainability efforts, and that people want to buy more environmentally friendly textiles, provided that the labels and claims are accurate and credible” said Marie-Luise Pörtner, Global Regulations Specialist at Global Standard. “Consumers can trust the GOTS label because of robust, verifiable ecological 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)
") criteria throughout the textile production value chain, a strong due diligence commitment and sustainability claims backed by independent third-party certification bodies.” Launched in 2021, Make the Label Count specifically advocates for a revision of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology for textiles which is currently being developed to assess a product’s environmental impact and provide consumers with information on that impact. Although PEF has the potential to direct the textile sector towards a sustainable system of production and consumption, it still has significant limitations, such as different system boundaries for textiles made from natural and synthetic fibres, or the non-inclusion of [microplastics](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/microplastics "Based on the working definition of ECHA: ‘Microplastic’ means a particle containing solid polymer, to which additives or other Substances may have Microplastics been added, and where ≥ 1% w/w of particles have all dimensions 1nm ≤ x ≤ 5 mm, or a length of 3nm ≤ x ≤ 15 mm and length to diameter ratio of > 3. Natural polymers that have not been chemically modified are excluded, as are polymers that are (bio)degradable or have a water solubility > 2 g/L. https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/b56c6c7e-02fb-68a4-da69 0bcbd504212b
") and plastic waste. Its application thus risks legitimising unsustainable consumption with an EU-backed green claim. 11 March 2025 [ Share this page ](#fs-toggle=share)