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.
") Conference Highly Successful** **Event congregated whole [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.
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.
A business entity or an online marketplace selling directly and exclusively to an end consumer (DTC operator).
"), Indian brands and exporters from the Indian subcontinent, Buying Agents, [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.
") of Textiles and Additives (dyes, chemicals, enzymes), Certification Bodies, Testing Laboratories, Trade Associations, NGOs, Academics, Media, Consultants, etc. The theme of the conference was –**Strong Partnerships for Success.** The congregation initiated new partnerships and valuable discussions. India is the country with the highest number of GOTS certified facilities worldwide. Today, out of the more than 3600 facilities GOTS certified worldwide, more than 1300 are in this country. The ‘1st International GOTS Conference’ was organized by GOTS in The Lalit, Sahar, Mumbai, India on 22nd May 2015. **In the inaugural session** Herbert Ladwig, Managing Director of GOTS expressed his happiness on the DGFT notification in first week of May 2015 explicitly excluding organic textiles from the new procedures for export of organic product and also appreciated DGFT and Ministry of Commerce, Government of India for this industry friendly move. Sharing his dream of a New Concept of Quality, he said, “If ecological civilization and thus sustainable production has to become main stream, a fundamental change of the concept of good product quality is necessary. The perception of good quality must be transformed into a holistic one, where a product not produced in a sustainable way, is considered bad quality even if it is fashionable”. Four sessions of the conference addressed the various dimensions of GOTS as an instrument of sustainable supply chain management. **Session1: “Storytelling: Brands’ and Retailers’ Business Case for [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.”
") through GOTS”:** Speakers' statements included the benefits of GOTS certification like increased work environment safety, increased [workers](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/worker "Any individual engaged in work who is not a senior manager or owner.
") morale, improvement in company’s image but also the challenges regarding the availability of organic cotton. Key results included the need for labeling GOTS on the product to distinguish from self-claims. **Session2: “Going for GOTS”** experts gave insights in challenges and opportunities that auditing faces today, technical and labelling requirements in GOTS, testing procedures, chemical parameters considered in assessment and testing of dyes and chemicals. Session3: "Sustainability [Standards](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/standard "standard glossary text
"): National or International"? According to the panelists theInternational [standards](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/standard "standard glossary text
") do encompass a global perspective and are developed in the view of making international supply chains are more efficient than national standards. Furthermore standards should be voluntary; however the governments can adopt and enforce private standards, as USDA has set an example. Experts opined that standards should work towards mutual recognition and that the strategic dimension of legitimizing private mode of governance in areas of public interest should be addressed. Session 4: "Supply Chain: Challenges and Opportunities with GOTS" In this final session,moderator Ullhas Nimkar challenged the panelists from all areas of the textile chain including laboratory and certifiers by insightful and fundamental questions. Not rather surprising but always worth to mention that again it became very clear that sustainability is a necessity, especially to change over from [conventional](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/conventional "Agricultural practices that do not conform to a norm of organic agricultural production.
") to organic.Furthermore the price premium of sustainable textiles can hardly be argued away but the emphasis must be on the additional value and benefit for sellers and buyers. The event got fabulous feedback from the attendees for quality of sessions, networking opportunities and eminence of delegates. Please [find quotes with feedback on our website.](https://gots.vorschau.website/) [Please download high res pictures here.](https://gots.vorschau.website/images/news/archiv/stories/pressreleases/GOTSConfHigResPict) [Please read the full report on our website. ](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=406&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [Please download a word file with short and long versions of the report here.](https://gots.vorschau.website/images/news/archiv/stories/pressreleases/GOTS_Conference2015-Report_Press.doc) We very much thank our sponsors for their support to the 1st International GOTS Conference. [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=146&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=151&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=139&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=147&mailid=54&Itemid=170)[ ](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=408&mailid=54&Itemid=170)[](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=409&mailid=54&Itemid=170)[](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=163&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=140&mailid=54&Itemid=170)[ ](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=141&mailid=54&Itemid=170)[](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=410&mailid=54&Itemid=170)[](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=411&mailid=54&Itemid=170)[](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=164&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=165&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=166&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [ ](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=167&mailid=54&Itemid=170)[ ](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=168&mailid=54&Itemid=170)[](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=169&mailid=54&Itemid=170) Supporters [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=148&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=170&mailid=54&Itemid=170) [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=82&mailid=54&Itemid=170) GOTS requires organic certification of fibres on basis of recognised international or national standards like the IFOAM family of standards. Media Partners [](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=149&mailid=54&Itemid=170)  [ Share this page ](#fs-toggle=share)