'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.
")):** **Fifty Companies Certified to GOTS in the U.S.** | December 6, 2016 For Immediate Release | For more information,contact: Lori Wyman GOTS Representative in North America, [ ](mailto:wyman@global-standard.org) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | |---|---| GOTS – The Global Organic Textile [Standard](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/standard "standard glossary text
"), is pleased to announce that there are now fifty companies in the United States certified to GOTS. Ramblers Way Farm, Inc. of Kennebunk, Maine, [manufacturer](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 garments made from GOTS certified organic wool, has become the fiftieth company to be added to the GOTS public database for the United States. Canada now has seven companies certified to the program. Consumers and [retailers](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/retailer "A business entity or an online marketplace selling directly and exclusively to an end consumer (DTC operator).
") are invited to learn more about these companies on the GOTS public [database](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=428&mailid=120&Itemid=170) at www.global-standard.org. Use of the [GOTS logo](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/gots-logo "The garment icon, embedded into the circle element and surrounded by the letters 'Global Organic Textile Standard GOTS', displayed only with the allowed colours.
") or reference to GOTS certification may only be made if the conditions of the [GOTS Licensing and Labelling Guide](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=429&mailid=120&Itemid=170) are met. Additionally, GOTS has published [free ads](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=430&mailid=120&Itemid=170)for newspapers, magazines and bloggers who want to support GOTS. GOTS is the stringent voluntary global standard for the entire post-harvest processing (including spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing and manufacturing) of apparel and home textiles made with organic fiber (such as organic cotton and organic wool), and the standard includes both environmental and social criteria. Key provisions include a ban on the use of [genetically modified organisms](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/genetically-modified-organism "Organisms whose genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. (Source: EUR-Lex, Access to European Union law: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/glossary/genetically-modified-organisms-gmo.html)
") ([GMOs](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/gmo "Organisms whose genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. (Source: EUR-Lex, Access to European Union law: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/glossary/genetically-modified-organisms-gmo.html)
")), highly hazardous chemicals (such as azo dyes and formaldehyde), and child labor, while requiring strong social compliance management systems and strict wastewater treatment practices. In 2015, more than 3,800 facilities were certified to GOTS in 68 countries. The number of [workers](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/worker "Any individual engaged in work who is not a senior manager or owner.
") reported in 3,419 GOTS certified facilities exceeded 1,050,000. GOTS is recognized worldwide as the leading processing standard for textiles made with organic fibers, and GOTS certification enables consumers to purchase items that are certified organic from field to finished product. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) formally accepted GOTS for sale of textiles labeled as organic in the USA via its policy memorandum dated May 2011 GOTS was developed by leading international standard setters - Organic Trade Association (U.S.), Japan Organic Cotton Association, International Association Natural Textile Industry (Germany), and Soil Association (UK), which formed an International Working Group to define globally recognized requirements that ensure the organic status of textiles. GOTS' operating unit, the Global-Standard gemeinnützige GmbH, is a non-profit organization. For more information about GOTS see [www.global-standard.org](http://www.global-standard.org/?idU=1&acm=_120). \### **GOTS Global Organic Textile Standard** [www.global-standard.org ](https://gots.vorschau.website/) [](https://gots.vorschau.website/) [ Share this page ](#fs-toggle=share)