'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
") Certification in the USA in 2019**** **Press Release **Ashfield, 20th December 2019**** In 2019, forty companies received certification to the Global Organic Textile [Standard](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/standard "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.
")), making a total of 113 individual companies certified to GOTS in the US. The Standard covers the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading and distribution of all textiles made from at least 70% certified organic natural fibers. Along the textile processing stages, certification divides as follows: - **One knitter**: Roshan Trading Inc. DBA Laguna [Fabrics](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/fabric "A flexible, flat structure made by interlacing yarns, fibers, or filaments.
")/Enviro Fabrics. - **Four cotton gins:** King-Mesa Gin; Mesa Farmers Cooperative Inc.; West Gin; LLC, Woolam Gin - **Fourteen [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.
"):** Avocado Green [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.
Entity trading with (=buying and selling) GOTS Goods in the supply chain between the producer of the fibre and the retail merchant of the final product regardless of whether the goods are physically received or not (e.g. an import, export or wholesale trading entity).
Agents who do not become proprietors of the goods and retailers only selling to the end consumer are not considered Traders.
A business entity or an online marketplace selling directly and exclusively to an end consumer (DTC operator).
"):** A1 Home Collections LLC; Cole and Cleo LLC; Conscious Step; Everlane; Fair Seas Supply Company LLC; Green Cotton Group USA Ltd; Helix Sleep Inc. DBA Birch Living; Hope & Henry, LLC; Louis Dreyfus Company Cotton LLC DBA Allenberg Cotton Co.; Noleo Care Company, LLC; Modn Made LLC DBA MakeMake Organics; Organics and More LLC; Pem-America, Inc.; Sweet Dreams Inc. DBA Gotcha Covered; Standard Fiber LLC; Revman International Inc.; Sally Fox DBA Vreseis Limited; Simple Ecology Inc; The Home Depot Inc. dba The Company Store; The William Carter Co; Warwick Fulfillment Solutions. The above listed companies can be looked up on the GOTS Public Database [here](https://gots.vorschau.website/find-suppliers-products-and-more/certified-entities). Savvy consumers demand third-party validation from companies of integrity who have gone the extra mile to achieve GOTS certification promising compliance with stringent ecological and social criteria. Additionally, GOTS helps to ensure compliance with each of the seventeen United Nation [Sustainable Development Goals](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/sustainable-development-goals "The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030, all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
"), to achieve sustainable development. Products may only be sold with a GOTS label if the entire supply-chain is certified and the necessary scope and [transaction certificates](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/transaction-certificate "A document issued by a GOTS-approved Certification Body for GOTS-certified products, verifying their compliance with the Standard. It provides traceability by listing product details, shipment information and confirming integrity through volume reconciliation process.
") have been obtained to prove certification. In order to guarantee consistent product assurance of GOTS certified textiles, an independent on-[site](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/site "An individual establishment where chemical Inputs are formulated (see Formulator) and produced. It is included in a Letter of Approval and audited by a Scope 4 Approved Certifier.
") inspection, according to the GOTS standard, is carried out annually by GOTS [approved certifiers](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/approved-certifier "An Approved Certification Body or Approved Certifier is a certification body that has been duly accredited by an Accreditation Body. By signing a con tract with Global Standard gGmbH, they are permitted to implement the Global Organic Textile Standard within a designated geographical area and for specific scopes of the Standard. An updated list of Approved Certifiers and their scopes is available on the GOTS Website.
"). **About 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 certified organic fibre (such as organic cotton and organic wool), and 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 labour, while requiring strong social compliance management systems and strict waste water treatment practices. 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) to define globally-recognised requirements that ensure the organic status of textiles, from field to finished product. GOTS is a non-profit organisation which is self-financed. For more information please see [www.global-standard.org](http://www.global-standard.org/?acm=19_169) and follow @globalorganictextilestandard on [LinkedIn](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=591&mailid=263&Itemid=170), [Instagram](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=592&mailid=263&Itemid=170) and [Facebook](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=589&mailid=263&Itemid=170). \### 3,652 characters 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.
") is available for [download](http://global-standard.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=url&subid=&urlid=587&mailid=263&Itemid=170). Lori Wyman GOTS Representative for North America [ ](mailto:wyman@global-standard.org) **GOTS Global Organic Textile Standard** [ ](https://gots.vorschau.website/) [ Share this page ](#fs-toggle=share)