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.
")  [Certification of applicable processing, manufacturing and trading stage ](#)GOTS (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
")) requires certification of all processing stages, from certified organic fibre processing to the finished product. Every company involved must comply with the same criteria. This ensures integrity across the entire supply chain and prevents partial or misleading claims. [Organic fibre requirements ](#)GOTS-certified products must contain a minimum of 70% certified [organic fibres](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/organic-fibres "Lorem Ipsum dolor sit amet
"). GOTS offers two label grades: - Organic: at least 95% certified organic fibres. - Made with Organic Materials: at least 70% certified organic fibres. Organic fibres entering the GOTS value chain must be certified organic to one of the IFOAM Family of [Standards](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/standard "standard glossary text
"). This means that these fibres are produced according to recognised organic agriculture standards, without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or [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)
"). This ensures a reliable and verifiable organic raw material basis. [Environmental criteria ](#)GOTS established strict environmental and chemical criteria across every stage of textile processing, including: - Wastewater Treatment - Resource Efficiency - GHG Emission Management - Chemical [Input](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/input "General term for all Substances and Preparations directly applied as textile auxiliary agents, inks, dyes or pigments.
") Restrictions - Sustainable Processing Requirements - Product Safety and Durability Together, these criteria reduce environmental impact and uphold responsible production practices throughout the certified value chain. [Human rights including social criteria ](#)GOTS includes comprehensive [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)
") including social criteria aligned with internationally recognised norms and frameworks: These criteria cover: - Safe and hygienic working conditions - Prohibition of child labour and forced labour - No discrimination, harassment and violence - Freedom of association and collective bargaining - Decent working time, remuneration and responsible employment practices These criteria help safeguard [workers](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/worker "Any individual engaged in work who is not a senior manager or owner.
")’ rights and support more responsible practices across certified textile supply chains. [Independent third-party certification ](#)Certification is conducted by accredited Certification Bodies through regular 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.
") [audits](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/audit "A systematic, independent and documented process for obtaining evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which the Standard's requirements (including environmental and social criteria) are fulfilled by a Certified Entity or applicant for the status of Certified Entity. Audits are conducted by Approved Certification Bodies (see 'Approved Certification Body').
"). These audits verify compliance with all GOTS criteria across the supply chain and include the review of relevant operational and production records. This generates verified information that can support transparency and reporting needs while providing objective, credible, and internationally recognised verification. [Due diligence and compliance framework ](#)GOTS integrates a structured, risk-based due diligence approach aligned with international guidance and evolving regulatory expectations. This supports companies in: - identifying and assessing actual and potential risks taking appropriate prevention and mitigation measures - preparing for better compliance with regulatory requirements. This enables Certified Entities to respond to evolving environmental and human rights due diligence legislation. [Traceability and transaction certification ](#)GOTS ensures full [traceability](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/traceability "The ability to trace the origin of an object back to its source.
In a GOTS context, the ability to trace a GOTS Good as it moves through its supply chain.
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.
") confirm that materials and products move through certified supply chains. This enables transparency and verification at every stage. [A consistent programme across global supply chains ](#)All GOTS-certified entities operate within the same programme, using harmonised criteria, verification processes, and traceability mechanisms. This enables companies to apply one consistent system across suppliers, regions and markets. The result: Reduced complexity, increased transparency and reliable certification. ## Helpful links - [How to get certified](https://gots.vorschau.website/index.php?Itemid=1381) - [Access all FAQs](https://gots.vorschau.website/index.php?Itemid=1395) - [Contact a Global Standards Representative in your region](https://gots.vorschau.website/index.php?Itemid=1363) - [How do I correctly label a GOTS-certified product?](https://gots.vorschau.website/index.php?Itemid=1396) - [Access the Standard document](https://gots.vorschau.website/index.php?Itemid=1388) - [What are the benefits of GOTS](https://gots.vorschau.website/index.php?Itemid=1376) ## FAQs [Which fibres are allowed under GOTS? ](#)GOTS applies to a wide range of certified organic natural fibres. These include vegetable fibres such as cotton, hemp, linen/flax and jute, and animal fibres such as sheep wool, cashmere, mohair, alpaca and silk. In addition, the standard permits the use of specific additional fibres that can be blended with organic fibres. The standard covers the entire textile processing and manufacturing supply chain, from fibre processing to finished product. [Do all suppliers in the supply chain need to be GOTS-certified? ](#)Yes. To sell a product as GOTS-certified, each company involved in the processing of the product must be certified by an approved independent [Certification Body](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/certification-body "A Certification Body, having been duly accredited by an Accreditation Body and by way of signing a contract with Global Standard gGmbH has been permitted to implement the Global Organic Textile Standard over a designated geographical area and for specific scopes of the Standard.
"). This creates one consistent and traceable system from fibre processing to finished product. [How does GOTS verify product integrity and traceability? ](#)A combination of tried-and-tested integrity measures and cutting-edge technologies ensures the transparency, credibility and trust of GOTS certified products. GOTS combines independent certification, annual on-site audits, transaction verification, publicly disclosed enforcement measures and strict chain-of-custody requirements to ensure integrity and traceability throughout the entire supply chain. Unlike systems based on mass balance approaches, GOTS uses physical segregation and [volume reconciliation](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/volume-reconciliation "Calculation process by which it is ascertained that output volumes of a product’s certified materials are compatible with their corresponding input volumes. Input volume and output volume of the certified material used for a product are compatible if their ratio falls within a given percentage range, which reflects estimated production losses specific to the production process of the particular product, and if the input volume can be demonstrated to have been available on stock.
") mechanisms designed to maintain product integrity across all processing and trading stages, further strengthened through collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) on satellite-based cotton monitoring technology. More information is available [here.](https://gots.vorschau.website/index.php?Itemid=1356) [Is GOTS recognised internationally? ](#)Yes. GOTS is globally recognised and widely used across international textile supply chains and major markets. Its credibility is reinforced by recognition and reference from governments, public institutions and international organisations, including the European Union, the OECD, the United Nations and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), GOTS is also referenced in public procurement frameworks and [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.”
") guidance used by [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.
A business entity or an online marketplace selling directly and exclusively to an end consumer (DTC operator).
") and [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.
") worldwide.