Glossary

Items that are added to supplement GOTS Goods for required functional or for fashionable reasons. Most commonly used Accessories are listed in Section 3.3. Accessories also include trims, and in certain cases the two terms are used interchangeably depending on the specific component. The processing of those Accessories is not under the direct scope of the GOTS on-site certification system. GOTS criteria that applies to Accessories are listed in Sections 3.3 and 5.2.8.

Consists of three elements in the specified order: label grade,  reference to the Approved Certification Body, and the license number of the Certified Entity. 

An authoritative body or organisation which evaluates and confirms that a conformity assessment body, e.g., a Certification Body, is deemed capable of carrying out certain assessment tasks, e.g., certification, inspection, or testing, regarding a particular formally defined standard. This attestation relies primarily on a formal demonstration of its task-specific competence by the conformity assessment body, evaluated via professional and objective audits by the Accreditation Body, typically by way of ISO/IEC 17065 : 'Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services'.

The Advisory Council is the decisive committee for relevant organisational, structural and operational issues of the Global Standard gGmbH, the operating body of the Global Organic Textile Standard. It is set up by way of organisational statutes by the founding Organisations of GOTS.

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.

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.

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').

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.

Owner of a Brand.  

Sum of GHG emissions and GHG removals in a product system, expressed as CO2 equivalents and based on a life cycle assessment using the single impact category of climate change.

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.

Processor, manufacturer, trader or retailer of GOTS Goods certified by an Approved Certifier.

The total weight (kg) of the certified material in a product excluding all non-certified items (material,fibre,accessories, packaging) of a product.

A body or forum formed by one nominated person from each Approved Certification Body, convened by a desginated officer of Global Standard gGmbH (currently the Managing Director), to dicsuss matters of mutual interest.

Carbon Footprint of a Product.
Sum of GHG emissions and GHG removals in a product system, expressed as CO2 equivalents and based on a life cycle assessment using the single impact category of climate change.

A Chemical Formulator places chemical products on the market under own trade name. Generally the recipe, formulation and processing know-how belong to the Chemical Supplier. These chemical products can be manufactured by either the Chemical Supplier itself, or another Chemical Formulator or a toll-manufacturer.

Producing of chemical products on behalf of another Chemical Supplier. The recipe, process technology and know-how belong to the Chemical Supplier, not the manufacturer.

A Chemical Formulator places chemical products on the market under own trade name. Generally the recipe, formulation and processing know-how belong to the Chemical Supplier. These chemical products can be manufactured by either the Chemical Supplier itself, or another Chemical Formulator or a toll-manufacturer.