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.
") references are correct and easy for consumers to understand. - [ On-product ](#on-product) - [ Off-product ](#off-product) - [ Claims ](#claims-headline) ## [ On-product ](#on-product) [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 business entity or an online marketplace selling directly and exclusively to an end consumer (DTC operator).
") can verify the certification. ### Correct labelling The logo must remain readable, correctly proportioned and visible at the point of sale. A GOTS product label must always include: - 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.
") - The correct label grade: - “[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.
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")) - “[Organic in-conversion](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/organic-in-conversion "A product from an operation or portion thereof which has completed at least 12 months under organic management and is under the supervision of an Approved Certifier.
")” (95%+ certified organic in-conversion fibres) - “Made with x% organic materials” (70–94% certified organic fibres) - “Made with x% organic in-conversion materials” (70–94% certified organic in-conversion fibres) - Reference to the [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.
") - Certification Number of the [Certified Entity](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/certified-entity "Processor, manufacturer, trader or retailer of GOTS Goods certified by an Approved Certifier.
")      ### Incorrect labelling The following are common labelling mistakes. Each violates GOTS requirements and must be corrected before the label is used.      ### Correct logo color usage **Primary (preferred) option**  **Secondary option**  **Black and white option**  **Monochrome options**    ### Incorrect logo color usage  ## [ Off-product labelling ](#off-product) ### Product page Only display [GOTS Signs](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/gots-signs "The Logo and the Word Sign registered as a certification mark.
") next to certified products. There is no need to display Additional Labelling Information next to the logo on the main page - but it must be available on the [product listing page](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/product-listing-page "A page in e-commerce that displays a collection of products within a specific category or search results, helping users browse and filter options to find what they’re looking for.
").  ### Product listing Information online must mach the physical product listing. The exact placement does not matter as long as it is easily visible. Certified product listing must include all of the following: - The GOTS logo - The correct label grade: - “Organic” (95%+ certified organic fibres) - “Organic in-conversion” (95%+ certified organic in-conversion fibres) - “Made with x% organic materials” (70–94% certified organic fibres) - “Made with x% organic in-conversion materials” (70–94% certified organic in-conversion fibres) - Reference to the Certification Body - Certification Number of the Certified Entity      ### Websites GOTS Signs - the logo and the wordmark - shall not be used in website headers and footers. The GOTS logo may only appear in direct association with certified products or certification-related content.  ### Social media The GOTS logo may be used in social posts when promoting certified products or representing a certified entity. It can be shown with or without the Additional Labelling Information (Label grade, Certification Body, Certification), provided that the [product detail page](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/product-detail-page "A page in e-commerce that provides detailed information about a specific product, including descriptions, images, pricing, and a 'Buy Now' or 'Add to Cart' option.
") or equivalent digital platform includes it.   ### Physical / Print The GOTS logo shall be used in print media only when it is directly associated with GOTS-certified products, and where images of those certified products are displayed. The Additional Labelling Information may be omitted on print media provided that an accessible online channel (e.g., online store) displays the full labelling information for the specific products.  ## [ Claims ](#claims-headline) ### Acceptable claims -  "This product is GOTS-certified" -  “This product is made with x% organic / organic-in-conversion materials” -  “We carry GOTS-certified items – look for the GOTS label on the product listing” -  “We are GOTS certified, [CB name] [License Number].” ### Not allowed -  “GOTS cotton” “GOTS-certified organic cotton” Why it’s incorrect: GOTS is not an organic cotton [standard](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/standard "standard glossary text
"). GOTS certification covers the processing of textile goods made with organic fibres — not raw cotton itself. Organic [raw fibres](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/raw-fibres "Fibres that have not undergone any post-harvest processing.
") must be certified by an accepted external organic certification before it enters the GOTS chain of custody. -  “Made with GOTS-certified [fabric](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/fabric "A flexible, flat structure made by interlacing yarns, fibers, or filaments.
")/yarn/other components” Why it’s incorrect: Partial certification cannot be represented as full product certification. If GOTS-certified fabric is sewn in an uncertified [facility](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/facility "An individual establishment or site where processing, manufacturing, trading or retailing of GOTS Goods is done. It is operated by a Certified Entity and inspected by an Approved Certifier.
") the chain of custody is broken and the final product is not considered certified. ### GOTS benefits GOTS sets environmental and social requirements for the textile and apparel value chain, backed up by independent third-party certification, from the harvesting of organically produced raw materials to the finished product. ### GOTS key features -  **All Processing Stages** GOTS sets requirements for the entire textile value chain. This allows traceability starting with the raw material and continuing through all processing stages; spinning, weaving and knitting, wet-processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling and trading until the final distribution of the product. For the end product to carry a GOTS label, every company that is part of the process must be certified. -  **Organic Fibre Content** GOTS-certified products contain certified natural fibres grown to recognised organic farming [standards](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/standard "standard glossary text
"), which restrict synthetic pesticides and fertilisers and prohibit [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)
"). Organic agriculture is a production process that helps sustain the health of ecosystems, soils and people. -  **[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)
") and social criteria for certified operations** GOTS includes human rights and social requirements based on internationally recognised norms, covering areas such as safe working conditions, prohibition of child and forced labour, non-discrimination and responsible employment practices. -  **Chemicals** **[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.
") Restructions** GOTS sets criteria for chemical inputs used in certified processing. Specified [substances](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/substances "Chemical elements and their compounds as they occur in the natural state or as produced by industry.
") are prohibited or restricted under the applicable criteria, and compliance is assessed within the certified scope. -  **Traceable from Field** The Certification Body and Certification Number on the label allow the product to be traced back through all certified facilities, for complete transparency from fibre to finished product. -  **Third Party Certified** To preserve the integrity of GOTS-certified products, onsite inspection and certification of [processors](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/processor "An entity in the processing chain (post-harvest handling up to finishing) of GOTS Goods.
"), [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.
") and [traders](https://gots.vorschau.website/resources/glossary/trader "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.