Interviews
USDA approves GOTS certified organic textiles
08 Jun '11
4 min read
“We are excited USDA is recognizing the rapidly growing organic fiber sector in general and GOTS in particular, thus enabling organic textile manufacturers to make production and processing claims just as manufacturers of organic food and beverages can,” said Christine Bushway, OTA's Executive Director.
GOTS Coordinator Herbert Ladwig agreed. “We welcome and support USDA's new policy which officially and explicitly confirms that the use of the GOTS label 'organic' for textiles is accepted. Experts from around the world have worked for years to make GOTS a stringent and comprehensive organic textile standard. Government recognition underlines its increasing leading role worldwide.”
The policy memo was added to the online NOP Handbook that provides guidance and instructions to assist those who own, manage, or certify organic operations in complying with the NOP regulations.
GOTS includes both environmental and social provisions for post-farm to retail shelf management. Key provisions include prohibition on use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), highly hazardous chemicals such as azo dyes and formaldehyde, and child labor, while requiring living wages and strict waste water treatment practices. Because all fiber certified to GOTS must already be certified organic, GOTS certification means consumers are purchasing items certified organic from field to finished product.
According to the GOTS International Working Group (GOTS IWG) public database of facilities certified to GOTS, approximately 1,500 companies with a total of 2,754 facilities in 54 countries around the world were certified to the organic apparel and textile standard by the end of 2010.
The top twenty countries based on the number of GOTS-certified facilities are (in order of ranking): India, Turkey, China, Pakistan, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, France, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Peru, USA, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Portugal, Greece, and Belgium. Countries in which facilities were certified to GOTS for the first time in 2010 included Finland, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Macedonia, Sweden, and Uganda.
The database includes almost 400 dyeing facilities, more than 200 spinning, knitting, and weaving units, and approximately 140 printing and manufacturing facilities. While more than 700 companies are listed with an export business, currently about 50 import operations hold GOTS certificates as well. Fourteen independent certification organizations around the world are qualified to certify operations to the standard.
The GOTS IWG is made up of the Organic Trade Association (U.S.), the Japan Organic Cotton Association, International Association Natural Textile Industry (Germany), and the Soil Association (UK).
GOTS Coordinator Herbert Ladwig agreed. “We welcome and support USDA's new policy which officially and explicitly confirms that the use of the GOTS label 'organic' for textiles is accepted. Experts from around the world have worked for years to make GOTS a stringent and comprehensive organic textile standard. Government recognition underlines its increasing leading role worldwide.”
The policy memo was added to the online NOP Handbook that provides guidance and instructions to assist those who own, manage, or certify organic operations in complying with the NOP regulations.
GOTS includes both environmental and social provisions for post-farm to retail shelf management. Key provisions include prohibition on use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), highly hazardous chemicals such as azo dyes and formaldehyde, and child labor, while requiring living wages and strict waste water treatment practices. Because all fiber certified to GOTS must already be certified organic, GOTS certification means consumers are purchasing items certified organic from field to finished product.
According to the GOTS International Working Group (GOTS IWG) public database of facilities certified to GOTS, approximately 1,500 companies with a total of 2,754 facilities in 54 countries around the world were certified to the organic apparel and textile standard by the end of 2010.
The top twenty countries based on the number of GOTS-certified facilities are (in order of ranking): India, Turkey, China, Pakistan, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, France, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Peru, USA, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Portugal, Greece, and Belgium. Countries in which facilities were certified to GOTS for the first time in 2010 included Finland, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Macedonia, Sweden, and Uganda.
The database includes almost 400 dyeing facilities, more than 200 spinning, knitting, and weaving units, and approximately 140 printing and manufacturing facilities. While more than 700 companies are listed with an export business, currently about 50 import operations hold GOTS certificates as well. Fourteen independent certification organizations around the world are qualified to certify operations to the standard.
The GOTS IWG is made up of the Organic Trade Association (U.S.), the Japan Organic Cotton Association, International Association Natural Textile Industry (Germany), and the Soil Association (UK).
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
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