Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has announced the release of its 2021 Annual Report.
In a statement, it said that even with the continued constraints of COVID-19, 2021 was a year of significant developments for GOTS. An increased interest in sustainability in the textile industry led to greater awareness of GOTS certification from businesses as well as consumers.
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.
Notably, there is an increase of 19 per cent in GOTS-certified facilities around the world, with Certification Bodies (CBs) reporting 12.338 facilities in 79 countries (+11 per cent).
Three new GOTS-approved CBs brought the total to 18, nine of which have chemical input approval in their scopes. The additional CBs are helping meet an ever-increasing demand for certification.
Claudia Kersten, MD, GOTS, said “Despite ongoing difficulties and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, decision-makers continue to pursue their sustainability goals and value GOTS as a tool to accomplish them. We will continue to strive towards our vision of a future in which organic textiles are a significant part of everyday life, enhancing people’s lives and the environment.”
