Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the stringent voluntary global standard for the entire post-harvest processing of apparel and home textiles made with certified organic fibre and including both environmental and social criteria, has completed 20 years of its inception.
In a statement, GOTS said, “As the world’s leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, GOTS has been engaged in improving the textile industry for two decades. To commemorate this exciting milestone, we are taking a moment to recognise those who have been with us along the way – our friends, stakeholders and partners, workers and managers in GOTS-certified companies, and the consumers who have all helped us make GOTS the gold standard for organic textile certification – from field to fashion. To show our appreciation, we are launching an awareness campaign that will educate, engage and inspire.”
It also added that GOTS has developed the world’s leading organic textile processing standard, by not only expanding an important niche market, but also by constantly engaging in improving the entire textile industry.
As a dynamic and evolving standard, GOTS is fully revised and updated every three years, in an inclusive process that invites input from stakeholders, industry professionals and the public. The process is overseen by the Standard Revision Committee (SRC), a group of experts convened by GOTS to manage the revision.
GOTS claims that interest in organic textiles has grown, along with public awareness of the environmental and social concerns of the textile industry. Companies are racing to meet the increasing demand for the limited supply of certified organic fibre. However, self-claims, misinformation and greenwashing from companies make it confusing for consumers to know which information they can trust.
