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DeutschThe certification alphabet in textiles is crowded: GOTS, OEKO-TEX, GRS, BCI, ISO. Most brands hear these as "a good thing" without knowing what each one certifies. They are not interchangeable — each guarantees something different, and asking for the wrong one costs both money and time.
What is the difference between GOTS and OEKO-TEX? OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifies that the finished product is free of harmful substances; it says nothing about whether the fabric is organic. GOTS certifies organic fibre content and compliance with environmental and social criteria across the whole supply chain. GOTS is the broader and harder standard.
One point of clarity first
This article is general information about what the certifications are. If you need certified product, state it before ordering — certified production requires certified fabric and an unbroken chain of documentation. It is not something that can be added afterwards.
Always verify a supplier's certification claim by its certificate number. Bodies such as GOTS and OEKO-TEX run public online verification systems. The sentence "we are certified" is not itself a certificate.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
This is the certification you encounter most often. It certifies that the product contains no substances harmful to human health — certain dyes, heavy metals and formaldehyde among others are tested for.
Its scope is the product itself. It does not cover whether the fabric is organic, the conditions it was produced under, or its environmental impact. Stricter limits apply to products for babies and children.
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)
GOTS certifies organic fibre content and goes beyond it: environmental criteria and social criteria (working conditions) are required across the entire supply chain.
It has two levels: at least 95% organic fibre for the "organic" label, at least 70% for "made with organic". To produce a GOTS-certified product, every link in the chain — spinning, weaving, dyeing, garment making — must hold its own certification. That makes it both costlier and slower.
Others you will hear about
Other standards that come up in the industry:
Which one you need
The need for certification usually arises from your customer's requirement rather than your own. Who you sell to decides it:
Responsible production without certification
Certification is not the only marker of responsible production. Getting certified takes scale and budget, and for a small brand the cost per unit may not be meaningful.
Things you can do without any certificate: produce at realistic quantities so you do not create surplus stock, choose durable fabric so the garment lasts, know where your product is made and visit, and plan styles to reduce fabric waste.
The one thing not to do is imply a certification you do not hold. Claims such as "organic" and "recycled" are regulated in many markets, and using them without documentation can carry consequences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you produce to certified standards?
Certified production requires certified fabric and an unbroken documentation chain. If you have such a requirement, please raise it before ordering and we will tell you precisely what is possible under which standard. We do not claim certifications we do not hold.
How do I verify a supplier's certification?
Ask for the certificate number and check it against the certifying body's own online verification system. GOTS and OEKO-TEX both offer this publicly. A PDF sent to you is not sufficient on its own.
How much does certification add to the price?
Certified fabric is generally more expensive and the sourcing options narrow; the documentation process also takes time. How much it adds depends on the standard and the product, so quoting a single percentage would be misleading.
Do I need certification to say "organic cotton"?
In many markets, yes. An "organic" claim is regulated and using it without documentation can be treated as a misleading commercial practice. If you intend to make that claim, base it on a certification such as GOTS or OCS.