GOTS Clothing Manufacturer

1. An accredited third-party certification body audits the site(s)
2. GOTS-certified manufacturer sites must meet strict social and environmental requirements
   
3. A GOTS-certified product must contain at least 70% organic cotton
   
4. Cotton is tested for the presence of GMOs according to the ISO IWA 32:2019 protocol
   
5. Use of the potentially harmful and harmful chemicals is strictly forbidden
6. Certification tracks production from the cotton farm to the finished product
   

Strict auditing process for a GOTS clothing manufacturer

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) label for organic cotton is the most authoritative one in the market precisely because it’s so difficult to pass the GOTS audit.

The strictness doesn’t only concern the organisation of the audited company, it concerns the fibres too. For your collection to be labelled organic, it must consist of at least 95% certified organic fibre. For at least 70% certified organic fibre, a label “made with organic”. Everything below that isn’t GOTS-compliant.

Benefits of the GOTS certificate

The existence of GOTS-certified clothing is beneficial to everyone and everything involved in its making: workers, the environment, customers, and brands.

Environmental benefits

• 80% of organic cotton farms can be rainfed, which greatly reduces water consumption
• Organic cotton needs 91% less water compared to conventional cotton
• Energy consumption is 62% lower
• Strict policies against harmful chemicals eliminate the likelihood of water pollution

Social benefits

GOTS Human Rights and Social Criteria requires audited companies to respect internationally recognised human rights protocols like the International Bill of Human Rights (IBHR), International Labour Organisation (ILO), and Violence and Harassment Convention (C190) among others.

This way,  discrimination, violence and harassment are curtailed. Also, companies that wish to become part of the GOTS environment will have to develop a plan to cover the living wage gap.

Benefits for customers

When you buy a GOTS-certified piece of clothing, you can be assured of its high quality and genuine organic origin. Also, you can rest assured that it came from farms and factories that respect human rights and the environment. This makes shopping a guilt-free experience and a social/environmental statement in itself.

Benefits for brands

A study by Industry Research Co shows that the organic cotton market share will rise by 800% in 2028. Getting GOTS-certified organic cotton is the best way to stay on the right side of that trend. Also, sustainability sells when it comes from the heart.

There are legislative benefits to it too. By 2029, all companies turning a profit in the EU will be required to have a socially responsible supply chain. A GOTS-certified supplier will pass relevant audits like SMETA or BSCI much easier than the ones that do it for the first time. In other words, with a GOTS-certified supply chain, you’re ready for legislative changes in one of the biggest markets in the world.

All this is part of the plan to phase out fast fashion as the worst example of how the textile industry can be harmful for the people and the planet.

Also, if your brand sells in Germany, you could already be required to have a socially sound supply chain. This makes GOTS clothing manufacturers your number one priority.

How to get to a GOTS-certified clothing manufacturer?

The easiest way is to send us an email. We’re GOTS-certified since early 2024.

But if you want to see what your options are, go to Global Organic Textile Standard’s database of certified suppliers. If you type the number 017909 in the “free text” field, you’ll see our GOTS profile.

Final thoughts

GOTS-certified collections are your ticket to sustainable fashion, which is something every company should strive for. If not for the right reasons, then at least because of its projected annual growth.

The compound annual growth of sustainable fashion (CAGR) is 8.58% as it stands. However, as the situation with the climate worsens, sustainability will become more popular. Also, it will become legally required soon anyway. Make a switch now and be on the right side of the history of fashion.

Fill out the contact form below and let’s discuss your next GOTS-certified collection with FUSH˚ as your European clothing manufacturer.