GOTS registers highest growth rate ever in 2019

7765 certified facilities worldwide, an increase of 35% with more than 3 million workers covered under GOTS in 2019.
                                      

In 2019, the number of GOTS certified facilities globally grew by 35%, from 5,760 to 7,765 located in 70 countries. The number demonstrates that GOTS successfully serves as sustainable solution. The required certified organic fibres protect the climate by absorbing CO2 and every processing step - from field to fashion - has to meet stringent social and environmental criteria before a finished product is allowed to carry the GOTS label.

This huge leap forward was seen in both, production and consuming regions. Countries with largest growth in GOTS-certification in percentage in 2019 are: Netherlands (73%), Bangladesh (73%), Spain (71%), and Turkey (65%). In terms of total numbers of certified facilities, the highest increase is reported from Bangladesh (+505), followed by India (+438) and Europe (+396).

The top ten countries in terms of total numbers of GOTS-certified facilities in 2019 are: India (2411), Bangladesh (1194), Turkey (858), Germany (565), China (448), Italy (444), Portugal (301), Pakistan (276), USA (147), and the UK (75).

“The enormous growth shows that GOTS successfully serves as sustainable solution from certified organic fibre to finished product. With more and more GOTS certified operations and products we altogether substantially contribute to sustainable development.” Claudia Kersten, GOTS Managing Director.

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. Key provisions include a ban on the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), highly hazardous chemicals (such as azo dyes and formaldehyde), and child labour, while requiring strong social compliance management systems and strict waste water treatment practices.

GOTS was developed by leading international standard setters - Organic Trade Association (U.S.), Japan Organic Cotton Association, International Association Natural Textile Industry (Germany), and Soil Association (UK) to define globally-recognised requirements that ensure the organic status of textiles, from field to finished product. GOTS is a non-profit organisation which is self-financed. 

The new GOTS version 6.0 was released on March 19, 2020. The approach of the revision process, undertaken every three years, is to set stricter ecological and social criteria while maintaining relevance of the Global Organic Textile Standard.

Key requirements such as certified organic fibre content, the general ban on toxic and harmful chemicals, conventional cotton and virgin polyester as well as the social compliance management have been maintained, while other criteria became stricter.

When it comes to GOTS Environmental Criteria, Product Stewardship and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) requirements have been introduced for approved chemical formulators.

Regarding GOTS Social Criteria GOTS included more dynamic elements: Certified Entities will now have to calculate the gap of actually paid wages to 'Living Wages' (according to recognized calculations methods). Furthermore, they will be encouraged to work towards closing this gap. Specific references to OECD Due Diligence Guidance and Good Practice Guidance for Social Criteria and Risk Assessment as well as Ethical Business Practises have been explicitly included.

For more information please see: www.global-standard.org.