The number of facilities certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has increased by 14.6% year-on-year in 2018 – with the largest growth seen in Bangladesh.
GOTS certification covers the processing of certified organic fibres along the entire supply chain from field to finished product, with the number of certified facilities rising to 5,760, up from 5,024 the year before.
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The certified facilities are spread across 64 countries. GOTS said the countries with the largest growth in percentage in certification were Bangladesh, which grew by 29%; North America, which grew 25%; and Pakistan, whose certified organic factories rose by 23%. South Korea also showed a 23% increase. Overall, India, Bangladesh and Turkey have the highest total number of organic-certified fibre factories.
There has also been a 13% increase in the number of approved chemicals on the GOTS Positive List. This list contains tradenames of approved chemicals that must be used by all textile processors for their GOTS certified production.
“The increasing number of certified facilities aligns with the common desire to solve sustainability-related problems. It confirms that GOTS is seen as part of the solution. Company leaders use GOTS as risk management tool and as a market opportunity. Consumers value the verifiable certification from field to finished product,” said GOTS managing director, Claudia Kersten.
GOTS was developed by the Organic Trade Association (US), 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.
The voluntary global standard covers 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.
