According to the recently released GOTS Annual Report 2019, the number of Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified facilities showed yet the greatest rise ever from 5.760 to 7.765 in 2019, the highest figure so far and an increase of 35%. The GOTS certified facilities are located in 70 countries with continuous growth in both production and consumption regions. Countries with the largest growth in GOTS certifications in 2019 (rank order in per cent) 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 (2.411), Bangladesh (1.194), Turkey (858), Germany (565), China (448), Italy (444), Portugal (301), Pakistan (276), USA (147), and the UK (75). More than 3 Million workers working in GOTS certified facilities were reported in 2019 by the 17 accredited independent Certification Bodies. The number of chemical inputs in the Positive List showed an increase of 18% to 23.872 from 871 suppliers. The GOTS Positive List contains trade names of approved chemicals that must be used by all textile processors for their GOTS certified production.
The revision for GOTS Version 6.0 commenced from April 2019. 273 stakeholder inputs were received in the 1st consultation period and 82 in the 2nd period. After assessing and deliberating the contributions, the Standards Committee prepared a final revision draft of GOTS Version 6.0 and the corresponding Implementation Manual, as well as a document to record changes and inclusions from Version 5.0. The GOTS Version 6.0 and the corresponding Implementation Manual are released in spring 2020. The transition period for users of GOTS to fully comply with the new version will be one year.
The GOTS initiated genetically modified organism (GMO) testing method project for cotton, picked up and sponsored by the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA), was completed by the Dutch Standardisation authority NEN and released as an ISO International Workshop Agreement (ISO IWA 32) in April 2019. Following this, an advisory was sent to all GOTS Approved Certification Bodies (CB) to use this protocol for screening for the presence of GMOs at gins. The GOTS Position Document on GM Contamination in Textiles is available for download on the GOTS website.
The Indian government agency Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) continued to revisit the concept of a Chain of Custody standard for the entire organic textile supply chain rather than a processing standard like GOTS, leading to dual audit requirements if the certification is made mandatory. A stakeholder meeting was called by the Ministry of Textiles, most attendees continued to resist mandatory regulation by APEDA and suggested to consider existing certification such as GOTS and OCS. APEDA has offered quarterly meetings to GOTS and Textile Exchange to discuss matters hereafter. It is likely that APEDA will possibly start a petition with the administrative authorities in the Ministry of Textiles at some opportune stage to promulgate a mandatory rule for all (exported) organic cotton products from India to carry their certification. GOTS will continue to monitor the situation.
GOTS is recognised as the world’s leading processing standard for textiles made from organic fibres. It defines high-level environmental criteria along the entire supply chain of organic textiles and requires compliance with social criteria as well.
GOTS was developed by leading international standard setters in order to define globally recognised requirements that ensure the organic status of textiles – from harvesting of the raw materials through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing all the way to labelling – in order to provide credible assurance to the consumer. Supported by the growth in consumption of organic fibres and by the remarkable demand for standardised processing criteria from the industry and retail sector, GOTS has already gained universal recognition. It enables processors and manufacturers to supply their textiles made from organic fibres with one certification accepted in all major selling markets.
GOTS is comprised of four well-respected member organisations: Organic Trade Association (OTA), USA, International Association of Natural Textile Industry (IVN), Germany, Soil Association, UK and the Japan Organic Cotton Association (JOCA), Japan. Together with international stakeholder organisations and experts, they contribute their respective expertise in organic farming and environmentally and socially responsible textile processing to GOTS. The monitoring system is based on on-site inspection and certification performed by independent, specially accredited bodies. This assures the integrity of GOTS certified textiles. The GOTS licence entitles value chain partners to participate in the GOTS programme, including the use of the GOTS logo on its respective GOTS goods.
