Global Organic Textile Standards certification keeps growing

The number of facilities certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) kept on growing last year, increasing from 3,663 facilities in 2014 to 3,814 facilities in 2015. According to Global Standards, GOTS certified facilities are now located in 68 countries around the world. Growth is evenly spread across all market segments including the mass market and the big brands. GOTS is recognized worldwide as the leading processing standard for textiles made with organic fibers, and GOTS certification enables consumers to purchase items that are certified organic from field to finished product.

Countries or regions with the largest increase in GOTS certification in 2015 are (in order by rank): India, Europe, Turkey, and Bangladesh. The Top Five countries in terms of the total number of GOTS certified facilities are: India, Turkey, Germany, Bangladesh and China.

According to the Organic Trade Association’s most recent Organic Industry Survey, the market for organic textiles is the most rapidly growing non-food organic category in the U.S., growing to $1.1 billion in sales in 2014. The sector grew 18% in 2014, its strongest growth since 2009. Much of this growth is the result of the 2011 US Department of Agriculture policy requiring companies labeling their textiles as “organic” to certify their products to the U.S. organic food standard or GOTS, as well as grocery retailers urging their suppliers to become certified to GOTS.

"The figures show that GOTS' credible and independent certification of the entire supply chain is an important driver for the business case for sustainability - in contrast to mere self-claims," says Claudia Kersten, GOTS Marketing Director.