Standing in a shop reading a tag that says “GOTS”, you want to know what it guarantees. This GOTS certification explained guide: it is a label for organic textiles, and its grade shows how much fibre is organic.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| “Organic” grade | 95%+ certified organic fibres |
| “Made with x% organic materials” grade | 70-94% certified organic fibres |
| “Organic in-conversion” grade | 95%+ certified organic in-conversion fibres |
| Who must be certified | Each company involved in processing the product |
| Supply chain covered | Fibre processing to finished product |
These figures come from the standard’s own pages, label grades and key features. Rules can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
GOTS certification explained: what it is
GOTS stands for the Global Organic Textile Standard. It is a processing standard: it looks at what happens to a fibre after it leaves the farm, not only at how the fibre was grown.
According to the standard’s key features page, it “covers the entire textile processing and manufacturing supply chain, from fibre processing to finished product.” That includes spinning, weaving or knitting, dyeing and sewing.
This site is independent. It is not connected to GOTS or any certifier, and this guide is general education, not an official statement of the rules.
The label grades, decoded
A GOTS label must always show the logo and a label grade. The grade tells you the share of certified organic fibre in the product. Per the label grades page, there are four wordings:
- Organic: 95%+ certified organic fibres.
- Organic in-conversion: 95%+ certified organic in-conversion fibres.
- Made with x% organic materials: 70-94% certified organic fibres.
- Made with x% organic in-conversion materials: 70-94% certified organic in-conversion fibres.
So a tee marked “Organic” is nearly all organic fibre, while “Made with” products can contain a meaningful share of other fibres. Neither wording means every thread is organic.
“In-conversion” refers to fibre from farms that are moving toward full organic certification. It is a step along the way, not a lower-quality fibre as such.
What the standard asks of factories
GOTS is not only about fibre percentages. The standard’s pages describe environmental criteria for every stage of processing, and these are listed as:
- Wastewater treatment
- Resource efficiency
- Greenhouse gas emission management
- Chemical input restrictions
- Sustainable processing requirements
- Product safety and durability
This is why a GOTS dyehouse faces rules that a conventional one may not.
Social criteria: workers are covered too
GOTS also includes human rights criteria aligned with internationally recognised norms. According to the key features page, these cover safe and hygienic working conditions, a ban on child labour and forced labour, and no discrimination, harassment or violence.
They also cover freedom of association and collective bargaining, and decent working time and remuneration. That makes GOTS broader than an organic-fibre label alone.
If worker pay is your main concern, compare it with fair trade certified clothing, which approaches the question from a different angle.
How to check a GOTS claim
Certification applies throughout processing: every participating company needs certification from an independent body approved by GOTS. A brand cannot simply borrow the logo because its cotton was organic.
The label rules add a second check. A compliant label must include the GOTS logo, the correct grade and a reference to the certification body.
Use this short routine when you shop:
- Look for the logo and the exact grade wording, not just the word “organic”.
- Check whether the grade is “Organic” or “Made with”, and note the percentage.
- Look for the certification body reference on the label or product listing.
- Be wary of vague claims such as “made from organic cotton” with no logo or certificate reference.
The label grades page says online product listings must carry the same information, so a shop page should show it too.
A worked example: reading two labels
Imagine two t-shirts. The first carries the GOTS logo and the wording “Organic”. That tells you the fibre content is in the 95%+ certified organic band, and that each company in the chain was certified.
The second carries the logo and “Made with x% organic materials”, with a percentage written in. That shows it sits in the 70-94% band, so a share of the fibre is not certified organic.
Both label grades are legitimate, provided the products are genuinely certified. They are different grades, and the useful question is which one fits your priorities and budget.
If the second shirt has no percentage, or no certification body reference, treat that as a gap and ask the seller before you buy. The rules say the percentage and the reference belong on the label.
Also check that the details match the product in front of you, not just the brand’s range in general. Certification attaches to specific products and the companies that made them, so one certified item does not automatically make a whole collection certified.
Common misunderstandings
The most frequent mix-up is treating “organic cotton” and “GOTS” as the same thing. Organic cotton describes how the crop was grown, while GOTS follows the fabric through every processing step and checks the companies involved.
A second mix-up is assuming the logo guarantees a perfect garment. It certifies that the product and its supply chain meet the standard, not that the design suits you or that the brand is flawless in every other respect.
A third is reading “Made with organic materials” as a weaker or dishonest claim. It is a legitimate grade with its own rules, as long as the percentage is stated and the logo and certification details are present.
Finally, a plain “organic” in a product name or advert is not the same as the GOTS grade. Only the label wording defined by the standard carries the certified meaning.
Where GOTS fits in your buying
GOTS tells you about fibre content, processing chemistry and working conditions across the chain. It does not tell you how long a garment will last, where it was shipped from or whether a brand’s pricing is fair.
Use it as one signal among several when you compare ethical clothing brands. Product categories matter too: denim, for example, has its own questions about dyeing and finishing, which we cover under ethical jeans brands.
Certification also has limits. A label cannot tell you how a brand handles returns, packaging or shipping, so read the brand’s own pages alongside the certificate.
If a claim seems unclear, ask the brand which company holds the certificate and which certification body issued it. A genuine certified product should have an answer ready, and a vague reply is itself useful information.
A sensible approach is to prefer certified products where the choice is easy, then buy fewer, better pieces and wear them for years.
Frequently asked questions
Does GOTS mean every fibre is organic?
Show answer
No. The “Organic” grade requires 95%+ certified organic fibres, and the “Made with” grade covers 70-94%, according to the label grades page.
Is GOTS only about cotton?
Show answer
No. The label rules refer to certified organic fibres in general, and the standard covers the processing chain from fibre processing to finished product.
Does GOTS cover workers’ rights?
Show answer
Yes. The standard includes social criteria such as a ban on child labour and forced labour, and freedom of association and collective bargaining.
How can I tell whether a product is really certified?
Show answer
Look for the GOTS logo, the correct label grade and a reference to the certification body. The standard requires each company in the processing chain to be certified.
