GOTS certification-a few characteristics

Would you buy a garment if you didn't know what it was made from? Or if you didn't know how much it costs?

Information about how a product is made, whether its production is environmentally destructive, or whether the people who made it worked in decent conditions, are just as important as the material composition, care and washing instructions, or the price. When reading a product's label, look for all this information, and if the brand you are buying from is not transparent in all the above respects, perhaps it's a good idea to look for other options. To help you choose your clothes with all the information, we thought we'd tell you a little about the sustainability standards in the textile industry and how to identify them on labels.

What is the GOTS certification?

The abbreviation GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard and refers to one of the most important certifications in the textile industry. Companies that have this certification are carefully checked by an independent organization that ensures that a series of strict criteria targeting sustainable production are met at all stages of production and in the supply chain.

It's important to remember that the GOTS standard is managed by an independent and transparent organization—­making their evaluations objective.

The criteria that a GOTS company must meet concern environmental protection and respect for people, which are essential criteria when choosing to buy a product.

The GOTS evaluation starts from the stage of growing cotton plants. The certified raw materials come from ecologically cultivated crops, free from environmentally harmful pesticides. From here to the final product, all stages are monitored so that the highest standards of sustainability are met. Even though the industrial processing of textiles involves the use of chemicals, in the case of GOTS-certified production, there is a strict list of what is allowed and what is prohibited so that the negative impact on the environment is minimized.

Companies in the GOTS family commit to a continuous process of improving their activities, with the aim of protecting nature, a process that is not limited to production but also refers to waste management, optimizing energy consumption, and improving the working conditions of employees.

An important component of GOTS is the social one because sustainability and the future of the planet also involve caring for people. GOTS evaluators check how workers conduct their activities, the legality of employment contracts, the level of wages (which must be competitive with the market), safety conditions as well as comfort at the workplace. If you want a decent salary and a workplace where you feel respected and safe, why wouldn't it seem natural for the people who made the clothes you wear to be treated the same?

Another aspect that makes GOTS one of the highest standards is the attention to detail. For example: product packaging must be sustainable (either paper/cardboard from sustainable sources or biodegradable materials), and the threads used for seams are also sustainable.

In the composition of a GOTS product, at least 70% organic fibers are mandatory, and the remaining 30% must also be sustainable, such as genetically unmodified plant or animal fibers, or recycled synthetic fibers. The use of conventional cotton in GOTS products, virgin polyester, conventional angora yarns, and other fibers whose production involved pollution or animal abuse is prohibited.

To become a GOTS-certified company, you must meet the above criteria along with a long list of other requirements. You can find complete details about GOTS here.

Printoteca holds GOTS certification and is the first print workshop in Romania to achieve this performance.