National Standard: Global Organic Textile Standard GOTS Update

On January 2, 2025, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) 8.0 issued the draft and solicited comments. The standard draft is updated as follows:

1. Standard interpretation and implementation

Organic certification and labeling rules: the overall certification and labeling rules for textile fiber products are defined, and the certification and labeling rules for products containing textile fiber components are refined.

Certification and audit process: Newly added certification and audit implementation text and guidance, including new provisions on primary processing certification. For example, under specific conditions, the subsequent processing stage can be certified as the first process of GOTS.

Inspection mode: in the explanation part, the relevant content of virtual inspection is added, and in the guidance part, the methods and means of remote audit are described, including off-site desktop review, virtual audit and real-time video streaming.

Retail product label: the guidance for updating the label of retail products, which stipulates that retail products without GOTS label shall not be claimed, advertised or quoted.

Material restrictions: refer to the regulations and guidance documents of the European Union and OECD for the relevant paragraphs on restrictions on micro plastics of new accessories.

2. Due diligence management process

New reference documents: new references to the GOTS pillar document, the GOTS Certified Entity Due Diligence Manual v1.1, are added in each step.

New guidance requirements: for example, certification entities should use multi-source information, assess suppliers in a gender sensitive manner, determine the form and frequency of communication according to human rights impact, communicate with workers and relevant organizations, and establish an operational complaint mechanism.

3. Environmental and Chemical Management Policy

Policy formulation requirements: certification entities should establish written environmental and chemical management policies, and non processing certification entities should also deal with environmental issues according to the nature of their business, including emissions calculations and emission reduction targets.

Wastewater and sludge analysis: provides further guidance on wastewater and sludge analysis, including following relevant wastewater guidelines and meeting discharge requirements.

4. Human Rights and Labor Rights Protection

Reference to international conventions: a series of references to international human rights instruments are added in the interpretation section to guide certification entities.

Detailed guidance requirements: new or modified guidance requirements in forced labor, child labor, anti worker and anti trade union behaviors, occupational health and safety, etc., such as zero tolerance of forced labor, formulation of clear policies, compliance with relevant international standards and norms, etc.

5. Quality management system: the guidance of the quality management system has been expanded, the reference test method for qualitative transgenic screening of cotton has been updated, and the pesticide residue limit requirements after fiber mixing have been clarified.

6. Added chapter: Added the chapter of "Circulation Principle of GOTS Commodities" to provide relevant guidance and reference.

GOTS was founded by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), Internationaler Verband der Naturtextilwirtschaft (IVN, Germany), Soil Association (UK) and Japan Organic Cotton Association (JOCA, Japan). Two of them (IVAN and JOAN) are textile industry organizations, while the other two (OTA and Soil Association) are organic organizations rooted in organic agriculture and food. GOTS regularly updates the standards by drawing on the suggestions and opinions of other relevant international stakeholder organizations and experts.

(Source: website of Ministry of Commerce)