The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has received recognition from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) who expressed gratitude for GOTS' active involvement and contributions to the Green Button 2.0 recognition process.
The recognition was also based on the recommendation of the United Nations International Trade Centre (UN-ITC) and now allows GOTS to be used as proof for the areas of manufacturing and wet processes.
Under Green Button 2.0, GOTS can now grant approximately 60 Green Button-affiliated companies to leverage its certification to address the meta-label requirements.
This recognition ensures that consumers receive clear and reliable guidance on independent, ambitious, and relevant certification labels within the textile market.
As a newly accepted certification label, GOTS now extends its certification by covering manufacturing and wet processes, along with its existing recognition for fibre and material production.
GOTS certification covers the use of plant-based and animal fibres, as well as man-made fibres with a proportion greater than 10% and less than 30% in the final product.
To comply with the Green Button requirements for production processes and label products, companies must demonstrate recognised certification labels in all three areas: fibre and material use, wet processes, and manufacturing.
Before this, companies are required to showcase adherence to the requirements for corporate due diligence processes within a Green Button audit.
Towards the end of 2023, other certification companies were recognised for their sustainable manufacturing and production efforts:
- Oeko-Tex Made in Green: For the recognition scope manufacturing and wet processes. For the recognition scope of fibre and material used for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3) or the use of organic cotton,
- Oeko-Tex Organic Cotton: For the recognition scope fibre and material used for the use of organic cotton,
- Oeko-Tex Standard 100: For the recognition scope fibre and material used for the use of virgin polyester (product class 1-3) as well as for the use of recycled fibres and materials,
- Bluesign product: For the recognition scope wet processes. For the recognition scope fibre and material used for the use of virgin polyester and down,
- Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA): For the recognition scope fibre and material used for the use of plant-based fibres,
- Global Recycled Standard (GRS): For the recognition scope of wet processes in combination with Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and for fibre and material used for the use of recycled man-made and plant-based fibres.
The recognition of certification labels by the BMZ remains valid until the next revision of the Green Button. If the certification label itself undergo changes, it is to be reviewed in accordance with the Green Button Standard whether the recognition needs to be elicited in a new benchmarking.
