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One system.
Two Standards.
Full value chain assurance.

Global Standards provides system-level textile standards that help organisations meet and exceed regulations, reduce risk and build credible processes across the entire value chain.

  • GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) is the leading processing standard for textiles made with certified organic fibres.
  • GRTS (Global Responsible Textile Standard) extends the same proven system to products made with fibres certified to approved responsible fibre production standards.

Together, they provide one consistent certification approach for a broad range of textile products.

Multi-factor Global Textile Standards

Unlike standards that focus on a single attribute, material, or outcome, GOTS and GRTS integrate multiple governance mechanisms into one binding framework. This framework governs how products are produced, processed, traded, certified and communicated, creating integrity, accountability and oversight throughout the supply chain.

The six governance layers of GOTS & GRTS

1. Material Origin Governance

  • Defines requirements for eligible fibre and material inputs.
  • Establishes rules on material composition, content thresholds, and blending.
  • Ensures that certified products meet clearly defined sourcing criteria.

2. Chain of Custody Governance

  • Requires documented tracking of certified materials throughout the supply chain.
  • Uses transaction certificates and other verification mechanisms where applicable.
  • Ensures traceability and accountability across all processing and trading stages.

3. Chemical Governance

  • Applies positive and negative lists of permitted and prohibited substances.
  • Uses process-based restrictions rather than relying solely on end-product testing.
  • Incorporates a precautionary approach to chemical management.

4. Environmental Governance

  • Establishes requirements for wastewater treatment and environmental management.
  • Addresses energy use, emissions, and resource efficiency.
  • Relies on ongoing compliance and verification rather than one-time product testing.

5. Social Governance

  • Incorporates internationally recognised labour and human rights requirements.
  • Covers topics such as health and safety, working conditions, working hours, and non-discrimination.
  • Applies to certified facilities throughout the supply chain.

6. Claims and Labelling Governance

  • Defines how certification claims may be communicated.
  • Controls the use of logos, labels, and marketing statements.
  • Treats misuse of claims or labelling as a sanctionable breach of the system.

GOTS and GRTS – system-level textile standards

In summary, GOTS and GRTS are system-level standards because they combine material, traceability, chemical, environmental, human rights including social, business conduct and labelling requirements into a single, auditable framework. This integrated governance structure enables oversight and assurance across the entire value chain rather than addressing only a single product characteristic or sustainability issue.

Business value for textile companies

Global Standards helps you turn sustainability into measurable results:

  • Operational efficiency
  • Market access
  • Compliance
  • Risk reduction
  • Credibility

A system, not just standards

Unlike material-specific or single-stage approaches, Global Standards governs the entire textile production system. GOTS and GRTS are independent standards, both built on the same underlying system that ensures consistency, credibility and integrity across the full value chain.

This shared system ensures that every step, every actor and every transaction in the supply chain follows the same third-party verified requirements, creating a trusted system that delivers transparency and accountability throughout global production.

It is built on:

  • Clearly defined and enforceable criteria
  • Integrated due diligence frameworks
  • Independent on-site audits by accredited 3rd party Certification Bodies
  • End-to-end traceability and transaction verification
  • Strict labelling

In practice, this means:

  • Full value chain coverage – from fibre to finished product (fibre → processing → manufacturing → trading → finished product)
  • Independent certification – ensuring impartial verification
  • Built-in traceability – no gaps, no blind spots
  • Global recognition – one trusted system accepted worldwide

The result: Integrity you can rely on - from raw material to final product.

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FAQ

Why is certification important for textile companies?

Certification provides independently verified proof that environmental and social criteria are met. It helps companies:

  • Comply with regulations
  • Reduce supply chain risks
  • Build trust with customers and partners
  • Make credible sustainability claims
What does “system-level standard” mean?

A system-level standard governs the entire production system rather than a single input or output. This means that all actors in the supply chain following the same rules, are audited regularly, and are connected through a traceable and verified system.

Who can get certified?

Certification is available to companies involved in textile processing, manufacturing, and trading. This includes suppliers, manufacturers, brands and other actors within the textile value chain.

Which organisation is behind GOTS & GTRS?

Global Standards is a non-profit organisation that develops and operates international sustainability standards for the textile industry. Our system-level standards govern the entire production system, ensuring that all stages of the value chain, from fibre production to finished product, follow strict environmental and social criteria and are verified through independent certification.
We are a lean organisation of around 50 experts with no global office network. This allows us to keep costs low and focus resources on what matters most: maintaining and advancing our standards. To ensure that sustainability is not a cost barrier, we keep annual fees low for certified companies. Read more about our organisation here.

What is the difference between GOTS and GRTS?

The Global Organic Textile Standard - GOTS applies to textiles made with certified organic fibres, such as organic cotton or wool. The Global Responsible Textile Standard – GRTS - applies to textiles made with fibres certified to recognised responsible production standards, including standards covering natural plant and animal fibres, regenerated cellulosic fibres, recycled materials and biopolymers.

Both standards go far beyond how fibres are produced. They cover the entire supply chain, from first processing stages to finished product. This means that every step, including processing, manufacturing and trading, must meet strict environmental and social criteria and be verified through independent certification.

GRTS extends the same system used by GOTS to approved responsible fibres. This allows companies to apply and benefit from the same level of credibility, traceability and compliance across all their products.
Both standards are built on the same underlying system and work in parallel.

Companies may use GOTS for their organic products and GRTS for products made of other responsible fibres, while maintaining a consistent and globally recognised certification approach across their entire portfolio.

Are GOTS and GRTS separate certifications?

Yes. GOTS and GRTS are independent certifications, and companies may choose to be certified to either one individually or to both, depending on the types of fibres used in their products.

For companies choosing both, certification is efficient, as it can be covered within a single audit.

Both standards are governed by the same underlying system, ensuring consistency in criteria, certification, and verification across GOTS and GRTS.

Can companies use both GOTS and GRTS?

Yes. This enables companies to cover different product lines using one consistent system across both organic and other responsible materials.

Which fibres are allowed under GRTS?

To qualify as “responsible” under GRTS, fibres must meet key requirements including:

  • third-party certification
  • Verified traceability that maintains the identity of certified fibres throughout the supply chain.
  • Non-GMO production requirements
  • restrictions on hazardous substances
  • animal welfare safeguards, including no mulesing
  • environmentally sound and resource-efficient production processes where applicable
  • responsible sourcing requirements for forestry-based and bio-based materials

Fibre categories eligible for GRTS include:

  • natural, plant and animal fibres
  • regenerated cellulosic fibres
  • recycled natural and synthetic fibres
  • biopolymers
  • certified organic and organic in-conversion fibres*

GRTS goods must contain at least 90% recognised responsible fibres. This approach enables more fibre flexibility while maintaining strict environmental, social and traceability requirements across the entire processing and manufacturing supply chain.

* GRTS complements GOTS by providing a certification pathway for products containing certified organic and organic in-conversion fibres that do not meet GOTS's minimum organic fibre content requirements of 70% certified organic fibre content (or 95% for products labelled "organic")