More and more clothing brands print the GOTS mark on their hang tags without knowing the conditions attached to it: who may print it, which documents must be in hand first, where the licence number comes from, and whether the tags and woven labels themselves have to meet material rules. GOTS covers both chemical and production requirements on farm and factory and the labelling rules at the end of the chain, and a break in any link can get goods pulled at retail. This guide sets out the chain of certification, the content thresholds, the label elements and the checks before sampling.
It runs in six parts: what GOTS actually covers, the content thresholds of the two label grades, who may carry the mark and where the licence number belongs, the requirements that apply to tags and packaging, how GOTS sits alongside OEKO-TEX and GRS, and finally a checklist for sampling and ordering.
1. What GOTS Covers: the Whole Chain from Field to Hang Tag
- What it is: GOTS, the Global Organic Textile Standard, was drawn up jointly by the International Association Natural Textile Industry (IVN), the Soil Association, the Organic Trade Association and the Japan Organic Cotton Association. It is a voluntary standard covering the whole supply chain, not a single batch test report.
- Scope: textiles with at least 70% certified organic fibre, from ginning, spinning, weaving, dyeing and printing through to sewing, packing and trading — each operator has to be certified for its own stage.
- Beyond the fibre: banned dyes and auxiliaries, restrictions on chlorine bleaching and some finishes, wastewater and chemical management limited to an approved input list, plus social criteria.
- How it differs from a test report: a report proves residue levels for one batch; GOTS proves the whole chain is certified. The two answer entirely different questions.
2. The Two Label Grades: Where the 95% and 70% Lines Fall
| Label grade | Organic fibre content | How it may be labelled | What the remainder may be |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade one: organic | 95% or more certified organic fibre | May be called organic | Up to 5%, limited to the fibre types the standard names |
| Grade two: made with organic | 70% or more | May only be called made with organic | Up to 30%, but conventional non-organic cotton is normally excluded |
How the percentage is calculated, which fibres the remainder may contain and the exact wording all come back to the current standard text and labelling guide — never to a client saying 70% will do. Wrong grade and wrong wording are among the most common complaints in GOTS projects.
3. Who May Carry the Mark: Licence Numbers, Certification Bodies and TCs
- Only certified entities may use it: the mark and wording belong to the entity audited by an approved certification body; the licence number must be that entity's and must match the certified scope, which is usually limited by product category, process and location.
- The TC is the baton pass: each shipment of certified goods normally needs a Transaction Certificate issued by the certification body, which downstream brands and factories use to check quantity and batch. It is the document most often forgotten in practice.
- Whose number goes on the label: where the brand itself is not the certified entity, state who — usually the certified garment factory or trader — carries the licence number and the responsibility. Putting that sentence in the contract costs far less than explaining later.
- Never on non-certified goods: products outside the certificate may not use the mark, the name or wording derived from it, even if the raw fibre genuinely came from a certified farm.
4. What Applies to Hang Tags, Woven Labels and Packaging
- Accessories have their own clause: buttons, zips, sewing thread, inner and outer labels, woven labels and hang tags fall under accessories or additional materials. They do not need certification item by item, but materials and finishes are restricted, and certain chlorine-containing materials and PVC are ruled out.
- Paper and ink: for paper hang tags and bags, provide FSC chain-of-custody evidence where possible; inks and laminates must sit on the permitted list, and migration and odour need checking at sampling rather than after bulk has run.
- How the mark is laid out: the mark, the licence number and the certification body details must appear complete and legible, never split or redrawn. When a brand logo shares the layout, keep the two visually distinct so nobody reads the certificate as the brand's own.
- Clauses change: material lists, percentage limits and packaging clauses move with the standard. Check the current text and your certification body's interpretation before ordering rather than working from an old version.
5. GOTS, OEKO-TEX and GRS: How the Three Certificates Divide the Work
- Different questions: GOTS covers organic content and the processing chain, GRS covers recycled content and traceability, and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 covers harmful substance residues in the finished product. Three certificates, three problems.
- No substitutes: GOTS certified goods are widely regarded as meeting most Standard 100 residue limits, but the certificates do not replace one another. Provide the report the contract names, whichever it is.
- They can be combined: organic cotton and recycled polyester often share one garment, and the label wording has to mirror each certificate separately — never turn a GRS recycled claim into a GOTS organic claim.
- Say it at enquiry stage: put the certificate name, number and issuing body into the specification, and the supply side knows which documents to file and which elements and minimum type sizes to reserve on the label.
6. Six Checks Before Sampling and Ordering
- One, the entity: is the client certified? Write out the licence number and the certification body, and confirm the scope covers this product category and process.
- Two, content and grade: grade one or grade two, who calculates and supplies the percentage, and which wording goes on the label.
- Three, material compliance: are the paper, ink and laminate in the tags and woven labels on the permitted list, and which provenance documents are needed, FSC for instance?
- Four, packaging: do bags, cartons and tape contain excluded materials, and is a separate provenance statement needed?
- Five, shipping documents: does this shipment need a TC, who applies, how many working days ahead, and does the buyer want a PDF or a database reference?
- Six, layout: mark, licence number, certification body and brand information — position and minimum type size — all marked on the proof for the client to sign off.
💡 Practical tip: on a GOTS project the expensive part is rarely paper or printing but the rework caused by incomplete paperwork — the wrong grade, a missing licence number, a TC never applied for. Any of them stops the goods at retail. Turn these six items into a checklist and confirm them with the client before sampling.
Related Articles
- Trims FAQ: all articles
- Trim Certifications: Reading OEKO-TEX, GRS and FSC
- Certification Marks and Green Claims on Labels: Liability and Risk
- Fibre Content on Care Labels: Names, Percentages and Common Errors
- EU Green Claims Rules: Rewriting Wording on Tags and Packaging
Do you need hang tags, woven labels or care labels for a GOTS certified product? Send us the certified entity, licence number, label grade and content figure: we check the label elements and reserved space first, then propose paper, ink and laminate. Sampling 3–7 days, bulk 10–25 days, trial quantities negotiable.
Ask about certified tags and labels →