GOTS enters OECD alignment process
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has officially started the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Alignment Assessment process for GOTS' version 7.0.
This is a three-stage process that includes a standards assessment, an implementation assessment and a credibility assessment.
With the recent version of GOTS Version 7.0, textile companies gain access to a six-step due diligence process, enabling them to identify, assess and mitigate adverse impacts throughout their supply chains, it said.
GOTS is a voluntary standard for the entire post-harvest processing (including spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing and manufacturing) of apparel and home textiles made with certified organic fibre (such as organic cotton and organic wool), and includes both environmental and social criteria. It was developed by the Organic Trade Association (US), Japan Organic Cotton Association, International Association Natural Textile Industry (Germany), and Soil Association (UK).
The GOTS Due Diligence Criteria provides a framework for companies to proactively address potential or existing risks to human rights and the environment.
Ruslan Alyamkin, responsible for standard development and implementation at GOTS, said: "The Due Diligence Criteria are not just guidelines, they are a powerful tool for real change. They empower companies to make informed and ethical decisions, helping to shape a textile industry that respects human rights and cares for our planet.”
