OEKO-TEX 100: textile safety certification — confirms absence of 1000+ harmful substances. Required for EU export of textiles. Tests on finished product.
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard): organic content ≥70% + environmental + social criteria across full supply chain (fiber to finished product). Stricter than OEKO-TEX (covers fiber origin).
When to use which:
- Conventional cotton T-shirt → OEKO-TEX 100 sufficient
- Organic cotton T-shirt → GOTS required for 'organic' claim
- Recycled polyester (rPET) → GRS (Global Recycled Standard) instead
- Bamboo viscose → OEKO-TEX 100 + FSC for bamboo origin
- Wool → GOTS Wool variant or RWS (Responsible Wool Standard)
Cost premium:
- OEKO-TEX 100: ~5-10% over uncertified (tier-1 mills already certified)
- GOTS: 25-35% over conventional (organic farming + chain of custody)
Market signaling: OEKO-TEX is baseline (most B2B buyers expect). GOTS is premium-ESG signal (top 10% sustainability-conscious clients require).
Combined: OEKO-TEX + GOTS + Fair Trade is best-in-class (top 1% of products).