#Sustainability

2024-03-21

GOTS applauds European Parliament’s vote on the Green Claims Directive

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) applauds last week’s vote by the European Parliament to ban unverified 'green' product labels by enforcing stricter rules to back green claims and labels. By obligating companies to submit evidence about environmental marketing claims – including advertising and labelling products as ‘biodegradable’, ‘less polluting’, ‘water saving’, or having ‘bio-based content’ – consumers will be able to make better informed decisions about the sustainability of their purchases.

Consumers need protection from greenwashing and false claims about a product’s environmental impact. As a leader in the organic textile industry, GOTS is a dynamic standard with constant progress towards the development of better textile processing methods. GOTS provides rules and tools for fostering responsible business practices and to support businesses to comply with domestic and international laws and beyond. The current GOTS Version 7.0 includes rigorous criteria for the protection of human, employment and social rights, as well as the environment and climate. By being certified to GOTS 7.0 and selling GOTS-labelled goods, companies are demonstrating their commitment to sustainability and human rights.

For more than two decades, GOTS, operated by non-profit Global Standard, has led the way in providing a comprehensive solution for businesses who want to embrace strictest criteria in environmentally responsible practices and human rights. Consumers purchasing certified products can be assured that these entities underwent the highest criteria of sustainable production. We are pleased that this directive also targets the proliferation of private environmental labels, requiring them to be reliable, transparent, independently verified, and regularly reviewed.

GOTS ask legislators to continue in this direction as the proposal goes into the ‘trilogue’, where the three European Union institutions – Commission, Parliament and Council – finalise the regulation. GOTS continues to monitor the implementation requirements.

Global Standards announce launch of a new textile processing standard

The 14th September 2026 marks the public launch of the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS), a new standard for the processing of textiles made from fibres certified to third-party standards recognised by GRTS and covering a broad range of plant, animal, synthetic, man-made cellulosic and recycled fibres.

The Or Foundation, adidas, BESTSELLER, H&M Group, and Inditex launch Apparel Recovery Coalition, responding to impacts of post-consumer textile exports

adidas, BESTSELLER, H&M Group, Inditex and The Or Foundation, with support from Circle Economy, unveiled the Apparel Recovery Coalition (ARC). The coalition will explore how producer responsibility systems can support circular pathways such as reuse, upcycling, recycling, and responsible waste management in countries that receive large volumes of exported secondhand apparel.

NEUMÜHLE launches mono-material hoodie designed for textile recycling

With the Circular Mono Hoodie, Zurich-based label NEUMÜHLE introduces a new essential designed around a single-material principle. The textile construction is cotton throughout, right down to the sewing thread. Entirely free from elastane, the hoodie launches as a Limited Drop for CHF 139. Take-back, collection and existing recycling partnerships complement its circular design.