What is the difference between OEKO-TEX and GOTS certification?
They answer different questions. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 tests the finished article for harmful substances and is granted per product, with no requirement for organic fibre. GOTS certifies organic fibre content and the environmental and social performance of every processing stage, from fibre to finished garment, and requires chain-of-custody documents at each step.
Side by side
A garment can hold OEKO-TEX without a gram of organic cotton, and a GOTS garment also has to meet chemical limits — GOTS includes them, but goes further into fibre, water, energy and labour.
| Dimension | OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 | GOTS |
|---|---|---|
| What is certified | The finished article and its components | The organic fibre and the processing chain |
| Fibre requirement | None | ≥70% organic; ≥95% for the "organic" grade |
| Chain of custody | Not required | Required at every stage, with transaction certificates |
| Chemical inputs | Tested against limit values | Must come from the approved input list |
| Social criteria | Not covered | Covered, audited annually |
| Validity | 12 months, product-specific | Annual audit and certification |
| Who holds it | The mill or garment maker for that article | Each certified operator in the chain |
What each one is good for
OEKO-TEX is the practical answer for a brand that needs to state the garment is safe against a recognised limit list, including for children's wear through product classes I to IV. It is what a European retailer will normally ask for on a fabric and trim file.
GOTS is the answer for an organic claim. It is also harder to arrange, because every operator in the chain has to be certified and each shipment needs a transaction certificate. A brand cannot decide to "add GOTS" at the packing stage.
How to verify a certificate, and what we can provide
OEKO-TEX certificates carry a number that can be checked in the OEKO-TEX buying guide, and the scope has to name the article or component. GOTS certificates can be checked in the public GOTS database, and the transaction certificate is the document that ties a specific shipment to a certified operator.
Certificates sit with the mill, the printer or the trim supplier that holds them, not with the garment factory. We request the scope that covers your specific fabric, print paste and trims, check that the article description matches, and pass the documents with your order file. We do not describe VANRD as certified for a standard we do not hold.
If a certificate's scope names a different quality code or a different mill, it does not cover your order, even if it is the same fibre.
Field example
A European kidswear brand needed OEKO-TEX product class I for a 320 GSM cotton hoodie. The fabric mill held a certificate covering the quality code, the print paste had a separate certificate from the printer, and the drawcord supplier provided its own. Three documents, one order file. On a later organic programme the same brand moved to GOTS and discovered the fabric mill was not certified, so the order had to be re-sourced before sampling could start.
Numbers that matter
- OEKO-TEX product classes I-IV: baby, direct skin, outerwear, decoration
- GOTS requires ≥70% organic fibre, and ≥95% for the "organic" grade
- OEKO-TEX certificates are valid for 12 months and name the article
- GOTS needs a transaction certificate per shipment, not one certificate per year
- Service Process
- Fabrics & Techniques
- Sweater & Knitwear Manufacturer
- OEM/ODM Apparel Manufacturing by Brand Type
- Custom Headwear Manufacturer
- Streetwear Manufacturer
- Custom Clothing Quality Control
- Tracksuit Manufacturer
- T-Shirt & Jersey Manufacturer
- Pants & Bottoms Manufacturer
- Hoodie & Sweatshirt Manufacturer
- Jacket Manufacturer
