OEKO-TEX vs GOTS certification for sustainable corporate merch from Georgia

Name: Merch.com.ge
Address: GE

When OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is the right textile certification for a corporate merch programme, and when GOTS is needed for an organic cotton programme with chain-of-custody documentation.

Plan a certified programme Sustainability programme

What the two certifications actually certify

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is a product-safety certification. The certification tests the finished textile for the presence of harmful substances at the limits defined by the OEKO-TEX association. The test covers regulated and non-regulated substances (formaldehyde, pesticides, heavy metals, phthalates, azo dyes, and several hundred others) and the limits are typically stricter than the legal limits in most jurisdictions. The certification is awarded per product (per SKU, per colourway, per finishing) and is renewed annually.

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) is a process-and-chain-of-custody certification. The certification covers the entire production chain from the organic cotton farm through the spinning, knitting, dyeing, cutting and sewing stages. Every step has to be certified to the GOTS standard; the finished product carries a GOTS transaction certificate that ties the finished SKU back to the organic fibre source. The certification covers both environmental criteria (water management, energy use, waste management) and social criteria (worker conditions, child labour, forced labour).

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is the right answer for programmes where the buyer wants assurance that the finished textile is free from harmful substances, but the fibre source can be conventional cotton, recycled polyester or any other fibre. The certification is fast (1 to 3 months for a new SKU) and relatively inexpensive (EUR 500 to 2,000 per SKU per year). It is the workhorse certification for corporate merch programmes that need a safety story but not an organic story.

GOTS is the right answer for programmes where the buyer wants an organic cotton programme with chain-of-custody documentation. The certification is slower (6 to 12 months for a new producer) and more expensive (EUR 5,000 to 20,000 per year depending on the scope), but the chain-of-custody documentation is the basis for the marketing claim "made with organic cotton" and is the audit trail a procurement committee can hand to its own auditor.

How the two certifications overlap

GOTS includes the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 test for harmful substances. A GOTS-certified fabric or garment is by definition OEKO-TEX compliant; the GOTS audit covers the same substance list (with some additions) and the same residue limits. A buyer who is GOTS-certified does not need a separate OEKO-TEX certificate; the GOTS certificate is sufficient evidence.

OEKO-TEX does not include the GOTS chain-of-custody requirement. An OEKO-TEX-certified fabric can be made from conventional cotton, recycled polyester or any other fibre; the certification does not address the fibre origin. A buyer who needs organic fibre documentation cannot rely on OEKO-TEX alone.

The two certifications are complementary in some programmes. A buyer who needs both safety and organic documentation can run a GOTS-certified organic cotton programme with an OEKO-TEX Standard 100 label on the finished SKU (the OEKO-TEX label is optional on GOTS-certified products). The label signals "this is safe" and "this is organic" in a single visual mark, which simplifies the procurement-side documentation.

Cost, lead time and the procurement-side audit

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 cost is EUR 500 to 2,000 per SKU per year, depending on the number of colourways and the finishing. The audit is a one-time fee per SKU plus an annual renewal fee. The lead time for a new SKU is 1 to 3 months from the first sample submission. The certificate is issued by one of the OEKO-TEX member institutes (Hohenstein, Testex, Shirley, Aitex, etc.) and is valid for 12 months.

GOTS cost is EUR 5,000 to 20,000 per year for the producer, depending on the scope (the number of facilities, the number of SKUs, the number of fibre sources). The audit is an annual on-site audit by a GOTS-approved certification body (Control Union, ICEA, ECOCERT, etc.). The lead time for a new producer is 6 to 12 months from the first application. The certificate is valid for 12 months subject to the annual audit.

The procurement-side audit is satisfied by either certificate. A buyer who needs to demonstrate that its merchandise is safety-certified can use the OEKO-TEX label or the GOTS certificate. A buyer who needs to demonstrate that its merchandise is organic can use the GOTS transaction certificate; OEKO-TEX does not support the organic claim.

What this means for a Tbilisi programme

The Tbilisi workshop is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified for the decoration consumables (the embroidery thread, the screen-print ink, the DTF powder). The certification is renewed annually and the certificate number is on file with the buyer on request. For the base fabric (the cotton polo, the recycled polyester fleece, the bamboo fibre mug) the certification sits with the upstream supplier; we provide the certificate number to the buyer with the shipment.

For an organic cotton polo programme the GOTS chain of custody is held by the upstream supplier (the GOTS-certified spinning and knitting mill). We are the GOTS-certified cut-and-sew partner; our GOTS scope covers the cutting, sewing and decoration steps. The GOTS transaction certificate is issued by the upstream supplier with our cut-and-sew step recorded; the certificate references the buyer by name and programme reference and is delivered with the shipment.

For a programme that uses recycled PET (our eco-line rPET fleece and rPET backpack) the certification is GRS (Global Recycled Standard), which is the recycling-equivalent of GOTS. The GRS covers the chain of custody from the post-consumer bottle collection point through the flake producer, the fibre producer, the spinner, the knits partner and the finished unit. The transaction certificate is delivered with the shipment.

Frequently asked questions

Does GOTS include OEKO-TEX Standard 100?

Yes. GOTS includes the OEKO-TEX substance list and residue limits. A GOTS-certified fabric or garment is by definition OEKO-TEX compliant; the buyer does not need a separate OEKO-TEX certificate.

Is Corp-Merch affiliated with OEKO-TEX or GOTS?

No. OEKO-TEX and GOTS are independent third-party certification bodies. We are OEKO-TEX certified for our decoration consumables and GOTS-certified as a cut-and-sew partner; we are not a partner, sponsor or affiliate of either body.

Can a conventional-cotton programme carry the OEKO-TEX label?

Yes. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 does not address the fibre origin. A conventional-cotton polo can be OEKO-TEX certified if the finished product passes the substance test; the certification is awarded per SKU and per colourway.

What is the cost difference between OEKO-TEX and GOTS for a 500-unit corporate programme?

OEKO-TEX is built into the per-unit cost; the cost is amortised across the programme volume and is typically invisible to the buyer. GOTS carries a per-shipment transaction certificate fee of EUR 50 to 150 plus the upstream fibre premium of 8 to 15% on the organic cotton line.

Corp-Merch is an independent corporate merchandise producer in Georgia. We are OEKO-TEX certified for our decoration consumables and GOTS certified as a cut-and-sew partner; we are not a partner, sponsor or affiliate of either certification body.

Plan a certified programme

Send the SKU list, the volume and the certification scope. A named production lead will reply within one working day with the certification chain, the per-unit cost and the lead time.