Ever had that nagging feeling in the back of your head that that “organic” product you bought wasn’t really organic? What does “organic” mean, anyways? Does it mean the same thing in the United States that it means in the rest of the world? What about products imported from other countries? And, although most people tend to be familiar with the concept of organic food, how can clothing be organic?
Many of these questions can be answered by GOTS, which is the gold standard for organic certification in clothing. GOTS stands for the Global Organic Textile Standard, which is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. GOTS certification, which is internationally recognized, ensures not only that the raw textile material -- the cotton Mightly uses, in our case -- is truly organic, but that it also undergoes environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing. As raw materials and unfinished product proceed from cotton farm to cotton gin, and pass through the spinners, fabric mills, dye houses, and on to the final sewing factory, each step requires a GOTS Transaction Certificate to ensure GOTS compliance at every part of the process.
GOTS certification focuses on three aspects of textile production: first, the quality of the raw organic materials; second, ensuring that the manufacturing procedure is as non-toxic and environmentally-friendly as possible; and third, that the factories producing GOTS certified products meet certain labor conditions. More specifically, a textile product carrying the GOTS label grade “organic” must contain a minimum of 95% organic fibers certified based on recognized international or national standards. All dyes and processing chemicals must be non-toxic and biodegradable, and toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and chlorine bleaches are prohibited. Factories producing GOTS-certified organic textiles must meet the norms of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), including safe and hygienic working conditions, the right to unionize, the right to living wages, and prohibitions against forced labor, child labor, discrimination, excessive working hours, and harsh and inhumane treatment.
As of August 10, 2020, Mightly, Inc., is proud to announce that the company has received its GOTS certification (License number OT-034929.) Although Mightly’s products have always been made from organic cotton by a Fair Trade Certified factory, it took some time for Mightly itself to go through the GOTS brand certification process. Look for the GOTS labels on all Mightly products from now on!