GOTS certifies organic fibre content together with processing, chemical and social criteria at every certified step in the chain. OCS certifies organic fibre content only, and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 tests the finished article for harmful substances and says nothing about whether the fibre is organic. The three are often listed together on supplier price lists as if they were interchangeable, and they are not. Each one supports a different claim on your product and a different conversation with your customer.
What each one covers
- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard): organic fibre content, plus environmental criteria for processing and chemical inputs, wastewater treatment and social criteria at each certified stage from ginning to finished garment.
- OCS (Organic Content Standard, run by Textile Exchange): verifies the presence and amount of organic material in a product and tracks it through the chain. It does not cover chemicals, processing or labour.
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100: tests a finished article, or a component such as a fabric, button or thread, for a list of harmful substances. It is a product safety label, not an organic or sustainability claim.
Which claim each one supports
If you want to print organic cotton on a care label or hang tag, you need GOTS or OCS covering the actual product, backed by a transaction certificate for the shipment. If you want to tell customers the garment has been tested for harmful substances, you need OEKO-TEX Standard 100 with the right product class for the end use, such as babywear or skin contact. A GOTS garment is not automatically OEKO-TEX tested, and an OEKO-TEX garment is not organic unless a separate organic certificate says so.
Many Indian mills and garment units hold more than one. A woven shirting mill may have GOTS for its organic lines, OCS for blended lines where only the content claim matters, and OEKO-TEX for its whole range. Ask which lines each certificate covers, because the scope is usually narrower than the mill's full catalogue.
Common mistakes buyers make
- Accepting a mill's GOTS scope certificate as proof that your specific order is organic. Only a transaction certificate ties a lot to the claim.
- Assuming OEKO-TEX means organic. It does not, and labelling it that way can breach consumer law in your market.
- Buying OCS fabric and expecting GOTS-level chemical restrictions. OCS does not restrict the dyes and finishes used.
- Forgetting that the garment maker, not just the fabric mill, must be certified if you want the finished garment to carry a GOTS or OCS claim.
How we help
Labelling rules for organic and safety claims vary by country and change over time, so check with your compliance team before finalising artwork. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
We check each shortlisted supplier's GOTS, OCS and OEKO-TEX certificates on the certifier databases before you see the shortlist, and we note the exact scope in the supplier profile. For organic orders we collect the transaction certificate with the document pack, and we can send sealed samples to an NABL-accredited lab if you want your own test results. A free 20-minute sourcing review is a good place to work out which certificate your product actually needs.