Certification in the fashion industry

Fashion Industry Certifications: Building Trust and Responsibility

The fashion industry isn’t just about looking good—it’s also about doing good. Certifications play a big role in ensuring that the clothes we wear are made with care for the planet, the people, and the overall quality. Here’s a simple breakdown of some important ones:

1. Sustainability Certifications

With increasing awareness of environmental impact, sustainability has become a central focus in fashion. Certifications in this category ensure environmentally friendly practices and promote responsible resource use:

• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): Recognized globally, GOTS certifies that textiles meet strict environmental and social criteria throughout the supply chain, from harvesting raw materials to manufacturing.

• OEKO-TEX Standard 100: This label ensures that textiles are tested for harmful substances, promoting safe and sustainable consumer goods.

When it comes to certifications in the fashion industry, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 are two well-known names. Both aim to ensure safer, more sustainable textiles, but they focus on different aspects. Let’s break it down:

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

• Focus: GOTS primarily emphasizes organic and environmentally friendly production processes.

• Requirements: It covers the entire supply chain—from harvesting raw materials (like organic cotton) to the final manufacturing stages. This includes ecological criteria, such as restrictions on toxic chemicals, and social standards, like fair working conditions.

• Scope: Products certified by GOTS must contain at least 70% organic fibers. The certification addresses sustainability and ethical practices across all stages.

• Logo Worth: The GOTS label is a mark of commitment to both the environment and human welfare.

OEKO-TEX Standard 100

• Focus: OEKO-TEX prioritizes consumer safety by testing for harmful substances in finished textiles.

• Requirements: Products are tested for chemicals that could be harmful to human health, including formaldehyde, pesticides, and heavy metals. If a product passes, it’s certified as safe for direct contact with skin.

• Scope: OEKO-TEX focuses on the final product, regardless of whether the materials are organic or not, ensuring that no harmful residues are present.

• Logo Worth: The OEKO-TEX label assures customers the product is free from dangerous substances.

GOTS vs. OEKO-TEX: Key Differences

Which One Should You Look For?

It depends on what matters most to you:

• Choose GOTS if you’re seeking organic, eco-friendly, and ethically-produced textiles.

• Opt for OEKO-TEX if your priority is ensuring the safety of the product for you and your family.

2. Ethical Labor Certifications

Fashion’s supply chain involves diverse labor practices, and certifications in this area focus on promoting workers’ rights and fair treatment:

• Fair Trade Certified: Products with this label guarantee that workers involved in production are paid fairly and work under safe conditions.

• WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production): WRAP certifies facilities that comply with labor laws, ethical manufacturing, and workplace safety.

• SA8000: This social certification ensures ethical working conditions, including fair wages and no child labor.

3. Material-Specific Certifications

As certain materials come under scrutiny for their environmental and ethical impact, certifications assure responsible sourcing:

• Leather Working Group (LWG): Focuses on reducing environmental impacts of leather production through audits and sustainable practices.

• Responsible Wool Standard (RWS): Ensures the welfare of sheep and land during wool production.

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): FSC certifies that wood-based materials, such as rayon and viscose, are sourced from responsibly managed forests.

5. Safety and Quality Certifications

Ensuring product safety and quality is critical in the fashion industry. Certifications in this domain focus on maintaining high standards:

• ISO 9001: A quality management certification applicable to fashion production facilities.

• ISO 14001: This certification promotes environmentally responsible practices in production.

Why Are Certifications Important?

These certifications hold immense value for brands and consumers alike. For brands, certifications enhance credibility, demonstrate a commitment to social and environmental responsibility, and help navigate complex supply chains. For consumers, they provide assurance that the products they buy align with their values of sustainability, ethics, and quality.

Conclusion

As the fashion industry continues to embrace transparency and accountability, certifications play a vital role in setting standards for a better future. Whether you’re a fashion professional or an ethically-conscious shopper, understanding these certifications empowers you to contribute to a more responsible and innovative industry.

Why These Matter

For brands, certifications show customers they care about doing things the right way. For shoppers, it’s a way to know their choices support sustainability, fairness, and quality.

Whether you’re building a fashion brand or exploring your personal style, certifications help create a better, more responsible fashion world.

 

 

GOTS is widely recognized as the leading certification for organic textiles. It sets strict criteria for the entire textile supply chain, including cultivation, harvesting, processing, manufacturing, and labeling of organic fibers. GOTS requires that at least 95% of the fibers in a textile product must be certified organic. This ensures that the raw materials used in the fabric are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and other harmful chemicals. The remaining 5% may include non-organic fibers, but they must meet certain ecological and social criteria.All of Le Petit Society'sorganic productsare GOTS-certified.

 

 

While not specific to organic bamboo, the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification is relevant for bamboo fabrics. It ensures that the fabric has been tested for harmful substances and meets human-ecological requirements. Look for products labeled "Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified" to ensure the fabric's safety.

 

Although primarily associated with sustainable forestry, FSC certification can also be relevant for bamboo fabrics. It ensures that the bamboo used in the fabric comes from responsibly managed and harvested bamboo forests.