The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) applauds last week’s vote by the European Parliament to ban unverified 'green' product labels by enforcing stricter rules to back green claims and labels. By obligating companies to submit evidence about environmental marketing claims – including advertising and labelling products as ‘biodegradable’, ‘less polluting’, ‘water saving’, or having ‘bio-based content’ – consumers will be able to make better informed decisions about the sustainability of their purchases.
Consumers need protection from greenwashing and false claims about a product’s environmental impact. As a leader in the organic textile industry, GOTS is a dynamic standard with constant progress towards the development of better textile processing methods. GOTS provides rules and tools for fostering responsible business practices and to support businesses to comply with domestic and international laws and beyond. The current GOTS Version 7.0 includes rigorous criteria for the protection of human, employment and social rights, as well as the environment and climate. By being certified to GOTS 7.0 and selling GOTS-labelled goods, companies are demonstrating their commitment to sustainability and human rights.
For more than two decades, GOTS, operated by non-profit Global Standard, has led the way in providing a comprehensive solution for businesses who want to embrace strictest criteria in environmentally responsible practices and human rights. Consumers purchasing certified products can be assured that these entities underwent the highest criteria of sustainable production. We are pleased that this directive also targets the proliferation of private environmental labels, requiring them to be reliable, transparent, independently verified, and regularly reviewed.
We ask legislators to continue in this direction as the proposal goes into the ‘trilogue’, where the three European Union institutions – Commission, Parliament and Council – finalise the regulation. GOTS continues to monitor the implementation requirements.”