GOTS Organic & OEKO-TEX Certified Fabrics

It can be confusing when you are shopping for non-toxic cotton fabrics: there's GOTS and OEKO-TEX - all these acronyms!  So let me explain what they mean.  In a nutshell, there two types of certification used to signify fabrics are toxin-free: GOTS and OEKO-TEX.  GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard.  Basically it means that the fabric is grown organically without the use of pesticides and the resulting fabric is free from harmful chemicals. OEKO-TEX certification (pronounced oo-koh-tex) means that the fabric is not grown organically but has been tested to ensure there are no harmful chemicals on the finished product.  I'll discuss both more in depth below.

GOTS certified fabrics
GOTS organic cotton fabric has strict standards for the entire processing chain to ensure no toxic chemicals are used and you and the environment remain unharmed.  GOTS organic cotton is grown without toxic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers or defoliants.  It relies on sustainable and natural farming methods such as crop rotation, longer growing periods and hand-picking (which results in less waste).  The health benefits of organically grown cotton are significant for farmers, as are the environmental aspects: reduced toxins and pollutants.  GOTS certification also ensures they are fair trade.

OEKO-TEX certified fabrics
OEKO-TEX certification means that every part of the article (i.e. every thread, button or other accessories) has been tested for harmful substances and that the article is harmless to humans. 

Your skin in permeable, so if you're touching fabric that has been processed with harmful chemicals, those chemicals can be absorbed into your body.  The GOTS and OEKO-TEX certifications are your guarantee that the fabric doesn't have any harmful chemicals.  Specifically, GOTS and OEKO-TEX certifications means there are no flame retardants, carcinogenic and allergy-inducing dyes, pesticides, heavy metals, or formaldehyde in the finished fabric.

If sustainability and environmentally friendly fabrics are most important to you, you can focus on purchasing just organic cotton fabrics.  If you are more concerned with shopping for toxin-free fabrics for babies, allergies, sensitive skin or your overall health, you can shop for either organic or OEKO-TEX certified fabrics.

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