Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

For consumers seeking finished products with the highest level of organic integrity.

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the leading certification for organic textiles and the only one that’s backed by the USDA National Organic Program. In an industry where cotton is referred to as “the dirtiest crop,” and apparel and home furnishings brands can greenwash without consequence, GOTS empowers health- and eco-conscious consumers with critical information. When you see the “green t-shirt” GOTS logo on a product, you know that it was evaluated for organic integrity, as well as for how it was sourced, processed, dyed, labeled, packaged, and more — from fiber to finished product.

Why Does GOTS Certification Matter?

“GOTS is a full supply chain certification with strict criteria for environmental, social, and chemical practices. It helps ensure products are healthier for your home while supporting responsible production and fair working conditions.”

-Ryan Sitler, GOTS Representative, North America

What Is GOTS Certified Organic?

GOTS is the world’s leading third-party certification for organic textiles. It verifies that a product’s fibers are certified organic and that every stage of processing — from spinning and dyeing to finishing and labeling — meets strict environmental, chemical, and social standards.

According to Ryan Sitler, a GOTS representative in North America, “GOTS was created because federal organic standards, such as the USDA National Organic Program, do not include any criteria for the processing and handling of fibers after they are harvested from certified organic farms.”

While programs like USDA Organic focus on the farm, GOTS picks up where they leave off and covers everything that happens next, including processing, manufacturing, finishing, packaging, labeling, and distribution.

How Does GOTS Evaluate Products?

GOTS certification uses accredited independent third-party certification bodies to audit and verify compliance throughout the supply chain. Companies seeking certification undergo detailed application reviews, annual on-site audits, ongoing oversight, and supply chain traceability verification.

GOTS also evaluates organic fiber sourcing, chemical inputs, textile processing, wastewater treatment, environmental practices, worker safety, labor conditions, and product labeling. Unlike certifications that only review finished products, GOTS certification begins during the early stages of textile processing and continues through final manufacturing.

GOTS Certification At-A-Glance

Requires 95%+ certified organic fibers for a product to be labeled as organic
Applies to plant- and animal-based fibers, including cotton, linen, kapok, hemp, wool, silk, and cashmere
Restricts many harmful chemicals, including flame retardants, PFAS, toxic dyes, and carcinogenic or toxic chemical residues
Evaluates the full supply chain from processing through labeling and distribution
Includes environmental standards, worker protections, and annual third-party audits

Myth: Organic Fiber = Organic Product

Not necessarily. A product can contain one organic material, such as certified organic cotton, without the finished product meeting the requirements for GOTS certification. While the fiber itself may be certified organic, GOTS also evaluates how textiles are processed, manufactured, finished, labeled, and traced throughout the supply chain. In other words, a product isn't automatically organic just because one ingredient is.

Why GOTS Matters for Your Sleep Environment

Mattresses and bedding come into close contact with your skin every day and off-gas into the room where you rest for eight hours a night. Even if they begin with natural fibers like cotton, wool, or bamboo, they often undergo extensive processing before reaching your home. Along the way, your mattress and bedding materials may be exposed to pesticide use on farms, harsh dyes, antimicrobial finishes, stain- and wrinkle- resistant treatments, and other chemical inputs.

GOTS helps address these concerns by setting strict requirements for certified organic fibers, chemical processing, environmental practices, and manufacturing transparency. This gives you greater confidence in the textiles closest to your body.

If It’s Not GOTS-Certified, It’s Not Organic

Naturepedic was founded by Barry Cik, a board-certified environmental engineer who spent his career studying the effects of chemical exposure. That background is why Naturepedic uses GOTS certification as our definition of organic and an important part of our Farm to Bed approach.

Ryan Sitler, GOTS Representative for North America, puts it this way: “The GOTS audit and certification system is a significant means of verification and can offer consumers confidence that the story-telling by a business, about their products, is truthful and truly impactful.”

We’ve held GOTS certification since 2009, more than a decade before “nontoxic” became a marketing trend in the mattress industry, and we were one of the first mattress brands ever to earn it.

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Beyond GOTS

There are a lot of reputable certifications that can help health-conscious shoppers like you. Here are a few more that may help you shop — and sleep! — more intentionally.

Shopping for Certified Low-VOC Home Products?

GREENGUARD Gold tests mattresses, pillows, toppers, and more.

View GREENGUARD Gold criteria →

Looking for Mattress-Focused Chemical Screening?

EWG Verified® screens mattresses for ingredient safety, emissions, and transparency.

Learn about EWG Verified® →

Need a Nontoxic Standard for Home Products?

MADE SAFE® screens for 15,000+ substances and applies to bedding, pillows, and more.

See MADE SAFE →

GOTS Certified Organic FAQs

What does GOTS mean for mattresses and bedding?

GOTS has two label grades: “organic” and “made with organic.” A mattress or bedding product labeled "organic" must contain at least 95% certified organic fibers, i.e., the cotton and wool batting in your mattress or the linen in a duvet set. "Made with organic" products must contain at least 70% organic fibers. Beyond fiber content, both grades carry the same strict requirements for chemical processing, environmental responsibility, and social criteria throughout manufacturing.

Why is GOTS considered the gold standard for organic textiles?

Because it goes far beyond the farm. Most organic claims only cover how a fiber was grown, but GOTS extends those requirements through every stage of processing and manufacturing. The standard covers chemical inputs, environmental practices, worker protections, and supply chain traceability. What’s more, compliance is verified annually by independent third-party certifiers rather than relying on a brand's own claims or disclosures.

Are all organic cotton products GOTS certified?

No. A product can only make a GOTS claim when it is produced and handled by companies that hold their own GOTS certification, and every facility that touches the product must be independently audited. Organic cotton as a material does not automatically mean the finished product is GOTS certified.

The most reliable way to verify a GOTS claim is to look up the company or license number in the GOTS public database. You can also look for the GOTS “green t-shirt” logo and certification information on product packaging, labels, or product pages. No license number means the claim is unverified.

Does GOTS certification limit chemicals?

Yes. GOTS restricts many chemicals commonly used in textile processing and requires approved alternatives that meet its criteria. This includes certain flame retardants, heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic solvents, PVC, phthalates, and other substances that may pose risks to human health or the environment. GOTS also evaluates dyes, inks, auxiliaries, and finishing treatments used throughout manufacturing. You can view the GOTS standard (version 8.0) in full here.

How is GOTS different from USDA Organic?

USDA Organic primarily applies to farming and agricultural production. GOTS is recognized by the USDA as an organic textile standard and extends those requirements beyond the farm to evaluate textile processing, manufacturing, chemical inputs, and supply chain practices after fibers are harvested. So while USDA Organic tells you how the cotton was grown, GOTS tells you what happened to it after.

What is the difference between GOTS and OCS certification?

Both certifications help verify organic materials, but they evaluate different things. Organic Content Standard (OCS) is a chain-of-custody certification that tracks individual components like cotton through each step of the supply chain. GOTS, on the other hand, certifies finished products by evaluating organic content, chemical inputs, processing methods, environmental practices, worker protections, and manufacturing standards.

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