Organic cotton is a highly sustainable fibre. It has been ranked above conventional cotton, viscose bamboo and linen in Higg´s Index. Globally, brands, retailers and consumers are increasingly supporting organic cotton. But to use organic fibres is not enough. The processing aspect is also very important. When environment friendly processing techniques, coupled with socially responsible practices are used in processing of organic fibres, the textiles produced are best examples of sustainability.
GOTS combines all these aspects in a holistic way. The textile market is a global one. Thus, a voluntary international standard like GOTS, set in partnership with international stakeholder communities, ensures widespread global acceptance. In contrast to national standards, it also helps to remove barriers to international trade. As such, GOTS is recognized as the leading processing standard (also called the ´Gold Standard’) for textiles made from organic fibres worldwide and serves as the credible third party assurance for such textiles.
India is the largest producer of organic cotton (around 70 per cent of the world). It is also the largest processing and export market of textiles using organic fibres. With more than 1,000 facilities, India is also the country with the highest number of GOTS certified facilities worldwide, which makes it actually the hottest sourcing destination for the same. However, even more commitment is required at garmenting stage to further exploit the potential in this sector.
It is in this background that GOTS will be organizing its first-ever international conference on Friday, 22 May 2015 at The Lalit, Mumbai, India. The theme of the conference is ´Strong Partnerships for Success´.