Certifications you should be looking out for

Certifications are a super important part of sustainable fashion, this is because they can help you distinguish between fast fashion brands and sustainable fashion brands. It is easy to tell people to research the sustainability of a brand, but it can be hard to know what to look for. Certifications can be overwhelming and there are lots to look at, but not to fear, I am here... to explain and show some of these certifications and what they mean.

Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS)

GOTS is an international certification which verifies the organic status of 70% of textiles which are made from natural fibres including organic cotton, hemp, wool and linen. It is one of the most reliable certifications as the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading and distribution of all garments are covered and taken into account.

For a garment to be covered by GOTS it has to meet certain environmental and social standards, this includes how a raw material has been harvested all the way to the labelling of the product. These garments must contain a minimum of 95% certified organic fibres to be labelled as 'organic' and 70% to be labelled as 'made with organic'.

Check out GOTS to see their criteria which allows garments to be certified under their standard.

Source: GOTS

Fairtrade

A brand which is certified under Fairtrade is paying fair wages to workers in developing countries, providing safe working conditions and working in accordance with social, environmental and economic standards. Fairtrade stems across many items including, food, coffee, gold and many more.

Why not buy Fairtrade, and look good while helping out those in developing countries? Vulnerable cotton farmers are supported under this standard so that they can sell their goods at a decent price which allows for them to support themselves and their families. This stems further and will allow them to earn a higher wage, gain an education and have access to basic human rights which they deserve. One purchase of a Fairtrade item from you can change the life of someone on the other side of the world.

Some companies to look at who have certified items: White Stuff, People Tree, Little Green Radicals, Visible Clothing.

Click here to find out more about Fairtrade, including how you can get involved or where you can buy.

Source: Little Green Radicals

Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)

The BTI is the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world and strives for a better environment that cotton grows in and better lives for those who produce it. The economic development of those in cotton producing areas is also a goal of the BTI and they have a strong commitment to adding better cotton into supply chains. This is an important part of the fashion industry as a small change to better cotton can make a huge impact to the lives and environment of those in developing countries.

Better Cotton as part of this certification is grown across 23 countries who produced 5.6 million tonnes of cotton in 2019. This accounts for 22% of the global cotton supply and the initiative allows for cotton farmers to develop skills and knowledge to continually improve their cotton performance.

If a brand adds a BCI logo to their garment it means that they are sourcing at least 5% of their cotton as better cotton, with the aim to be sourcing 50% within five years. This may not seem like much but it is a start, and sometimes farmers cannot make the switch to organic as it takes investment and approximately three years to do. If they're making the switch, so should you.

Source: Better Cotton Initiative

OEKO-TEX

This standard looks at the chemicals which are present in a garment using their Standard 100 certification. This means that garments under this certification have been tested for chemicals which are harmful to humans. Every component in a garment is tested under this standard, including buttons, zippers, threads, prints, coatings etc.

This is an annually updated certification which uses scientific knowledge and statutory requirements to take into account both regulated and non-regulated substances. By buying a product with this certification you can trust that it is safe to wear and made under friendly and safe conditions to both the environment and the workers.

Source: OEKO-TEX

The OEKO-TEX MADE IN GREEN certification covers garments and textiles which have been tested for harmful substances and have been manufactured under both sustainable and socially responsible conditions. Each garment has a unique ID on the label, which allows the consumer to trace the countries which it has been produced.

When you buy a product with the MADE IN GREEN label, you are guaranteeing the product is made: with materials that have been tested for harmful substances, in environmentally friendly facilities and in safe and socially responsible workplaces.

Source: OEKO-TEX

These are just two of the certifications given by OEKO-TEX, their other certifications include: LEATHER STANDARD, STeP, DETOX TO ZERO and ECO PASSPORT. To find out more about these standards, head to the OEKO-TEX website to find out more.

Organic Content Standard (OCS)

Originally, this actually certified cotton only, but it has now developed to other types of textiles. For an item to meet OCS it is assessed on the amount of organic material which is present in the final garment. It uses a strong chain of custody system throughout the whole process to assess a garment, and by using this it gives a consistent and efficient certification.

Source: Textile Exchange. (Click Source to read the OCS document)

This certification was created by Textile Change, who have other certifications which you should check out. I have linked their website here for you.

Leather Working Group (LWG)

The aim of the Leather Working Group is to assess leather manufacturers and promote sustainable environmental business practices within the leather industry. They do this by giving tanneries and leather traders either a gold, silver or bronze ranking based on how they are working alongside guidelines to protect the environment.

The LWG is made up of professionals in the fashion industry, including supply chain experts) to develop a protocol for brands to follow. It aims to work transparently with technical experts so that they can make a real difference.

This is handy to look for in a brand that uses leather as it means they are sourcing from environmentally friendly suppliers. Some examples of brands using this certification are Timberland, Everlane and Dr. Martens.

Source: Leather Working Group

This is only a short list of some key certifications to look for, and there are plenty of online guides to certifications. Do not fear, there will be a part 2 to follow, but for now please feel free to get in touch and let me know if you have any items which have any certification labels.

Recommendation: ECOCULT (post written by Abigail Davidson) - This educated me a lot around the topic of certifications and gives many more for you to have a look at. It includes environmental certifications, fair labour certifications, holistic brand certifications and other resources.