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GOTS certification carries specific licensing and trademarked labeling conditions. Each label “grade” has specific wording to be used in conjunction with the GOTS logo. Please visit the GOTS website to obtain the most recent version of the GOTS Licensing and Labeling Guide.

What do I need to have on my GOTS product label?

Per the sample image, the following information is required:

• “Organic” is the label grade (95 percent or greater)
• “Certified by…” is the certifier reference (e.g., Certified by OTCO)
• “License number” is a certifier issued number for each GOTS client

The use of the GOTS logo is not permitted if the product is not certified to its standards. Logo use must always include the label grade, certified by statement and license number.

How do I know what “label” grade my product is?

GOTS identifies the organic fiber content in a final product in two different ways:

• Organic — GOTS products in the “organic” label grade must have at least 95 percent organic fiber content, with the additional five percent of materials meeting all GOTS requirements.
• Made with [#] percent organic materials — GOTS products in the “made with ___ percent organic materials” label grade must contain 70 percent to 95 percent organic fiber content, with the remaining 5 – 30 percent of materials meeting all GOTS requirements.

Within these two label grades, GOTS allows the sub-category of transitional organic fibers called “in-conversion” (e.g. “organic in conversion” or “made with ___ percent organic in conversion”).

Certified entities can also use the combined product label for finished products that are not GOTS eligible, but have a finished fiber component that is GOTS certified, examples are furniture, car seats, bassinets, or bike helmets.

Can I claim 100 percent organic on my GOTS label?

Unlike organic food, there is no label grade for 100 percent organic materials in GOTS. The organic label grade covers this option.

You are allowed to use the phrase in a product description (e.g. “100 percent organic cotton”) but not to fulfill the label grade section of your label. Only the label grades detailed above can appear directly below or beside the GOTS logo.

What is my license number?

Your license number is linked to the GOTS database and allows customers, buyers, and the general public to find your business listing and check that your operation is certified and what GOTS products are available.

What are the restrictions for retailers using the GOTS logo?

If you are a final retailer and exempt from the certification requirement, you are permitted to use the GOTS logo in advertising the sale of organic textile goods you have purchased from a certified factory. The GOTS license number of the last manufacturer must appear on the product label, or you can choose to attain certification, and then your license number would be used.

What is a GOTS Transaction Certificate?

Once certified to GOTS, you are ready to buy and sell into the international GOTS supply chain from the first manufacturing step to the finished product. GOTS utilizes a transaction certificate system to check that the goods shipped between certified entities meet the standard’s criteria.

How do I request a Transaction Certificate from OTCO?

Transaction Certificates (TCs) are issued by OTCO for the first manufacturing step, such as a cotton gin, all the way through to the last manufacturer or trade activity. Retailers are exempt and do not need to furnish a TC to the final customer.

1. Download a GOTS Template for Transaction Certificate. Follow the instructions for completing it with the help of the GOTS Guide to Request GOTS Transaction Certificates (both links below).
2. Ensure the Transaction Certificate references the GOTS Geographical Classification v. 1.0, which includes a list of countries and areas and their two-digit codes assigned by the International Standardization (ISO) 3166-1.
3. The TC form must continue to be saved and submitted as a Word document. All other mandatory supporting documents, which are included as sales and shipping verification, can be sent as copies, PDFs, spreadsheets, etc.
4. Each TC request must be submitted individually, along with all the necessary supporting documentation attachments. Send complete information to  export@tilth.org

Transaction Certificates are processed in approximately five (5) days. Expedited services are available for an additional fee. Multi-shipment TCs are possible, although the option must be set up in advance and are not eligible for expedited services. Clients must send all supporting documents with each individual request to ensure there are no delays. It is also the client’s responsibility to send a copy to its buyer once OTCO approves and returns the issued Transaction Certificate.