Focus on Sustainable Textile Certification by Kaixin Certification

Consumer demand for textile products has grown in tandem with the expansion of the textile industry. At the same time, environmental and social sustainability are driving textile companies and consumers to prioritize green and sustainable textiles. As sustainability becomes an increasingly important economic and social concern, the interest in and demand for organic and recycled textile certifications is growing.

Textile certification standards provide an opportunity for industry players to verify their sustainability claims. Certification starts from raw materials and goes up to finished products, supporting the sustainable growth of the textile industry by regulating the entire supply chain. Any organization participating in the textile industry is eligible for certification. This includes originations like manufacturing factories, traders, retailers, brands, etc. Sustainable certifications can apply to organic and/or recycled textile products.

What are the different types of textile certifications?

Textile certification and regulation broadly covers three main categories apparel, home furnishings and industrial textiles. In addition, industry players can obtain sustainability focused textile certifications, for the entire supply chain, like GOTS and the Textile Exchange membership.

1. Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

This Standard regulates the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading, and distribution of all textiles made from at least 70% certified organic natural fibres. The final products may include, but are not limited to fibre products, yarns, fabrics, garments, fashion textile accessories (carried or worn), textile toys, home textiles, mattresses, and bedding products as well as textile personal care products.

GOTS maintains a list of approved chemical inputs and accessories referred to as the GOTS Additives. For GOTS to add chemical formulations to its approval lists, formulators must undergo assessment by a GOTS approved Certification Body (CB). Part of the CB assessment process is an on-site audit of the applicant’s environmental management systems, occupational health and safety.

2. Textile Exchange (TE)

The Textile Exchange’s mission is to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices in the textile industry. This acceleration will only happen if steps are taken to ensure that actions taken toward sustainability result in real and meaningful change. As part of its efforts, the Textile Exchange created the 2030 Strategy: Climate+. Under the Climate+ strategic direction, Textile Exchange is the driving force for urgent climate action with a goal of 45% reduced CO2 emissions from textile fibre and material production by 2030.

Certification aims to safeguard against TE members replacing recycled or organic materials in their supply chain. As such, certification is conducted at every stage of the supply chain by TE approved CBs. TE members include leading brands, retailers, and suppliers.

How can Cotecna help clients meet textile certification requirements?

Kaixin Certification part of the Cotecna Group, is accredited to offer both the GOTS and Textile Exchange textile certification.

Kaixin scope and capabilities 

Kaixin Certification can provide the following TE & GOTS certification services:

• Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)
• Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
• Organic Content Standard (OCS)
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

TE and GOTS Certifications are part of the sustainability certifications offered by Cotecna. Sustainability certifications provide a framework that promotes the construction of green supply chains, effectively mobilizing entire industries to systematically reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. This is because throughout the product life cycle there are carbon footprints from the design process, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, marketing, recycling, etc. These carbon footprints require upstream and downstream enterprises to improve their environmental performance at each step of each process, ultimately leading to the systematic sustainability of the entire supply chain.

The Cotecna Way

At Cotecna, we bring trust to supply chains and allow them to become economically beneficial, environmentally friendly, and socially responsible, through offering one-stop-shop sustainable solutions.

In the past years, Kaixin Certification has provided sustainability certification services to suppliers of leading international companies, helping ensure that their global supply chain meets required standards, from safety of products to care of environment and people during the process.

To learn more about Kaixin Certification services and other Cotecna sustainability services, please contact us.